Title: The philosopher and the manager

Authors: Jean-Etienne Joullié

Addresses: International College of Management, Sydney, 151 Darley Road, Manly, New South Wales 2095, Australia

Abstract: This paper revisits the argument that management academics and managers benefit from being knowledgeable in Western philosophy. Salient debates in management research and education that have emerged over the last decades are first summarised. The theoretical uncertainties that these debates have highlighted are then located within a brief overview of mainstream Western philosophical traditions. Philosophical investigations into management theory help discern the origins of some of the difficulties that plague management theories, paving the way towards their clarification and resolution.

Keywords: Western philosophy; management theory; rationalism; empiricism; romanticism; existentialism.

DOI: 10.1504/IJMCP.2014.066898

International Journal of Management Concepts and Philosophy, 2014 Vol.8 No.4, pp.197 - 208

Accepted: 27 Jan 2014
Published online: 15 Jan 2015 *

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