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The purpose of this paper is to describe how a phenomenological approach can help to understand embodied dimensions and compare different and shared qualities, functions and potential, as well as ambivalences and limitations of metaphors and stories in organisations.

Based on a phenomenological understanding and use of multiple discourses, the specific expressive and communicative nature, linkages to meaning, mediation and integration, as well as transformational, innovating and generating potentials of metaphors respectively, narratives are analysed conceptually and discussed. Accordingly similarities and differences, overlapping and conflicting patterns, thus correspondences and rapprochements of both metaphors and narratives are shown and illustrated.

The critical comparison of various, especially transformative functions, ambivalences and ambiguous uses of metaphorical and narrative sides and practices reveals their inherently dynamic inter‐relational nexus. The analysis shows how metaphors and stories/narratives can serve each other, as well as how they work together and contribute for transformation in organizations. In turn, this also offers new potential for understanding the practical opportunities and obstacles to the management of change.

The originality of this paper lies in that besides using multiple discourse, it follows an advanced Merleau‐Pontyian phenomenological approach and thus considers embodied dimensions of metaphors and stories/narratives and its implication for organizations critically. Working out the intriguing relationship between metaphor and narrative offers significant new insight and avenues for the research of organizational inertia and change.

Facing the widely spread malaise in and through irresponsible practices of and by modern organizations, phenomenology can provide an approach that is helpful for assessing this situation as well as getting a renewed perception concerning work and life (Fay & Riot, 2007). In particular, it can contribute to a renewal of understanding and enacting responsibility in the lifeworld of business. Practically, it may also provide reflexive practitioners with clues that can trigger new and more responsible practices. The following phenomenological perspective on responsiveness is a kind of application of phenomenology (Harmon, 1990) for reevaluating the constitution of responsibility as capacity to respond adequately in and of organizations and its members. Part of the organizational realities for its members is that it is challenging them to act, speak, and express, that is, they are provoked to give answers. A corresponding responsiveness as an answering behavior can be defined specifically as one, in which there is openness for the points of view of both (or various) parties involved, and by which the setting of pattern and standards coevolve.³

This book aims to assist readers in navigating the conceptual maze surrounding discussions of business and sustainability by offering critical reflection on the state of business action for environmental sustainability and providing evidence about what is actually taking place in real localities and businesses. The chapters in this volume are relevant in sustainability research, focusing on issues that are critical, topical and needed at this stage of the discussion. This volume makes three main contributions. First, it offers a critical review of business engagement with sustainability from four perspectives: sustainability as a political project; sustainability as a response to environmental crisis, sustainability as business opportunity and sustainability as stakeholder management. The chapters for example, link business case for sustainability to the larger debate about ‘ecological modernisation’: this perspective believes that the way out of the ecological crisis is to go further into the process of industrialisation. A complication to this claim is that business must be given the right market signals to identify and profit from their environment impacts, in other words that ‘ecology must be economised’. As the chapters will show, the notion of a business case is misleading if it is intended to imply some freely arrived at evaluation without reference to the context in which decisions are made.

This paper aims to critically examine traditional approaches to paradoxes and propose a new approach and perspective that views “chiasmic” organizing as a intertwining combination of structure and processes that facilitate the handling of multiple interrelations for processing paradoxes and harness their creative potential in organizations.

Employing a cross-disciplinary approach, a literature review and a critical lens, along with conceptual work (typology), are used to identify problems and deficiencies in existing research on paradoxes. Specifically, it draws on Merleau-Ponty's process-oriented phenomenology and post-Cartesian ontology to gain a comprehensive understanding of post-dualistic forms of chiasmic organizing and its relationship with paradoxical phenomena.

The process-oriented phenomenology and post-Cartesian ontology used in this article offer valuable insights and a critical approach to comprehend post-dualistic forms of chiasmic organizing in relation to paradoxes. This understanding can help in tapping into the energizing and creative potential of paradoxes. The paper also highlights the significance of the “in(ter)-between” as a reversible principle in chiasmic organizing and proposes some implications.

Limitations and implications of this study are identified and discussed.

The paper offers practical implications for organizations in processing paradoxes.

This paper contributes to the existing literature by providing a conceptual critique and proposing a novel understanding of chiasmic organizing as an intertwining structure and mediating processes by employing a process-oriented phenomenology and post-Cartesian ontology. It also offers innovative ways to approach paradoxes and tap into their creative potentials, which can bring about change in organizations.

The purpose of this article is to develop a critical and extended understanding of practices in organizations from a phenomenological point of view. It explores the relevance of Merleau-Ponty's advanced phenomenology and ontology for understanding the role of the lived body and the embodiment of practices and change in organizational lifeworlds.

Based on the literature review and phenomenology, the role of embodied and relational dimension, the concept of an emergent and responsive “inter-practice” in organizations is developed systematically.

Based on the phenomenological and relational approach, the concept of (inter-)practice allows an extended more integral and processual understanding of the role of bodily and embodied practices in organizational lifeworlds as emerging events. The concept of inter-practice(ing) contributes to conceiving of new ways of approaching how responsive and improvisational practicing, related to change, coevolves within a multidimensional nexus of organizations.

Specific theoretical and methodological implications for exploring and enacting relational practices as well as limitations are offered.

Some specific practical implications are provided that facilitate and enable embodied practices in organizational contexts.

The responsive inter-practice is seen as embedded in sociality and social interactions and links to sociocultural and political as well as ethical dimensions are discussed.

By extending the existing discourse and using an embodied approach, the paper proposes a novel orientation for reinterpreting practice that allows explorations of the emergence and realization of alternative, ingenious and more suitable forms of practicing and change in organizations.

Walking is considered as a particular relationship for rhythmic moving in cityscapes and as method for understanding. The purpose of this paper is to explore the significance of an embodied way of sensing and making sense, of knowing and learning that is relevant for tourism education and studies and other forms of experiential learning.

The paper uses a conceptual, discursive and research-based approach based on a phenomenological understanding of embodied learning. Empirical “data” from two educational tours (Edutour) in Lisbon and Shanghai are presented, contextualized and interpreted.

Walking through cityscape related to projects is an “effective” embodied practice of learning in which senses “make sense.” The empirical material and experiences that emerged during Edutour demonstrated the significance of walking as form of embodied knowing, learning and interrelating to place and paces of a tourist city.

The idea of walking as method within tourist cities is hardly explored. Hence, this constitutes a unique, innovative and interpretative event in which new approaches, such as “fielding” and “reflactions” “in the feeld”, defy more traditional concepts. It emphasizes the role of the city as a medium and remains a valuable contribution for tourism and education research.

The purpose of this paper is to analyze the role of embodied dimensions and relational possibilities of (serious) play at work. It shows how a phenomenological and processual approach can help in developing an integral understanding of (serious) play and its paradox in relation to work and practical wisdom and professional artistry in organizations.

Based on the literature review and phenomenology, the role of embodied dimension, and the nexus of playful practitioners, practices and playgrounds are discussed. Systematically, then the concept of “inter-playing” is proposed as a specific embodied and processual practice. Subsequently, the in-between is shown to be a medium and transrelational nexus for (serious) play that allows a more comprehensive understanding and implications.

Based on the phenomenological and relational approach, the concept of (inter-)play allows an extended understanding of serious play and its paradox as a form of an inter-practice. The mediating in-(ter-)between is revealed as decisive for playful practices and playgrounds in organizations. Serious play is linked to practical wisdom and professional artistry in organizations.

Specific theoretical and methodological implications for exploring and enacting play are offered. It is suggested to take research itself as a form of inter-practice and to enact a more integral epistemology and methodological pluralism, including body-related and art-based approaches and critical issues.

Some specific practical implications are provided that facilitate and enable embodied play and play-spaces in an ongoing, arts-based learning and development process in organizational and educational contexts.

The corporeality of responsive inter-play is seen as connected to sociality and social interaction as self and others are considered as a nexus. In particular, poetic phrónêsis in professional playful practice is linked to social creativity that includes attention and recognition of others and otherness as well as social inclusivity.

By extending the existing discourse and using an embodied approach, the paper proposes a novel orientation for re-interpreting serious play. Equally, it offers the new processual concepts of inter-play and inter-practice that allow more explorations and connections to discourses and practices of phronesis and art(istry).

The purpose of this paper is to develop a more comprehensive understanding of the multidimensional, ambivalent and responsive process of transformation, particularly as related to non‐cognitive processes and effects of leader‐ and followership.

Based on a critical literature review, advanced phenomenology and a relational approach, the significance of form and embodied, emotional and aesthetic dimensions, potential and effects of transforming in general and transformational leadership in particular are discussed.

Transformations in organisations are recognized as an embodied, emotional and aesthetical as well as inter‐relational event. With an extended understanding, transformational leadership can itself be transformed into an aesthetically in‐formed and more integral practice of leader‐ and followership. Building on the insights gained, practical, theoretical, and methodological implications are provided. Furthermore, limitations and problems are discussed.

The paper contributes to an innovative comprehension and offers critical perspectives on transformative processes in organisation and leadership. By drawing attention to the interrelated embodied, emotional and aesthetic dimensions of transformation, the paper develops a genuine and timely conceptualisation, allowing a creative transformation of conventional understandings and practices of leader‐ and followership in organisations.