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Sverre Spoel­stra

Associate Professor

Emner
Lederskab Organisation Digitalisering Kvalitativ metode Etik Filosofi

Primary research areas

Algorithmic leadership

I study how algorithms increasingly shape leadership practices, challenging traditional notions of authority and control, while revealing the ethical tensions and power imbalances embedded in data-driven decision-making within organizations.

Philosophy of Organization

Philosophical concepts can illuminate the nature and functioning of organizations. In my work, I question assumptions about purpose, ethics, and authority, and engage with thinkers like Hannah Arendt, Spinoza and Robert Cooper to rethink what it means to organize.

Work and play

Play is increasingly co-opted into work through practices like gamification and serious play. In my research, I question how playful elements can motivate, discipline, or obscure the nature of work in contemporary organizational life.

I seek to rethink leadership and organization through philosophy and empirical study

In my research, I combine a philosophical interest in organizations with sociological studies of work. I question dominant ideas about leadership, ethics, and organizational problems, aiming to offer alternative ways of thinking. My work explores topics like gamification, academic labor, and especially leadership, where I challenge traditional ideals such as charisma and transformational leadership. 

Recently, I’ve focused on digitalization and algorithmic leadership, where managerial functions like supervision, recruitment and motivation are increasingly handled by algorithms. I study how this shift affects employees and organizations, particularly in knowledge work, and reflect on the future of work. 

By critically examining leadership and organizational life, I aim to foster more reflective and ethical approaches to management. My research contributes to public understanding of how power and control operate in modern workplaces and how we might respond to ongoing digital transformation.