Rethinking the Knowledge Controversy in Organization Studies A Generative Uncertainty Perspective

Recently the field of organization studies has been plagued by intense, disruptive controversy about what counts as knowledge. This book, written by the major researchers and voices in the field of organization studies, attempts to respond to this controversy by offering the topic of "generative uncertainty" as the primary vehicle for rethinking about this issue. The authors prefer admitting uncertainty to making unwarranted assumptions. The ideas about questioning the possibility of knowledge that is certain goes back to before the time of Socrates. This unique, historical look at the study of organization studies will be of interest to all students and scholars of this field.

Part 1. Rethinking Organization Studies 1. Generative Uncertainty. 2. Ramifications of Generative Uncertainty for Organization Studies. Part 2. Historical Factors 3. In the Shadow of Certainty: Interplay of Certainty and Uncertainty in the West. 4. Neo-institutional View of Scientism and the Organization Studies Knowledge Controversy. 5. Origins of the Knowledge Controversy in the History of Organization Studies. 6. Key Themes in the Debate about Orthodox Science in the Study of Organizations. 7. Organization Scholars’ Responses to the Breakdown of Orthodoxy. Part 3. Alternatives 8. Alternative Approaches for the Knowledge Controversy. Part 4. Letting Go 9. Letting Go of Misguided Attempts to Emulate Physics. 10. Letting Go of Agonism. 11. Toward Post-Agonistic Communication: Conversation in Organization Studies Part 5. Conclusion 12. Generative Uncertainty.

Walter R. Nord is a Distinguished University Professor in the Department of Management at the University of South Florida. He received his Ph.D. (1967) in social psychology from Washington University-St. Louis where he was a member of the faculty at the Olin School of Business. Since 1989 he has been a member of the faculty at the University of South Florida in Tampa. He has published numerous articles and books in the field of organization studies. He received the Distinguished Educator award from the Academy of Management and was a co-recipient of the Terry Book Award from the Academy of Management for the Handbook of Organization Studies. Ann F.Connell received her Ph.D. in psychology (concentration in statistics and measurement) from Washington University-St. Louis (1968). She was a member of the faculty of Lindenwood College and has taught in the business school at the University of South Florida. She was a clinical psychologist in St. Louis, Missouri 1975 -1989. She has published articles on the philosophy of social science and co-authored a book on native plants in Florida.