Türkiye’de Eleştirel Yönetim Çalışmaları Çerçevesinde Bir Durum Çalışması: “Yönetimde Eleştirel Perspektifler (YÖNEP) Çalıştayı”

Extended Summary

The main purpose of critical management studies, which emerged as a UK-centered understanding in the 1990s, is to criticize the management. The basic argument of this understanding in terms of practice and knowledge as a whole is that there is something wrong with the management and thus it must be changed (Akella, 2008). Critical management studies compel scholars in the field of management sciences to step out of traditional comfort zones.

It has been ten years since Alakavuk’s saying (2010) “critical theory-based perspectives could be considered irrelevant as regards Turkish academics or may even be seen as a luxury for Turkey.” Throughout this period, it has been established that critical perspective is not a luxury, but a problem of paradigm, and that the main source of this problem stems from the academic staff with inadequate perspectives on the philosophy of science.

In this study, the objective is to analyze and assess “Critical Perspectives in Management (CPM) Workshop”, which was organized by the Isparta School, from the perspective of critical studies in management in Turkey.

“Critical Perspectives in Management (CPM) Workshop” of critical studies in management from the perspective of Turkey aimed to analyze and evaluate. Answers to the following questions have been sought in this research:

1. How is the general outlook of the “Critical Perspectives in Management (CPM) Workshops”?
2. How in what way do “Critical Perspectives in Management (CPM) Workshops” contribute to critical management studies in Turkey?
3. Do “Critical Perspectives in Management (CPM) Workshops” have the quality to respond to critical management studies?

The research is of a descriptive qualitative nature. Case study method was chosen as the method in the study. In this study, the holistic single-case pattern was adopted from among various case study designs. The aim of this election from the perspective of critical theory discussed how critical management studies in Turkey and reveals continued. The aim of this selection was to manifest how critical management studies are handled and maintained in Turkey from the perspective of critical theory.

As the only unit of analysis in this study as part of critical management studies, “Critical Perspectives in Management (CPM) Workshop”, conducted regularly in Turkey by Isparta School since 2017, has been determined. The main reason for choosing CPM workshops as the unit of analysis is that the event is held regularly and that it is the only event with the main purpose of evaluating the management from a critical perspective.

Document analysis method was used for data collection in the research. The obtained data were analyzed through descriptive analysis. Descriptive analysis is carried out by evaluating the introductory findings in the processing of data that does not require in-depth analysis. In short, the data have been presented to the audience in an organized and interpreted manner by classifying them in accordance with the predetermined themes.

When evaluated in the context of critical management studies, CPM workshops are not only a scientific activity contributing to the field, but also an effort to create an academic culture within Isparta School. The attitude displayed before, during and after the workshops can be described as a level that all academic units should reach in terms of academic productivity. That the workshop results were published as a book is thought to have a triggering effect on the dissemination of critical management studies in Turkey. In addition, it can be said that workshops with different perspectives have come about since the first workshop and that new studies could be carried out with the same performance during this process. However, with the exception of the fourth one, the fact that other workshops have been limited only to the SDU (Suleyman Demirel University) and that other universities were not included in the process can be considered as a weakness. However, any participation from different fields and universities can strengthen the workshops. In this respect, it can be said that these workshops have created an atmosphere, giving the impression that they have been stuck into their own shells, doing their jobs quietly. It can be argued that this situation distinguishes it from the followers of critical theory and those who conduct critical management studies, because the basic aim is to create an ambiance with a loud voice but not screaming too much. In line with this descriptive manner, CPM workshops, as the critical paradigm with a different color or version, are said to have found a position in Turkey.

Considering its content and application, the motto of critical management studies is embodied in these words: “Provoke, shock and be aggressive” (Akella, 2008).

In Turkey, even if certain end-point studies relating to power, politics and control and undesirable situations within the organization have been carried out and published so far, this motto is not valid for CPM workshops. In terms of general approach, it can be said that a more lenient approach has been adopted rather than an aggressive one. Yet, it still continues to remain within the area of interest of critical management studies.

Critical management studies, which are considered as an umbrella term combining many perspectives on the common denominator of challenging mainstream approaches and striving towards radical transformation (Goldman, 2016), continue to transform paradigmatically. CPM workshops are also an initiative in Turkey with the potential of molding and exhibiting their paradigmatic position.

Isparta School, an institution that strives for the institutionalization of CPM workshops, can be considered as a milestone in the historical and cultural differentiation in Turkey, ignoring the domination of mainstream management efforts and offering an opportunity to come up with original products as well as allowing new things to be said.