Recontextualizing Anthropomorphic Metaphors in Organization Studies: The Pathology of Organizational Insomnia

Publikation: Beiträge in ZeitschriftenZeitschriftenaufsätzeForschungbegutachtet

Authors

In this article, the authors discuss critically the use of anthropomorphic metaphors in organization studies (e.g., organizational knowledge, learning, and memory). They argue that, although these metaphors are potentially powerful, because of frequent usage they are at risk of becoming taken for granted and contextually disconnected from their source domain, the human mind. To unleash the heuristic potential of such metaphors, it is necessary to take into account the inherent dynamics and bidirectionality of metaphorical language use. Therefore, the authors propose a methodology for the context-sensitive use of metaphors in organization studies. They illustrate this approach by developing the new metaphor of organizational insomnia, which is informed by recent neuroscientific research on human sleep and its disruptions. The insomnia metaphor provides an alternative way of explaining deficits in organizational knowledge, learning, and memory, which originate in a state of permanent restlessness.
OriginalspracheEnglisch
ZeitschriftJournal of Management Inquiry
Jahrgang22
Ausgabenummer4
Seiten (von - bis)435-450
Anzahl der Seiten16
ISSN1056-4926
DOIs
PublikationsstatusErschienen - 10.2013
Extern publiziertJa

DOI

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