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Criticisms of naturalistic coherentism are suggested that are not raised by its critics in the literature. The rejection of traditional foundationalism does not necessarily entail the acceptance of coherentism. Coherentism can be seen as another version of foundationalism. Most interestingly, Evers and Lakomski’s stance on “strong vs weak” naturalism seems to be vague. Then, in closing, it is suggested that a recent theory in epistemology termed “foundherentism” might provide some avenues for the further development of naturalistic coherentism, such as by emphasising empirical input in coherentism and adopting a weak version of naturalism.

Suggests that it is reasonable to expect researchers in the field of educational administration to establish the relative value of the knowledge they propound. Draws on the branch of philosophy devoted to the study of the nature of knowledge; epistemology. Argues for new forms of awareness, criteria and processes to help with the growth of trustworthy knowledge. Concludes that there is a need for a post‐paradigm approach that celebrates coherence and multi‐perspectivism.

The aim of the paper is to contribute to the discussion of treating the concepts of lean and agile in isolation or combination by presenting an alternative view from complexity thinking on these concepts, considering an epistemological approach to this topic.

The paper adopts an epistemological approach, using the complexity thinking as the dominant paradigm from which to investigate the concepts and principles of lean and agile.

The epistemological approach to the topic clearly reveals the opposition between two thinking principles: the principle of simplicity and the principle of complexity. Next, the authors evaluated how the complexity thinking principles of Morin may permit the two different ways of thinking to be reconciled. They find out that, in an organization, lean and agile are not only inseparable but also interdependent.

The paper shows how the concepts of lean and agile can be combined, which may be of help to managers and project leaders to adopt from both practices and tools to improve their competitiveness.

The novelty of this paper is the presentation of an alternative approach to the concepts of lean and agile, using an epistemological point‐of‐view. The paper deepens the understanding of the lean and agile concepts by applying the complexity paradigm as proposed by Edgar Morin. Furthermore, it proposes self‐organizing teams for possible unification of both concepts.

In this article an epistemological interpretation of the role of subject literature in scholarly communication shall be proposed. Such an interpretation will focus on the epistemological dimension of communicating knowledge through literature and how this is achieved through discursive and rhetorical means. It will be argued that library and information science (LIS) theory on scholarly communication can be supplemented and strengthened by this interpretation. By establishing a social epistemology of subject literature the article contributes with a sketch of a coherent theory of scholarly literature explaining the epistemological and communicative division of labor between the various types of subject literature. Such a theory is in line with the current revival of social epistemology in LIS. The article is structured into three main sections. The first section will outline an epistemological position that pays particular attention to knowledge acquired through social interaction in general, and through interaction with written texts in particular. The works of the later Wittgenstein and Ludwik Fleck will be used as the theoretical frameworks. Having established this epistemological framework, the second section will outline what is considered to be the main types of subject literature, with emphasis on their discursive and rhetorical functions in scholarly communication. The third section will synthesize the two other sections into a sketch of a theory that will be labeled the social epistemology of subject literature and point to some implications for LIS research of this theory.

This paper speculates about the potential of the constructivism of Piaget and Morin to offer a framework which might go beyond dualisms and fragmentation in accounting research. These, it is argued, are because inter‐disciplinary research is still embedded in a hierarchical organization of human knowledge (“Encyclopaedia”). In pursuing this aim, this paper seeks to reformulate the subject‐matter of accounting in the trans‐disciplinary terms of the “knowledge of knowledge”. Such a theoretical framework will introduce the issues of trans‐disciplinarity, evolution and reflexivity into accounting research. Such issues have already been the concern of other disciplines within and outside the field of managerial studies, providing new insights for understanding organizational problems. However, they have not yet been given enough attention within accounting research.

The purpose of this paper is to explore the utility of a pragmatist epistemology as a viable methodological avenue for addressing the challenges associated with the normative models of science that dominate organisational management. At the same time, theorisation of a paradigm grounded in a pragmatic epistemology is presented.

The paper seeks to explore the different assumptions guiding a pragmatist epistemology, based on the development of an alternative philosophic framework, such as an indigenous paradigm that draws its logic from a Māori worldview. In doing so, it counters the ideological tension created by the disjunction of applying an epistemological perspective that aligns with what we conceptualise as a mainstream Western view of knowledge creation and maintaining the integrity of taking an indigenous worldview.

In the paper, we argue that kaupapa Māori research, as an indigenous paradigm draws from a pragmatist epistemology, providing a platform for a culturally attuned response to mainstream organisational research.

The paper is of use to qualitative researchers, in and beyond indigenous contexts, as it grounded in a methodological approach that draws from a pragmatic epistemology offering insightful, more richly contextualised research avenues in organisation and management.

This chapter undertakes one re-evaluation of Louis Althusser’s philosophical legacy for modern Marxism. While Althusser self-consciously undertook to defend the scientific character of Marxism and so permanently establish it on a firm footing, many of his closest followers eventually exited the Marxian paradigm for a post-structuralism post-Marxism. We will argue that this development was rooted in Althusser’s initial procedure as he attempted to ground Marxism’s scientificity in an epistemological argument whose main referent was Marxism itself. This initiated a circularity which was ultimately to prove fatal to Althusser’s project. Less remarked upon, however, is a further legacy of the Althusserian oeuvre, the critical realist conception of Marxism initiated by Roy Bhaskar. Bhaskar found part of his inspiration in Althusser’s successful posing of the question of Marx’s science. On the one hand, Althusser’s work can legitimately be seen as a bridge into the post-modern challenge to Marxism. On the other hand, it can be seen as clearing the ground and establishing some of the foundation for critical realism’s successful recuperation of the scientific character of Marxism.

The purpose of this conceptual paper is to develop a discussion expounding the Islamic perspective of corporate governance as a special case of a broader decision‐making theory that uses the premise of Islamic socio‐scientific epistemology. Islamic epistemology is premised on the divine oneness of God. The worldly explanation of divine unity is done by means of specific laws and instruments that make the Islamic epistemology functionally viable in developing, implementing and inferring from the application of the epistemological rules to different issues. In the present case the issue is of corporate governance.

The development and conclusions of this discursive paper as a conceptual one point out the possible application of a process‐oriented epistemology of unity of knowledge to corporate governance. The underlying methodology of institutional discourse and integration with dynamic parameters is formalized.

The end results of the conceptual framework of this paper on corporate governance are contrasted with the approach to corporate governance in mainstream literature. Also the same Islamic theoretical and philosophical background of corporate governance is examined from the dual (mixed) Islamic economic and institutional perspective.

The practical implications of the Islamic idea of corporate governance are immense in studying transaction cost minimization in decision‐making environments. In this regard it is argued that the theory of Islamic corporate governance presents a discursive process, transparency and institutional participation that reduce transaction costs.

The paper contributes fresh knowledge in corporate governance theory in the light of two central issues. First, an organic preference formation is studied by a process model. Second, transaction cost is minimized while pursuing a discursive and participatory model of decision making in an environment governed by the systemic meaning of unity of knowledge as its episteme. Relevant institutional policies can be developed in the light of such systemic discursion under the episteme of unity of knowledge understood and applied in the systemic organic sense.

To review conceptual links between research on personal epistemological beliefs and leadership behaviours associated with the transformational‐transactional leadership model.

Transformational leaders act as facilitators of learning in organisations, and therefore their beliefs, cognitions and behaviours can be explored in the same manner as teachers in classroom settings. Research on both personal epistemological beliefs and the transformational‐transactional leadership model is reviewed and key conceptual links are identified in the areas of underlying beliefs, metacognition and cognition, and implications for training.

The literature review suggests that strong conceptual links exist between mature personal epistemology and beliefs and behaviours associated with transformational leadership. Similarly, conceptual links exist between less mature personal epistemology and beliefs and behaviours associated with transactional leadership.

This is a conceptual paper that will require further empirical investigation. However, studies of the personal epistemology of leaders may provide insights into their behaviours and beliefs associated with transformational and transactional leadership.

Research indicates that personal epistemology can be affected through appropriate interventions. Thus, training programmes designed to facilitate adoption of transformation leadership behaviours could be informed by such research.

This paper is original in its conceptualisations of beliefs potentially underpinning transformational leadership. It offers a new line of inquiry for further research into transformational leadership behaviours and ways that such behaviours can be influenced through metacognitive and cognitive interventions.