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Sverre Spoel­stra

Associate Professor

Emner
Ledelse 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.