The Epistemology of Management: An Introduction

Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksContributions to collected editions/anthologiesResearch

Authors

The epistemological foundations of management studies have been contested throughout the history of the discipline. In this chapter, we first introduce the core of epistemology – the problem of knowledge. The problem of knowledge includes, in fact, several interrelated problems that form a system, such as: What is knowledge? Who or what has the capacity of knowing? How much can be known? What are the sources of knowing? And what knowledge is considered best? We then cluster current epistemological positions in management studies by differentiating between four epistemological orientations that differ in how the scientific statements relate to empirical reality. We refer to these orientations as (1) epistemologies of representation, (2) epistemologies of interpretation, (3) epistemologies of imagination, and (4) epistemologies of intervention. These four orientations serve as a structure to the contributions of this handbook, and also offer a novel way of mapping contemporary epistemologies in management scholarship.
Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationHandbook of Philosophy of Management
EditorsChristina Neesham, Markus Reihlen, Dennis Schöneborn
Number of pages21
Volume9
Place of PublicationSchweiz
PublisherSpringer International Publishing AG
Publication date23.07.2022
Pages17-37
ISBN (print)978-3-319-48352-8
ISBN (electronic)978-3-030-76605-4
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 23.07.2022

    Research areas

  • Management studies - Epistemology, knowledge, Epistemologies of representation, epistemologies of interpretation, epistemologies of imagination, epistemologies of intervention