The Challenge of Critical Theory for Those in Organization Theory and Behavior

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Table of Contents

Introduction
Main body
Conclusion
Reference

Introduction

The fields of organizational behavior and organizational theory in general experience a revival of interest in critical theory. Interestingly, despite the growing popularity and awareness, the theory is surrounded by numerous misconceptions and is sometimes misused. The article by Carr (2005) is an attempt to address the inconsistencies in the current understanding of the theory by conducting exploratory research on the matter.

Main body

The identified goal is met through several consecutive steps. First, the author provides an overview of critical theory from an academic standpoint. According to Carr (2005), the term critical theory is used to describe the school of thought as well as a specific self-conscious approach to critique that attempts to distance from doctrinal assumptions. Both definitions are explored in detail to avoid misinterpretation. The school of thought, commonly referred to as “the Frankfurt School,” is described mainly from the historical perspective with the inclusion of the key figures, events, and turning points in its development. While it can be argued that this aspect of the research is of secondary significance for the identified objectives, it is a necessary clarification considering the ambiguity that surrounds the concept today. The approach to critical theory as a process of critique, on the other hand, is reviewed in utmost detail. This aspect of the theory is defined as aiming to produce “a particular form of knowledge that seeks to realize an emancipatory interest, specifically through a critique of consciousness and ideology” (Carr, 2005, p. 470). The key approach to the described critique is through self-placement outside the limitations of existing structures and philosophical frameworks. Such an approach forbids the critical theory from resorting to either matter or consciousness as both have the potential of distorting reality and compromising the results.

The second step taken by the author is the overview of the common misconceptions followed by the detailed analysis. The main identified misconceptions are the misinterpretation of the dialectic process pertinent to critical theory, the oversimplification of the thesis-antithesis-synthesis relationship, the assumption of hierarchy that accompanies the opposition, and the reduction of the critical properties to the emergence of negative discourse. This can be considered the author’s biggest accomplishment for two reasons. First, Carr (2005) identifies the shortcomings in an approachable and accessible manner, making the text used for a broad audience. In the same way, the counterarguments presented by the author apply to a wide range of theoretical frameworks and do not require specific competencies. In other words, the text is both persuasive and approachable enough to be utilized in a wide variety of social sciences. Second, understanding critical theory is a fundamental requirement for achieving reliable results in the field of social sciences, where the applicability of natural science paradigms is limited. Simply put, the research in organizational behavior cannot ignore the fact of the mediated nature of the world and the influence of the existing ideologies on the researcher. The critical theory provides tools and methods for the researchers to account for these effects and evaluate both the facts and the surrounding values as interconnected and mutually dependent values. However, such a result is only possible when the theory is not distorted by the misunderstanding in the process of its application. Such an approach can be extended beyond the field of academic research and into the areas of administration and organizational management.

Conclusion

On the whole, the article contributes to the redefinition of the concepts of organizational behavior as a mediated phenomenon and contains several implications for reframing the notions of control and interaction within the organizations. Despite covering the academic side of the question, the text can be utilized to eliminate the ambiguity and enhance the understanding of numerous aspects of organization theory.

Reference

Carr, A.N. (2005). The challenge of critical theory for those in organization theory and behavior: An overview. International Journal of Organization Theory and Behavior 8(4): 466-494.

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The Challenge of Critical Theory for Those in Organization Theory and Behavior

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