Researching Management Practices:Understanding, Explaining and Improving the Practice of Management

Abstract

This Workshop addresses theoretical and practitioner challenges in studying management practice. Many organization, strategy and management researchers have commented on the value of the practice-based approach which, drawing on movements in social sciences more generally, has been referred to as 'the practice turn' (Whittington, 2006; Schatzki, Knorr-Cetina, & von Savigny, 2001). While practice is often conceived as bundles of activities, there are significant differences in the conceptions of activities and their connections to one another. Practices are the context of action and are themselves constituted through meaningful action. Thus the study of practices incorporates understanding activities, experiences, presentation (and re-presentation), skills, learning and the materiality of action. However, a rich theoretical background and diverse contributions create conflicting advice for managers and researchers alike. The purpose of this workshop is not to reduce this rich complexity but to enable those in the field to explore the different positions adopted and to discuss where productive dialogues and debates between those positions might be fostered. The workshop is designed to facilitate discussion and mapping activities of the multiple theoretical and practitioner implications. We set out to explore the many approaches associated with different traditions of practice-based research. The workshop will be of interest to those concerned with theory building in practice-based research; the theory-practice interface; and faculty and doctoral candidates seeking research inspiration. The overarching aim is to stimulate dialogue between fields where there is an interest in practice