Anders Örtenblad

From maintaining the status quo to promoting free thinking and inquiry: Business students’ perspective on the purpose of business school teaching:

We are facing a world where business schools have made it their primary aim to enhance student career prospects and/or salaries by teaching business solely from a business perspective. The authors of this article explore international business students’ viewpoints on the purpose of business school teaching and business school graduates. Having operationalized a typology of business school graduates as a student survey, the authors show that students expect a balanced education. As a business school graduate, they see their purpose not only to replace the existing successful managers and increase the effectiveness of organizations but also to be able to ensure humane, ethical and eco-friendly organizations promoting economic and social welfare and justice. In addition, and quite contrary to what many claim in extant literature, students value and identify with intellectual curiosity, critical thinking and introspection which would ultimately pave the way for serving the public interest. We therefore suggest that for a business school to ‘legitimately’ position itself as a university and rightfully provide academic degrees, it should, in addition to providing students with a profit-maximization toolkit, deliver a wider education balancing different (human, moral, environmental, social and so on) perspectives.

Beyond Morgan’s eight metaphors: Adding to and developing organization theory

This introduction examines the contributions of articles in this special issue to organization theory, especially efforts to rethink or add to Morgan’s metaphors and to generate new organizational images. In general, the articles in this issue offer new metaphors and sub-metaphors and enrich specifications for two of Morgan’s images. Moreover, they address ways of rethinking Morgan’s images through developing meta-metaphors and comparing his images with other sets of metaphors. In addition, the contributors to this special issue rely on a number of ways to generate new metaphors, namely through evaluation and critique, empirical and experiential observations, fantasy, and conceptual development. This introduction concludes with an appeal for scholars to increase their knowledge of Morgan’s metaphors, especially what they are and what they entail.

What does “learning organization” mean?

Purpose The paper aims to offer an overview of the definition of the concept of learning organization to be used, related to and taken as a starting point for further conceptual developments by others writing about and using the learning organization concept. An additional purpose is to suggest how the concept of learning organization could be demarcated to define what would be demanded from any particular organization to be counted as a learning organization. Design/methodology/approach This is a conceptual paper. To define the learning organization, a label-focused approach and a content-focused approach are used. A contextual approach is suggested as the most appropriate tool for demarcating the concept of learning organization. Findings It is suggested that there are four versions of learning organization, which can all be related to three different forms of organizational aspects. Furthermore, a contextual approach is suggested to demarcate how to define learning organization to develop a much-needed contingency model, which places reasonable demands on organizations in various contexts to qualify them as learning organizations. Originality/value An overview definition, which anybody writing about the learning organization could relate to, is presented. It is also discussed what a learning organization is not, something which only few others have done, and a contextual approach to demarcating the learning organization concept is suggested.

In between smorgasbord and table d’hôte: à la carte learning organization

Purpose – To suggest how the idea of the learning organization can be adapted to fit organizations in different contexts. Design/methodology/approach – The paper is based on many years of work on the idea of the learning organization and how it can be made to fit in different contexts. Findings – Any organization that has an interest in becoming (or continuing to be) a learning organization is recommended to critically examine the relevance of each and every element of the idea of the learning organization, and thereafter construct a model of the learning organization that fits the particular organization. Practical implications – Organizations that aim to become (or continue to be) learning organizations are offered some concrete advice as to how to examine the relevance for their particular organization of the elements that the idea of the learning organization consists of. Originality/value – In contrast to all those who claim that the idea of the learning organization is relevant as is, without first ...

Background and Introduction: Leadership as a Profession and as the Main Theme on Bachelor Programs

This chapter offers a background to the two issues that are debated in the book: (1) whether leadership is, can and should be turned into a true profession; and (2) whether it is a good idea for higher education institutions to offer bachelor programs in leadership. Some literature about management as profession is reviewed, regarding the themes that have been discussed in this literature. Reasons for sticking to leadership instead of management in the book are offered, and some examples of existing American bachelor programs in leadership are briefly presented. Finally, the structure of the book, as well as all the chapters, are briefly introduced.

Preparing for Turning Leadership into a True Profession

Since many skeptics argue that leadership cannot be turned into a true profession, there is reason to outline measures on how it would be possible to accomplish such a transformation. In this chapter a few preparatory measures are suggested, which could assist in creating better conditions for the actual professionalization process. These measures generally focus on updating the general understanding of “leadership” and giving leaders and leadership a better reputation. More specifically, the measures being suggested are: (1) a temporary status reduction of leaders and leadership; (2) a thorough exploration of alternative meanings of “leadership”; (3) that bachelor programs in leadership are given by higher education institutions around the world; and (4) the (re-) installment of dual career paths.

Why Universities Should Give Bachelor Programs in Leadership

It is argued that higher education institutions around the world should offer bachelor programs in leadership. Arguments for this which are put forward in the chapter include that practicing leadership is about dealing with and taking care of people, something that those taking on leading positions need to be well prepared for through higher education, and that there currently are too many examples of leaders who not take the responsibility that could be expected from them, something that also could be improved via the installation of bachelor programs in leadership. It is argued that bachelor programs in leadership should include a sound mix of theory and practice, on which basis the students would be given opportunities to develop their own, personal “leadership idea”.