Management Learning as Discourse

Management Learning as Discourse

The purpose of this chapter is twofold. We wish first to argue that the study of management learning can be significantly enhanced by the discourse analysis of its language — of the various spoken and written language texts which constitute management learning. We shall advocate more specifically the use in teaching, research and the practice of managing, of one particular method of discourse analysis which is known as critical discourse analysis (Fairclough, 1992a, 1995). Our second purpose is to introduce readers to the application of this method to management learning texts by working through an example — a comparison of two publicity brochures produced by the same outdoor training organization, one of which is aimed at the general public, the other at the world of management and organizational development.

The first section of the chapter discusses critical discourse analysis as a perspective in social science research generally and the study of management learning in particular, and the second section sketches out an analytic framework. The third section discusses management learning as an ‘order of discourse’ or ‘field of discourse’, focusing upon its diverse language practices, their complex interrelationships and their shifting configurations. We argue that it is essential to frame analysis of particular language practices within such a holistic account of the order of discourse. In the fourth section, we illustrate the critical analysis of management learning discourse through an analysis of the outdoor training example. The concepts and terminology introduced in the second section will become more familiar through this worked example. The chapter concludes with suggestions about how readers might themselves take this approach further, including annotated references to relevant publications.