Critical Essay: Organizational cognitive neuroscience drives theoretical progress, or: The curious case of the straw man murder: organizational cognitive neuroscience drives theoretical progress, or: The curious case of the straw man murder

Michael J.R. Butler*, Nick Lee, Carl Senior

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

In this critical essay, we respond to Lindebaum’s (2016) argument that neuroscientific methodologies and data have been accepted prematurely in proposing novel management theory. We acknowledge that building new management theories requires firm foundations. We also find his distinction between demand and supply side forces helpful as an analytical framework identifying the momentum for the contemporary production of management theory. Nevertheless, some of the arguments Lindebaum (2016) puts forward, on closer inspection, can be contested, especially those related to the supply side of organizational cognitive neuroscience (OCN) research: fMRI data, motherhood statements and ethical concerns. We put forward a more positive case for OCN methodologies and data, as well as clarifying exactly what OCN really means, and its consequences for the development of strong management theory.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)1171-1190
Number of pages20
JournalHuman Relations
Volume70
Issue number10
Early online date2 Feb 2017
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 1 Oct 2017

Keywords

  • management
  • methodology
  • organizational cognitive neuroscience
  • practice
  • theory

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Critical Essay: Organizational cognitive neuroscience drives theoretical progress, or: The curious case of the straw man murder: organizational cognitive neuroscience drives theoretical progress, or: The curious case of the straw man murder'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this