'The smell of the place': managerialist culture in contemporary UK business schools

Case, Peter, and De Vita, Glauco (2016) 'The smell of the place': managerialist culture in contemporary UK business schools. Culture and Organization, 22 (4). pp. 348-364.

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Abstract

By introducing an intentionally provocative critique of managerialist regimes which typify contemporary UK business school culture, we argue that current business school management practices generate a climate of mistrust and alienation amongst academics. Such a climate is not conducive to a reformative agenda that business schools should be pursuing if they are to improve staff morale and the educational environment. Drawing on Ghoshal's 'smell of the place' metaphor to structure this argument, we court deliberate irony and paradox. Rather than draw on heterodox theory to inform our critique we, instead, turn relatively mainstream management and organization theory against itself. Our argument is that even when examined through orthodox lenses, managerialist practices are found wanting and contradict the precepts of much mainstream normative theory.

Item ID: 42684
Item Type: Article (Research - C1)
ISSN: 1477-2760
Keywords: business schools, culture, Ghoshal, higher education, managerialism, metaphor
Date Deposited: 23 Feb 2016 00:16
FoR Codes: 35 COMMERCE, MANAGEMENT, TOURISM AND SERVICES > 3507 Strategy, management and organisational behaviour > 350709 Organisation and management theory @ 100%
SEO Codes: 91 ECONOMIC FRAMEWORK > 9104 Management and Productivity > 910402 Management @ 100%
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