Change management by negation: Exploring the power of the rejected
Wetzel, Ralf
Wetzel, Ralf
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Publication Type
Journal article
Editor
Supervisor
Publication Year
2020
Journal
SCMS Journal of Indian Management
Book
Publication Volume
17
Publication Issue
2
Publication Begin page
15
Publication End page
19
Publication NUmber of pages
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Abstract
Organisation and management science has been, ever since its inauguration, overly desperate to find the 'one best way of organising'. The basic fundament of that quest was the attempt to define an organisation positively, namely by what it is. Until today, this starting point has not proven to be successful; this way has not decided to disclose its ability to instruct the theory and practice of organisation yet. This article argues that this positive, ontological way to define organisations and its major results like change management has led Organization and Management Theory (OMT) into a rather blurry state. OMT and especially change management would become much more instructive again if it started defining its objects negatively, by what they are not. After showing the pitfalls of the positive fiction in OMT, the article presents a negative way to instruct, especially change management. This profit will be demonstrated by introducing the concept of the tetralemma.
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Keywords
Organisation Theory, Change Management, Negativity, Tetralemma, Cybernetics