Critical Management Studies Conference, 14-16 July 1999, Manchester

Citation

(1998), "Critical Management Studies Conference, 14-16 July 1999, Manchester", Asian Libraries, Vol. 7 No. 12. https://doi.org/10.1108/al.1998.17307lab.012

Critical Management Studies Conference, 14-16 July 1999, Manchester

Critical Management Studies Conference, 14-16 July 1999, Manchester

Current research suggests that within the present day business organisation the value of intellectual capital (the knowledge created, retained, accessed and used by individuals and collectives within the organisation) is having an affect on organisational performance. Yet the term "knowledge" is ambiguous in its meaning and does not appear to be universally understood unless it is couched in a specific context. Therefore, context appears to play an important role in understanding what knowledge is and what its effects are. In some contexts, knowledge is perceived as that which exists external to the individual or organisational collective and as such can be codified into a series of objects which, in turn, can be stored, retrieved and transmitted. This is a common view of scholars performing research within the information and library studies fields and has led to the development and design of retrieval systems and techniques, as well as assumptions and beliefs underlying those specific systems.

Knowledge in other contexts begins with the assumption that it occurs within and is constructed by an individual and/or organisational collective. In other words, an individual or collective cognitively travels through space and time and in so doing constructs knowledge as well as assesses the applicability of the present state of knowledge to the current situation. Cognitive psychology, psychobiology, and cognitive neuroscience are examples of disciplines that investigate the processes used in knowledge development as well as behaviour resulting from the application of knowledge. Sense-making, as researched in both communication studies and organisational studies, investigates the behaviour which results from making sense of a current situation in light of the knowledge possessed about similar situations.

In a same vein, since this stream also addresses information management, we can view information as being external to, or a construct internal to, the cognitive processing of an individual or collective. Furthermore, information can be viewed as a process itself, the process of being informed. The development and design of information systems is indeed a process, codified within technology, that should result in informing someone or something about someone or something.

The papers presented should be critical of the managerial and organisational assumptions underlying knowledge/information creation, development and use. The kind of papers that are encouraged within this stream should address the following questions:

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  What are the multiple facets of knowledge and information that are important to management?

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  What is the role of knowledge/information management in the development of intellectual capital?

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  What are the political factors that mediate knowledge/information/ intellectual capital creation and use?

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  What are the relationships between knowledge/information/intellectual capital and organisational performance?

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  What are the managerial assumptions and beliefs underlying knowledge/information/intellectual capital development and use?

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  What are some of the research methodologies that can be applied to a research programme investigating the application of knowledge/ information management to critical management studies?

Submissions

Submissions may be in the form of the following: a complete research paper, a description of research in progress, or an industry case study. Papers will be selected within each of the three categories. A 750 word abstract of your proposed submission needs to be submitted to the stream organiser. An international committee will review submissions. Final papers will be due by 31 May 1999. It is anticipated that a compendium of selected papers will be published within a special journal or book.

Organiser: Michael J. Chumer, School of Communication, Information and Library Studies, Rutgers University, 4 Huntington Street, New Brunswick, NJ 08901-1071, USA. E-mail: chumer@scils.rutgers.edu