Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to consider the interplay between discourse, policy and practice in relation to aspects of organization and processes of organizing. Design/methodology/approach – Provides an introduction to the six contributions contained in this special issue and discusses how they relate to the core theme. Findings – Highlights the need for an approach which treats discourses, policies and practices as connected and mutually implicated, rather than discrete, phenomena. Originality/value – Presents an approach to discourse analysis which promotes an engagement with wider aspects of social activity.