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Critical Management Studies: A Critical Review

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  • André Spicer
  • Mats Alvesson

Abstract

In this paper, we review the development of critical management studies, point at problems and explore possible developments. We begin by tracing out two previous waves of critical management studies. We then focus on more recent work in critical management studies and identify ten over‐arching themes (Academia, alternatives organizations, control and resistance, discourse, Foucauldian studies, gender, identity, Marxism, post‐colonialism, and psychoanalysis). We argue that CMS has largely relied on one‐dimensional critique which focused on negation. This has made the field increasingly stale, focused on the usual suspects and predictable. We identify a number of problems calling for critique and rethinking. We label these author‐itarianism, obscurantism, formulaic radicalism, usual‐suspectism and empirical light‐touchism.

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  • André Spicer & Mats Alvesson, 2025. "Critical Management Studies: A Critical Review," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 62(1), pages 446-483, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:jomstd:v:62:y:2025:i:1:p:446-483
    DOI: 10.1111/joms.13047
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