Open stream cfp

OPEN STREAM – CALL FOR PAPERS

The 9th International Conference in Critical Management Studies

IS THERE AN ALTERNATIVE? MANAGEMENT AFTER CRITIQUE

University of Leicester

8-10 July 2015

Stream convenors:  Michaela Driver, Ming Lim and Christiana Tsaousi (University of Leicester)

The CMS conference theme invites contributors to explore alternatives to the ubiquity of neoliberal market managerialism in all its many guises.  CMS has been effective at mounting a critique of various elements of managerialist ideology, but less effective at exploring and promoting different ways of thinking about organisation(s), markets, consumers and social movements. This begs questions of the purpose of critique in itself and the possibilities that may follow from critique. Critique might thus be positioned as an activity of articulating and enabling the possibility of alternatives, especially when those in power try to bolster their own interests by insisting there is only one singular and inevitable course to follow. This conference aims to engage thinking that explores alternatives, as well as rejecting the idea that there are none. Such alternatives could be understood in practical terms of specific organizational forms and practices, or theoretical developments (particularly in feminism, anarchism, communism, green thinking and so on) that may inspire a generation of new forms of localism or alter-globalization as resistance to neoliberalism. They may reflect personal alternatives, relating to the choices people make in terms of how to live their lives in the context of a neoliberal globalized world.  Even more generally, alternatives might focus on the critique of economic, political, managerial and organizational dogma, as it becomes embedded as the supposed ‘one best way’ of doing things. 

At this stage we are pleased to invite submissions for the open stream at the Critical Management Studies (CMS) conference in 2015. The stream is mainly suitable for authors whose work does not really fit within any of the other streams but their papers broadly fit with the conference theme. We welcome critical and innovative papers from the range of business and management studies subject disciplines (accounting and finance, human resource management, industrial relations, marketing and consumption, international business, etc.). 

Submissions are expected to consist of a 500 word abstract (excluding references, one page, Word document NOT PDF, single spaced, no header, footers or track changes) with the author’s(s’) contact information. The deadline for submission of abstracts is January 31, 2015. We will notify authors of decisions by March 6, 2015.

Please submit abstracts and queries to both Ming and Michaela as stream convenors at the addresses below:

Ming Lim: ml170@le.ac.uk and Michaela Driver: md308@leicester.ac.uk