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When fiction meets theory: Writing with voice, resonance, and an open end

Grafström, Maria and Jonsson, Anna LU (2020) In Dialogues in Critical Management Studies 4. p.113-129
Abstract
In this chapter, we explore genre-blurring writing, where fiction meets theory, following the argument that texts in management and organisation studies suffer from the ‘textbook syndrome’. The stories that we tell through textbooks not only influence, but also set boundaries for, the way understandings are developed through the eyes of the reader. Often textbooks are written in a way that lead the reader into an idealised linear understanding of an organisation–far from the problems, dilemmas and messy everyday life that managers experience. Our discussion builds on previous literature on writing differently and our own experiences of writing a textbook by involving a professional novelist. Engaging in genre-blurring writing opens up how... (More)
In this chapter, we explore genre-blurring writing, where fiction meets theory, following the argument that texts in management and organisation studies suffer from the ‘textbook syndrome’. The stories that we tell through textbooks not only influence, but also set boundaries for, the way understandings are developed through the eyes of the reader. Often textbooks are written in a way that lead the reader into an idealised linear understanding of an organisation–far from the problems, dilemmas and messy everyday life that managers experience. Our discussion builds on previous literature on writing differently and our own experiences of writing a textbook by involving a professional novelist. Engaging in genre-blurring writing opens up how we think not only about writing, fiction and facts but also in our role as scientists. By situating ourselves, as researchers, at the intersection of fiction and the scientific work, not only … (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
and
organization
publishing date
type
Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding
publication status
published
subject
host publication
Writing Differently
series title
Dialogues in Critical Management Studies
editor
Pullen, Alison ; Helin, Jenny and Harding, Nancy
volume
4
pages
113 - 129
publisher
Emerald Group Publishing Limited
external identifiers
  • scopus:85133522589
ISBN
978-1-83867-337-6
978-1-83867-338-3
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
4a48102e-3374-4c6e-bb4b-6dc321ed1826
date added to LUP
2020-04-13 21:37:11
date last changed
2024-06-29 01:19:08
@inbook{4a48102e-3374-4c6e-bb4b-6dc321ed1826,
  abstract     = {{In this chapter, we explore genre-blurring writing, where fiction meets theory, following the argument that texts in management and organisation studies suffer from the ‘textbook syndrome’. The stories that we tell through textbooks not only influence, but also set boundaries for, the way understandings are developed through the eyes of the reader. Often textbooks are written in a way that lead the reader into an idealised linear understanding of an organisation–far from the problems, dilemmas and messy everyday life that managers experience. Our discussion builds on previous literature on writing differently and our own experiences of writing a textbook by involving a professional novelist. Engaging in genre-blurring writing opens up how we think not only about writing, fiction and facts but also in our role as scientists. By situating ourselves, as researchers, at the intersection of fiction and the scientific work, not only …}},
  author       = {{Grafström, Maria and Jonsson, Anna}},
  booktitle    = {{Writing Differently}},
  editor       = {{Pullen, Alison and Helin, Jenny and Harding, Nancy}},
  isbn         = {{978-1-83867-337-6}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  pages        = {{113--129}},
  publisher    = {{Emerald Group Publishing Limited}},
  series       = {{Dialogues in Critical Management Studies}},
  title        = {{When fiction meets theory: Writing with voice, resonance, and an open end}},
  volume       = {{4}},
  year         = {{2020}},
}