Metaphor and Organizations

The use of metaphors underpins the expectations, behavior, and strategies that govern all aspects of organizational life, including the theory and study of organizations. Metaphor and Organizations collects critical essays from renowned scholars in the field that analyze the role of metaphor. It not only extends existing debates concerning metaphor and the analysis of organizations but also generates new concepts and theories. The contributors provide an understanding of how metaphors work and familiarize the reader with key areas of debate concerning their use. They consider the role of metaphor in creating new theories of organization and in reinterpreting existing theories as well as go beyond the theoretical context to examine the metaphor in light of organizational experience. In this volume the metaphor reveals itself as a potentially powerful tool with which to manage the organization, affecting attitudes and behavior, and relevant in real organizational situations. In addition, the book offers an agenda for the use of metaphors in organization research and suggests new directions that this research might take. Metaphor and Organizations brings together a rich collection of authoritative views on the use of metaphors in organizations and organization studies. It will be of particular interest to all students and academics in management/organizational theory, behavior, and development as well as industrial/organizational psychology.