Ozan Nadir Alakavuklar

Responsibility and the local: the prospects for critical management in Turkey

Purpose – The aim of this paper is to understand the possible role of critical accounts of management in a developing country like Turkey, when the origin of the dominant critical theories is the global North, particularly Europe.Design/methodology/approach – This study uses a broadly historical and institutional approach, as well as the local experiences of the first author.Findings – On the basis of the discussion the authors suggest that current forms of critical management are unlikely to find a home in Turkey for various reasons, hence, they argue that there is a need for local knowledge production rather than importation.Originality/value – This paper presents a view of what it means to be “critical” from the perspective of a developing country, and a consideration of the role of a critical scholar in a context in which local priorities might be more important than theoretical elaboration.

Sustainability and Environmental Perspectives in Turkey: A Socio-Cultural Analysis

Abstract nPurpose nThis chapter focuses on the Turkish businesses’ and individuals’ perspectives on sustainability and environment and provides a socio-cultural analysis regarding the problems underlying in the implementation of sustainability and environmental practices in an emerging economy. n n nMethodology/approach nCurrent sustainability and environment studies literature regarding the Turkish businesses and society are examined. Socio-cultural perspective is used to explain the problems in the field. n n nFindings nTurkish culture is traditionally associated with harmony with the nature and many studies point to its environmental awareness. But the lack of future orientation, paternalist way of management, and survival concerns of the individuals and businesses cause a certain lack of environmental initiative. Turkish culture has a unique pluralistic approach to nature, and in this approach mastery, harmony, and subjugation are combined. n n nPractical and social implications nThe suggested pluralistic approach should be considered by the relevant stakeholders to understand the dynamics of business and environment relations in Turkey. This unique structure calls for unique environmental solutions. n n nOriginality/value of paper nPresent studies of Turkey in terms of sustainability and environmental issues are generally lacking socio-cultural perspectives. This study aims to fill this gap by suggesting an alternative pluralistic approach based on a socio-cultural evaluation of Turkish culture.

Anxious academics: talking back to the audit culture through collegial, critical and creative autoethnography

ABSTRACT Our New Zealand university recently required us to produce portfolios for a research evaluation process. At a presentation promoting and explaining the process, we raised questions and objections. Pointlessly, it seemed. But we continued to rail and rant about it. One of us set in motion the following discussion, presented here as a series of critical and creative autoethnographic responses. We have resisted, with some anxiety, the urge and the expectation to theorize our experiences or to situate them within ‘the literature’. Our proposition is that ‘giving voice’ in the manner in which we have done so is an affective means of ‘talking back’ against neo-liberal regimes of performativity which may also be effective as a form of localized resistance, strengthening our ability to cope with the anxiety such regimes provoke. We hope our efforts encourage others to develop critical, creative and collegial responses to academic audit regimes.

Social movements, resistance and social change in Aotearoa/New Zealand: an intervention for dialogue, collaboration and synergy

Beginning with the legitimacy crisis of the neoliberal economy and representative democracy following the 2008 financial collapse and bail out decisions, the world witnessed series of mass mobilisations vocalising demands for change in different countries including, but not limited to, the Unites States, Tunisia, Egypt, Brazil, Turkey and Hong Kong. It can be argued that there is a global phenomenon of rising authoritarianism accompanying the neoliberal agenda with a variety of local implementations that has led to the emergence of such movements (Bruff 2014; Bloom 2016). In addition to OXFAM’s (2016) striking finding that 62 people own the same as half of the world (this was 388 in 2010), the current revelations of the so-called ‘Panama Papers’ also demonstrate how the global elite has had a different agenda in terms of securing their funds in tax havens while millions in different countries live through significant social, economic and environmental issues whilst being suppressed by authoritarian policies enacted through the State apparatus. For instance, at the time of writing this editorial, people in France have been taking to the streets against the approval of new labour reforms bringing about precariatisation of working conditions leading to dozens of arrests. Another global protest reported to be the largest ever global civil disobedience against fossil fuels just took place in different countries of the world asking for immediate action as measured carbon dioxide levels are more than 400 parts per million for the first time. The current regimes, organised around neoliberal assumptions, are suffering from an ‘incapacity to deliver economic progress and social welfare, and lack of legitimacy in their political institutions’ (Davies et al. 2016, p. 11) while prioritising the agenda of the global elite. Given the grim circumstances, local actions for direct democracy through interconnected global network structures may become the antidote (Maeckelbergh 2014; Ayers & Saad-Filho 2015). Indeed, similar to capital knowing no borders (Godfrey 2016, p. 4) regardless of the location, grassroots movements are addressing structural inequalities, environmental destruction, poverty and limits of political participation for the sake of having a voice over lands, rivers and oceans as well as our commons and life generally (Caffentzis & Federici 2014). Within the cracks of the structural changes and neoliberal experiments, such movements have been emerging and acting as important change agents at different levels. In fact, one can argue, rather than the self-interested market, social movements and activists are the real innovators that will generate much needed solutions for future generations (Rao et al. 2000; Schneiberg 2013). Traditionally, as social movements have played a crucial role in mitigating inequality through protecting the rights of related stakeholders, in Aotearoa, they have increasingly been called upon to play these roles as the State has receded and reformed, and indeed have moved proactively to take on new roles and fill gaps in service provision and support. For instance, just by looking at the contributions to social movements conferences that took place since 2013, it can be seen that at different locales of Aotearoa various groups of activists, large and small, are speaking up, problematising existing conditions and suggesting solutions

Free Food Store: A Case for Alternative Organising and Diverse Economy

This ethnographic study aims to analyse the tensions, contradictions and possibilities around a free food store by drawing arguments from diverse economy framework. As the free food store relies on capitalist businesses donating surplus food, it emerges as an example of a non- capitalist alternative organisation that helps problematize assumptions around overproduction, waste, surplus and distribution of food in a consumeristic society. While the study contributes to growing literature around diverse economies from an organisational perspective by demonstrating co-existence of capitalist and non-capitalist dynamics around the free food store, it also sheds light on the dynamics of community organising to help people in need.

Dystopian Future View as a Narrative of Inherent Entropy of Organizations

Organizations are built up with the assumption of existing forever. This foundational premise brings the idea of control and order, particularly with the narrative of management. Hence, management is presented as a panacea of all external and internal chaotic problems as a sort of utopian ideal and narrative in order to provide order and development. This supposedly reality based utopian fiction of orderly organization cause a dream-like state that misses the continuous flux of the reality. Hence, in this study, we use dystopia as a base in order to catch the reality of chaos and the narrative of inherent entropy of organizations. Depending upon discussions on science fiction in popular culture products and their reflections in the organization studies, we argue that, the chaotic depiction of future provides a metaphorical narrative. Particularly, by taking Warhammer Universe as a dystopian case, we demonstrate that the inherent entropy of organizations is a vital part of their existence, not just a mere annoyance that can simply be dealt with.

Challenging the Dominant Paradigm: Critical Management Knowledge for Humanistic Management

Despite the warning of Boyacigiller and Adler (1991) about the parochial nature of management knowledge produced in the United States of America (USA), after nearly two decades Grey (2010) confirms that this parochial nature is unfortunately still alive. According to his analysis, the majority of the authors who published in the ASQ are from the USA, and it is claimed that there has been such a pattern for years. In another call for a pluralistic perspective in the field of international management knowledge, it is also claimed that there is greater dominance of North American research paradigm and that its homogenizing structure is still strong (Tsui, 2007). This situation is also acknowledged by other scholars in the field (Jack et al., 2008; Michailova, 2011; Ozbilgin, 2004).

The Alienation of Scholarship in Modern Business Schools: Contributions from Marx and Lacan

This study is based on understanding the alienation of scholars in neoliberal university. Whilst we have a Marxist basis to discuss political economic aspect of alienation in terms of alienation from product and process, we want to extend our argument with a psychoanalytic perspective on alienation from self and others. Hence, as a contribution to Marxist understanding of organisational scholarship, we want to develop the argument that there is a complementary relationship between Marx and Lacan in terms of studying the alienated subjectivities of business schools.