Report 2003: Department of Management, Politics and Philosophy (LPF)
Department of Management, Politics and Philosophy (LPF): Research Report 2003
LPF conducts internationally oriented critically-constructive management research, educates students to become reflective practicians and makes a responsible and visible contribution to society by creating knowledge that makes a difference.
Management plays a central and significant role in modern society. At LPF we see management as a sociality-creating and transforming phenomenon. Our management research must be constructive to make it useful, but it must also be critical in order to create a distance to and added value for other organisations, whether private, public, political or voluntary.
Highlights 2003
- The Department set up an advisory board with 8 external members. Together they represent very broad public interests.
- The rapid increase in the Department’s foreign-language article production continues and was doubled this year (200%). The number of articles in international journals increased by 50%.
- Over 20 foreign researchers visited the Department in 2003. Their research comprised all the Department’s academic fields. Some of them visited for brief periods of a couple of days and others for 2-3 months.
- We continue to attract many new and interesting externally funded projects. The very high share of non-permanent funding was sustained throughout the year.
- Two new Department centres were established: the Center for Art and Leadership and the Center for Knowledge Governance. Both centres enable researchers to collaborate while at the same time sustaining highly externally-oriented profiles.
- The Department held numerous conferences, seminars and workshops over the year – both research-oriented conferences and conferences aimed at a wider audience. A course of lectures aimed at students, including 3 lectures on globalisation by former Danish prime minister Poul Nyrup Rasmussen inspired more than 1000 participants.
- Over the year, the Department assigned a number of assistant professors: Tor Nørretranders (knowledge), Henrik Dahl (sociality), Bo Lidegaard (history), Torbjörn Bredenlöw (management) and Søren Hougaard (innovation), and it already established good working relationships with all of them.
- Throughout the year, the Department continued to develop its organisation and to perform competence development. For example, 15 persons participated in a long project manager course (part of our SCKK-funded competence development process).
Academic profile
The target field of the Department of Management, Politics and Philosophy is management of all types of organisations. We focus on management as a sociality-creating phenomenon rather than management from an economic and efficiency-oriented point of view. Hence, we see management as something that creates norms, rules, terminologies, organisations, groups, regions (such as the Oresund region), etc. Department research is organised in five research groups:
- Management Philosophy,
- Public and Political Management,
- Business History
- Strategic Management
- Management of Innovation and Knowledge
The aim of the Philosophy Group is to understand the phenomena of society and sociality. It addresses this objective through a number of ”traditional” philosophical approaches such as phenomenology, social analytics, system theory and critical theory. Typical subjects include knowledge, normativity (values, morals, ethics), aesthetics, organisation and power. More recent concepts such as corporate communication, social responsibility, loyalty, discipline and subjectivity production are also important. The Group houses the Center for Corporate Communication (CCC) and the Center for Art and Leadership (CAL). Seven Group members are affiliated to the Center for Corporate Values and Responsibility (CVR).
The Politics Group focuses on the borderline between the public and private domain and on public and political management. Both are highly productive areas for the study and observation of social change. Changes in the relation between state and market are pivotal to social change. Similarly, themes such as ”corporate politicisation”, ”the politics of self”, campaign management and management of NGO’s have enormous potential for the understanding of social change and collective influence on individuals.
The primary aim of the History Group (Center for Business History) is to understand the role of modern enterprises in social development with an emphasis on the development of the economy. Another focus area of the Group is the significance of social development for enterprises. It takes a methodical approach by focusing on historical analyses of the development of certain enterprises in a social (political and technological) context.
The Strategy Group focuses on strategic management. One of Group’s subjects is how new social developments contribute to the creation of new strategic challenges to enterprises and public organisations. The Group houses the LOK Research Center and the Center for Applied Management Studies (CAMS).
The Innovation Group focuses on social changes concerning knowledge, particularly the relation between knowledge and value and the generation of knowledge in networks. Special focus areas include: 1. How to manage knowledge production and application. 2. Generation of knowledge and innovation and related micro processes. 3. How to handle distributed knowledge production and application. All three knowledge areas are placed in a wider social context. A special focus area of the Group is cooperation between universities and the business community. The Group houses the Center for Knowledge Governance and REMAP, a major research project on research management.
Research strategy
The common focus of the Department is management as a sociality-creating phenomenon. Throughout 2003 we have addressed the themes of time, space, normativity and technology. Time categories such as change, speed, timing and stress are of increasing importance to management. In the same way, it is becoming more and more crucial to address spatial phenomena like networks, aesthetics, construction of working spaces, communication and globalisation from a management point of view. Management technologies (e.g. Balanced Scorecard, Business Process Reengineering and HR development interviews) is increasingly important to ways of management. Hence, we are going to focus on the technology concept and to try to understand how various management technologies work in organisations in general. Many LPF projects already incorporate normative phenomena such as ethics, values and social responsibility.
The four themes are implemented mainly through new, typically externally-funded projects. In addition, two ”strategy-creating processes” were launched. Two Department groups have undertaken to launch activities concerning sociality and ”reflective practice”. What do these concepts/phenomena mean and how can we study and address them?
Research results
LPF has a high publication rate. And more and more of our publications are subjected to international review. This year, foreign-language publication increased by 200%. It is becoming increasingly important for us to subject our ideas and perspectives to a quality test by way of international review. Fortunately, this does not imply a decline in Nordic-language publications, which are keeping the same level as in 2002.
This development is also reflected in Figure 1 illustrating the number of Department publications over the last five years.
Figure 1
Eight PhD students completed their studies in 2003. Several of them published their theses in English, thereby getting their work reviewed internationally. This resulted in a lot of praise and several invitations to international collaboration.
An ever increasing number of Department researchers contribute to its international publication, but not all. We are therefore looking into several ways to get everyone to publish their results internationally. We prefer the international commitment to be a joint effort rather than something individual researchers have to bear on their own.
Research relations to practice
LPF sees itself as an academic platform to enable cooperation between those interested in management. We have numerous partnerships with other (both private and public) organisations working with management as a phenomenon. Our many business research centres, major research programmes, adjunct professors and our advisory board all contribute to achieving this in a more systematic and organised way. In addition to this invisible work, we have numerous cooperation projects with external partners. A large number of PhD students are funded by external organisations – for the purpose of solving specific tasks and to have a relation of commitment to the Department and our research. In general, Department researchers consider external relations rewarding and valuable. Trying to convert research results into practice is a highly efficient way to evaluate knowledge – and to get new inspiration.
In the course of 2003, the Department held numerous conferences with participants mainly from public and private organisations. Many of the conferences were held under the auspices of our centres, but the Department itself also arranged a number of lectures with new adjunct professors and a course of lectures on globalisation by Poul Nyrup Rasmussen.
The Department also experimented with generating income. Some of our arrangements have been financed through user fees (commercial activities). We have also attempted to create a wider range of executive programmes (through CELL and HHE).
In 2003, the Department was highly visible in the media. Many Department researchers acted as experts and opinion-makers in connection with a wide range of topics. Today, management, politics and philosophical social conditions are highly topical.
The introduction of our advisory board in 2003 was a great success. Its eight members already put a lot of effort and commitment into our Department. We received a lot of useful input, but so far the board members spent most of their time getting to know the Department, its researchers and its activities in order to create a foundation for a sound and sober policy on our future development. The board’s influence will be more visible in 2004.
As an indication of the Department’s efforts to create partnerships and to acquire external research funding, Figure 2 shows a rapidly increasing level of activity in this area.
Figure 2
LPF has indeed grown substantially – not least due to external funding. We have also been successful in sustaining a high external funding level at a time when the business community has otherwise been under pressure. So far so good. However, it is important to ensure a sustainable and balanced development in future. More control and a more strategic approach is the way to make sure that the development continues to produce fundamental and original research results with a long-term perspective.
Reports from selected centres and projects:
Center for Corporate Communication
In 2003, the Center for Corporate Communication launched a number of presentation activities focusing on generating a dialogue between various research traditions and between practice and research, through the international research conference, the conference for practicians, students and researchers, a course developed in cooperation with a public organisation and a seminar for PhD students.
Furthermore, the CCC board got several new members. Roy Langer resigned from the board due to his employment at Roskilde University, and instead CCC invited three young researchers from various CBS departments to the Center to give them the opportunity of working in the CCC framework. The three researchers are Sami Boutaiba, IOA, Lars Pynt Andersen (FI) and Esben Karmark (IKL).
Presentation activities:
”Opening of Systems Theory” – 23-25 May 2003 (approx. 90 participants)
Systems theory is being consolidated at CBS, and through the conference CCC wanted to test this research and its vision on coordinating theory and practice in an international forum. The aim was to define the possibilities and limitations of systems theory and to open it towards organisation theory and strengthen the possibility of coordinating otherwise scattered efforts. One result is the Nordic Systems Theory Network, which is in its start-up period. Invited keynote speakers were Dirk Baecker (Germany), Hans Ulrich Gumbrecht (USA) and Urs Staheli.
Systems theory is being consolidated at CBS, and through the conference CCC wanted to test this research and its vision on coordinating theory and practice in an international forum. The aim was to define the possibilities and limitations of systems theory and to open it towards organisation theory and strengthen the possibility of coordinating otherwise scattered efforts. One result is the Nordic Systems Theory Network, which is in its start-up period. Invited keynote speakers were Dirk Baecker (Germany), Hans Ulrich Gumbrecht (USA) and Urs Staheli.
”Den Æstetiske Organisation” (The Aesthetic Organisation) – 21-22 February 2003 (approx. 400 participants)
Conference on aesthetics as a unifier of corporate profile and image and an indication that CBS is now introducing aesthetics as a research object. The subject of the first day was theory; on the second day it was practice. The conference was held in connection with the publication of Ole Thyssen: Æstetisk Ledelse (Aesthetic Management). The presenters were Søren Kjørup (Roskilde University), David Favrholdt (University of Southern Denmark), Frederik Tygstrup (University of Copenhagen), Sverre Raffnsøe and Ole Thyssen (CBS), artist Per Arnoldi and designer Ole Palsby, Danish enterprise HomeSweetHome and sociologist Henrik Dahl.
Conference on aesthetics as a unifier of corporate profile and image and an indication that CBS is now introducing aesthetics as a research object. The subject of the first day was theory; on the second day it was practice. The conference was held in connection with the publication of Ole Thyssen: Æstetisk Ledelse (Aesthetic Management). The presenters were Søren Kjørup (Roskilde University), David Favrholdt (University of Southern Denmark), Frederik Tygstrup (University of Copenhagen), Sverre Raffnsøe and Ole Thyssen (CBS), artist Per Arnoldi and designer Ole Palsby, Danish enterprise HomeSweetHome and sociologist Henrik Dahl.
”Mad, Smag og Kommunikation” (Food, Taste and Communication) – 26 September 2003 (75 participants)
Conference on the aesthetics of taste. Together with Danish restaurant Meyers Madhus and Danish financial daily Børsen, CCC wanted to inspire the organisation to discuss taste per se. It had the dual aim of inspiring reflection and developing the participants’ language, and this was attained by combining practical exercises and lectures. The presenters included Jan Krag Jacobsen (Roskilde University), Thomas Rode (chef at restaurant Kong Hans), canteen manager Jonhild Bjergring, Jubii, and Jacob Grønlykke, Løgismose.
Conference on the aesthetics of taste. Together with Danish restaurant Meyers Madhus and Danish financial daily Børsen, CCC wanted to inspire the organisation to discuss taste per se. It had the dual aim of inspiring reflection and developing the participants’ language, and this was attained by combining practical exercises and lectures. The presenters included Jan Krag Jacobsen (Roskilde University), Thomas Rode (chef at restaurant Kong Hans), canteen manager Jonhild Bjergring, Jubii, and Jacob Grønlykke, Løgismose.
”Ledelse og Kommunikation” (Management and Communication) – Sep. - Dec. 2003
A joint venture arranged with Amtsakademiet under the County of Copenhagen where CCC contributed to the development of a course of lectures for managers in the County of Copenhagen to inspire reflection (with Ole Thyssen, Majken Schultz, Niels Åkerstrøm Andersen and Niels Thyge Thygesen).
A joint venture arranged with Amtsakademiet under the County of Copenhagen where CCC contributed to the development of a course of lectures for managers in the County of Copenhagen to inspire reflection (with Ole Thyssen, Majken Schultz, Niels Åkerstrøm Andersen and Niels Thyge Thygesen).
”Brandet der ikke er” (The nonexistent brand) – Nov. 2003 (40 participants)
PhD students Søren Buhl and Rasmus Bech, Kontrapunkt, and professor Lars Thøger Christensen (University of Southern Denmark) discussed branding.
PhD students Søren Buhl and Rasmus Bech, Kontrapunkt, and professor Lars Thøger Christensen (University of Southern Denmark) discussed branding.
LOK 2003
The LOK programme and its 15 research projects were highly productive in 2003. The research projects are at such an advanced stage now that many very interesting results are beginning to appear. Furthermore, some of the projects are coming to an end. This was reflected in substantial publication activity over the year as regards scientific contributions but also contributions aimed at a wider audience. A case in point is the LOK Newspaper, published twice in 2003, which is a collection of small articles on LOK’s research projects with some elaborative comments from practice.
A couple of books should also be mentioned: New Movements in Entrepreneurship by Chris Steyaert and Daniel Hjorth. Strategi i praksis – med indtjening for øje (Strategy in practice – with a view to profit) by Michael Jessen Holm, Per V. Jenster, Sven Junghagen and Flemming Poulfelt; and Udvikling og vækst i nye innovative virksomheder (Development and growth in new innovative enterprises) by Helle Neergaard, Sannie Fisker, Berit Jensen, Henning Madsen and John P. Ulhøi.
In 2003, the LOK website was substantially redesigned to make it more user-friendly and accessible.
The annual research conference in December 2003 again proved an excellent venue for discussions of the research projects and contributions from a number of international presenters. The external conferences in 2003 included: M&A – når fusioner og virksomhedsovertagelser skal lykkes (M&A – for successful mergers and acquisitions) with professor Anthony Buono from Bentley College, USA. Later in the year we had invited Alfred Josefsen, IRMA Manager of the Year, to speak – together with 3 LOK researchers – on the subject of Innovation og Udvikling – nyt fra forskningen, erfaringer fra praksis, dialog om paradokser, praksis og perspektiver (Innovation and development – research news, experience from practice, dialogue on paradoxes, practice and perspectives).
The working relationship between the LOK Programme and enterprises and organisations continued and was further developed during the past year to the benefit of all concerned.
Center for Art and Leadership
The art of leadership
CBS’ new Center for Art and Leadership (CAL) was officially opened in October 2003 with a large-scale inauguration conference the theme of which being music. On this occasion, a number of well-known presenters from the cultural, business and research communities offered their views on how art and corporate management can be integrated and what corporate executives can learn about themselves through art. The conference was sponsored by Nykredit and Novo Nordisk – both Corporate partners and well-known for their great commitment to art and culture.
CBS’ new Center for Art and Leadership (CAL) was officially opened in October 2003 with a large-scale inauguration conference the theme of which being music. On this occasion, a number of well-known presenters from the cultural, business and research communities offered their views on how art and corporate management can be integrated and what corporate executives can learn about themselves through art. The conference was sponsored by Nykredit and Novo Nordisk – both Corporate partners and well-known for their great commitment to art and culture.
The Center is headed by professor, doctor of philosophy Ole Fogh Kirkeby, who is responsible for the development of a proper research programme in the field of tension between leadership, art and philosophy. He is assisted by Peter Hanke, artistic manager of the Center, conductor and founder of Exart Performances. For a number of years, both have been working with the concept of Art in Business, linking the methods and aesthetic strength of art to management training and organisational development and applying it as a strategic resource in knowledge-intensive enterprises.
Together with philosophy, music was the Center’s core activity in 2003, but more art forms will be incorporated by way of monthly functions, i.a. films and opera, with a view to gaining deeper insight into formal and informal leadership within the internal organisation of art.
Last updated by Webmaster 19/11/2004
