Organization theory and poetry: a not so elusive link

Abstract

Since the times of Western modernity, knowledge is compartmentalized as different fields. This has however, not mitigated the influence of natural science model of theorizing on social sciences. As a result the discipline of organization theory has grown without the influence of abstract, ephemeral and metaphysical fields such as; religion, history, mystic philosophy, arts and literature. With the rise of organizational cultural studies and the emergence of symbolic-interpretive view of organizing during the last three or four decades, the trend is however gradually shifting. Corporate aesthetics is one such field within organization theory which places value on the aesthetical aspects of managing and organizing. Taking lead from corporate aesthetics, this paper highlights the link between organization theory and literature (poetry, both English and Urdu). The linguistic and conceptual instrument of metaphors is isolated as the underpinning tool of this link. The role of metaphors in organization theory assumes further importance since the emergence of ‘social construction’ and ‘sense making’ view of organizations. The paper reinforces the views of contemporary writers of organization theory that the field draws from multiple and diverse disciplines by highlighting the link between organization theory and poetry through employing metaphoricity.