Critical Management Studies: Cultural Studies on Conflicts in the World of Work

Abstract

The goal of this paper is twofold. On the one hand, it seeks to evaluate, after two decades since its inception in the UK, the main outcomes of the Critical Management Studies (CMS) movement in the field of social sciences. CMS represents an alternative to orthodox organizational theory taught in business schools: as compared to the latter, it aims at introducing students to deeper and more critical analyses of organizations, helping them to engage with new theoretical grounds in order to change their views on business. Hence, the legacy of this school of thought will be discussed, as well as an additional reflection on the reorientation of its research agenda in a context of a deep economic crisis and changes in university governance. On the other hand, the text will also reflect on the impact CMS has had on the Spanish academia, discussing the limitations of this project in the Spanish organizational and business framework.