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Organization as rhetoric : Ambiguity in knowledge-intensive companies

Alvesson, Mats LU (1993) In Journal of Management Studies 30(6). p.997-1015
Abstract
This article discusses the concepts of knowledge-intensive workers and firms. the functional view is questioned and a perspective on knowledge as institutionalized myth and rationality-surrogate is proposed. the ambiguity of knowledge work is emphasized and it is argued that a crucial dimension of a knowledge-intensive organization concerns the struggle with this ambiguity, which leads to efforts to refine various rhetorical strategies. Besides those stressing knowledge, science and rationality, the article points to rhetoric describing employees in knowledge-intensive firms as possessing other personal qualities and orientations than personnel employed in bureaucracies.
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author
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
Journal of Management Studies
volume
30
issue
6
pages
997 - 1015
publisher
Wiley-Blackwell
external identifiers
  • scopus:84977712908
ISSN
1467-6486
DOI
10.1111/j.1467-6486.1993.tb00476.x
language
English
LU publication?
no
id
ccc6554a-79d1-4661-a066-2b76204f3221
date added to LUP
2016-06-29 09:34:10
date last changed
2021-01-03 05:45:00
@article{ccc6554a-79d1-4661-a066-2b76204f3221,
  abstract     = {{This article discusses the concepts of knowledge-intensive workers and firms. the functional view is questioned and a perspective on knowledge as institutionalized myth and rationality-surrogate is proposed. the ambiguity of knowledge work is emphasized and it is argued that a crucial dimension of a knowledge-intensive organization concerns the struggle with this ambiguity, which leads to efforts to refine various rhetorical strategies. Besides those stressing knowledge, science and rationality, the article points to rhetoric describing employees in knowledge-intensive firms as possessing other personal qualities and orientations than personnel employed in bureaucracies.}},
  author       = {{Alvesson, Mats}},
  issn         = {{1467-6486}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{6}},
  pages        = {{997--1015}},
  publisher    = {{Wiley-Blackwell}},
  series       = {{Journal of Management Studies}},
  title        = {{Organization as rhetoric : Ambiguity in knowledge-intensive companies}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-6486.1993.tb00476.x}},
  doi          = {{10.1111/j.1467-6486.1993.tb00476.x}},
  volume       = {{30}},
  year         = {{1993}},
}