Abstract
One of the issues that we face as editors of Management Learning is an often-encountered perception, especially outside the UK and Europe, regarding the aims and scope of the journal. This perception seems to centre around the idea that we are purely a pedagogical journal, only publishing articles about teaching. Those inside our community, whether we are editors, authors, reviewers or readers of the journal know that this is not the case. However, in order to dispel this myth and highlight the range of scholarly work characteristic of the journal, we take the opportunity in our third Editorial to look back over the previous volume to examine the focus of the articles that have been published in Management Learning.
In Volume 42 of Management Learning there are 26 articles, some are conceptually-oriented reviews and critiques whilst others present the findings of original research. As always, the topic and scope of the articles is eclectic to say the least: authors draw from a range of perspectives and research methodologies. For example: in Issue 1 Vickers (2011) presented a case study of the facilitation of management learning of a worker who had multiple sclerosis; in Issue 2 McCabe (2011) argued that the management learning community of scholars and practitioners has much to fear from management ‘guru’ texts; in Issue 3 Rhodes and Price (2011) use a narrative approach to contend that post-bureaucracy acts as a parasite which requires the on-going vitality of its host in order to flourish; in Issue 4 the late Max Boisot examined the learning implications of virtual collaborations at the CERN laboratory (Boisot, 2011); and in Issue 5 Keevers and Treleaven (2011) offered a practice-based study of reflexivity and collective mindfulness. These papers are highly representative of the imagination, distinctiveness and thought-provocation to which we referred in our 2011 Editorial (Cunliffe and Sadler-Smith, 2011).
By our reckoning of the 26 articles published in Volume 42 of Management Learning, around five articles were concerned with management education pedagogy or teaching and learning (broadly defined) per se. For example Beyes and Michels (2011) writing from a Foucauldian perspective were concerned with issues of spatiality and the ways in which these might be used to impact imaginatively on the educational offerings of business schools. Similarly Vince (2011) examined the spatial psychodynamics of the management learning classroom. Mainstream instructional design did not go completely ignored however, for example Hallinger and Lu (2011) offered a critical analysis of problem-based management education based on seven years of longitudinal data. An analysis of previous volumes reveals a similar picture, as does a perusal of upcoming papers for 2012, which include a thought experiment and critical engagement with Nonaka’s SECI model (Hong, 2011), the use of threshold concepts in teaching leadership practice (Yip and Raelin, 2011), the role of critical learning in negotiation (Mazen, 2011), and the relationship between leadership, Daoist Wu Wei and self-reflexivity (Xing and Sims, 2011). So while pedagogical articles do have place in Management Learning, they tend to be in the minority, and when they do occur they have the distinctive Management Learning ‘critical edge’ offering alternative ways of thinking about how we teach.
Hence one of our missions for 2012 - and we exhort others in our community to join us - is to persuade scholars and practitioners who are unfamiliar with Management Learning’s unique brand of scholarship that we publish a wide range of work, embracing a variety of topics, theoretical perspectives, and research methodologies that are primarily or tangentially concerned with knowing, learning and organization. That said, we also warmly welcome pedagogical and teaching and learning research that is commensurate with the overarching aims and scope of the journal.
We would like take the opportunity to say ‘goodbye’ to Carole Elliott who has been Book Reviews Editor since 2007 and Craig Prichard who has been Associate Editor since 2008. Both Carole and Craig have done a superb job developing the profile of the journal and building on the quality of work we publish. An enthusiastic welcome to Lisa Anderson as our new Book Reviews Editor, and Paul Hibbert and Monika Kostera as our new Associate Editors – all three have been involved with Management Learning as reviewers and authors and we look forward to working together.
Finally, we are pleased to award the Management Learning ‘2011 Reviewer of the Year’ to Dr Tom Hawk (Frostburg State University) in recognition of the excellent reviewing work he has carried out on behalf of the editorial team. Tom’s reviews are always thorough, insightful, constructive and timely, and he has gone beyond the call of duty in willingly writing ‘emergency’ reviews to the same standard.
We are very appreciative of the community of authors, reviewers and readers who support us in our drive to preserve Management Learning as a space for imaginative, critical, and thought-provoking scholarly work in a world that is becoming increasingly normalized. Thank you!