Paradigmapping studies of culture and organization
RIS ID
85754
Abstract
This article argues that cross cultural management research is in a crisis of its own making. It is a captive of the delusion that nomothetic theory is progressing towards convergence of an ideal view. Within the context of this fallacy are competing perspectives and paradigms that appear incommensurable. The battle appears to be which paradigm will win. It is our contention that the battle is futile and unnecessary. We reveal how `paradigmapping' is useful in understanding the manner in which paradigms and incommensurability can be framed in discourse involving culture and organization. Through this work of Frijof Capra we seek to formulate a new perspective on paradigms. This view enables an informative account of where principal contributions can be located within the intellectual space of studies of culture and organizations. It reveals that all knowledge contributions are captive of one privileged view, tolerant of a second marginalized view and denigrative or ignorant of a third view. In other words, all knowledge is captive of blind prejudices. We offer an outline of strategic research options within the field and the potential for transcending potential problems of incommensurability. We conclude that `anything goes', as long as it involves what Capra has called `epistemic consciousness'; namely a realization of the prejudices inherent in our epistemologies, a determination to avoid single-paradigm myopia, and encouragement to employ bricolage in the context of local moralities, relationships and actionable outcomes.
Publication Details
Lowe, S., Moore, F. & Carr, A. N. 2007, 'Paradigmapping studies of culture and organization', International Journal of Cross Cultural Management, vol. 7, no. 2, pp. 237-251.