Management Tools: A Social Sciences Perspective

98 Pages·2019·0.407 MB·English

by  Ève Chiapello, Patrick Gilbert

Management Tools
Noorganisationisimmunefromtheinfluenceofmanagementtools.
Such tools as norms, indicators, ranking, evaluation grids and man-
agement control systems have moved outside the managerial and
consultancy realm within which they were first developed to reach
publicadministrationsandpolicy-makers,aswellasarangeofother
governmental and non-governmental organisations. Taking manage-
menttoolsoutofthepracticalandutilitariancontextstowhichthey
are often consigned and approaching them from a social analytical
perspective, this book gives primacy to these everyday objects that
constitutethebackgroundoforganisationallifeandremaintoooften
unquestioned.Bringingtogetherdevelopingstreamsofresearchfrom
anthropology,politicalscience,socialpsychology,sociology,account-
ing,organisationtheoryandmanagement,ÈveChiapelloandPatrick
Gilbert offer an unprecedented theoretical synthesis that will help
managers, scholars and policy-makers to unpack the functional and
dysfunctionalrolesandeffectsofmanagementtoolswithinandacross
organisations.
È  is Professor at Ècole des hautes études en sciences
sociales (EHESS), Paris, where she holds a chair in the ‘Sociology of
thetransformationofcapitalism’.ShewaspreviouslyProfessoratthe
HEC School of Management, Paris. Her previously published works
comprise numerous articles and books including: Artistes versus
Managers(1998),andLenouvelespritducapitalisme(1999,withLuc
Boltanski,translatedintoninelanguages,includingEnglishin2005).
  holds a Ph.D. in Management and graduated in
OrganizationalPsychology.HeisEmeritusProfessorattheSorbonne
Business Scool (IAE Paris) and Research Director at the Mutations
AnticipationsInnovationsChair.Heisalsoamemberoftheboardof
several scientific societies, such as the Association francophone de
Gestion des Ressources Humaines (AGRH) and Association Interna-
tionaledePsychologieduTravaildeLangueFrançaise(AIPTLF).
Published online by Cambridge University Press
Published online by Cambridge University Press
Management Tools
A Social Sciences Perspective
ÈVE CHIAPELLO
ÉcoledesHautesEtudesenSciencesSociales,Paris
 
IAEParis SorbonneBusinessSchool
In collaboration with
, -
MARION BRIVOT CARINE CHEMIN BOUZIR AND
BÉNÉDICTE GRALL
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www.cambridge.org
Informationonthistitle:www.cambridge.org/9781108428958
DOI:10.1017/9781108553858
©ÈveChiapelloandPatrickGilbert2019
ThiseditionisanadaptedtranslationofSociologiedesoutilsdegestion:Introductionà
l’analysesocialedel’instrumentationdegestion,publishedbyLaDécouvertein2014
(9782707151452).
Thispublicationisincopyright.Subjecttostatutoryexception
andtotheprovisionsofrelevantcollectivelicensingagreements,
noreproductionofanypartmaytakeplacewithoutthewritten
permissionofCambridgeUniversityPress.
Firstpublished2019
PrintedandboundinGreatBritainbyClaysLtd,ElcografS.p.A.
AcataloguerecordforthispublicationisavailablefromtheBritishLibrary.
LibraryofCongressCataloginginPublicationData
Names:Chiapello,Ève,author.|Gilbert,Patrick,author.
Title:Managementtools:asocialsciencesperspective/ÈveChiapello,Écoledes
HautesEtudesenSciencesSociales,Paris,PatrickGilbert,IAEParis;incollaboration
with[threeothers].
Othertitles:Sociologiedesoutilsdegestion.English
Description:Cambridge,UnitedKingdom;NewYork,NY:CambridgeUniversityPress,
[2019]|“ThiseditionisanadaptedtranslationofSociologiedesoutilsdegestion:
introductional’analysesocialedel’instrumentationdegestion,publishedby
LaDecouvertein2014.”
Identifiers:LCCN2019007595|ISBN9781108428958(hardback:alk.paper)|
ISBN9781108451727(pbk.:alk.paper)
Subjects:LCSH:Management Socialaspects.|Organizationalsociology.
Classification:LCCHD30.19C45132019|DDC302.3/5 dc23
LCrecordavailableathttps://lccn.loc.gov/2019007595
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Contents
ListofFigures pagexi
ListofTables xii
Acknowledgements xiii
HowtoUseThisBook xvii
Introduction: Organisations asWorlds of
Management Tools 1
PART I THEORETICAL FOUNDATIONS FOR THINKING
ABOUT MANAGEMENT INSTRUMENTATION 9
1. Theoretical Foundations: From the Study of Technique
to the Analysis ofManagement Tools 11
SpontaneousDiscourseaboutTechnique 12
DenialofTechnique,ortheInsignificanceoftheObject 12
TechnophileEuphoria 14
TechnophobicReaction,orTechniqueasaSnare 15
FalseDebatesandRealImpasses 17
TheContributionsofAnthropology 18
ConsideringTechnique:TheTechnologicalProject 18
ConcerningtheStudyofTechniqueandItsTools 21
SomeLessonsfortheStudyofManagementTools 22
ManagementasanIntangibleTechnique 24
Management:ATechniqueUnlikeOthers 24
TheSpecificityofIntangibleTechniques 25
WhatIsaManagementTool? 26
ACommonSenseNotion 26
DescribingaManagementTool 27
Conclusion 31
v
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vi 
2. Traditional Approaches: Management Tools in the
History ofOrganisation Theory 32
RationalistTheoriesorTechniqueasaSolution 33
ManagementToolsfromaScientificManagement
Perspective 34
ManagementToolsandtheRationalSystemsSchool 37
ManagementToolsandtheSchoolofContingency 38
NormativeTheories,betweenForgettingandMinimising
Technique 39
ThePervasivenessofRationalBeliefs 43
TheRationalDiscoursePrevailsDespitetheAlternationof
TheoreticalOrientations 43
TheRationalApproachIsReinforcedbytheConsultants 47
GoingBeyondClassicalApproaches 48
TheSocioTechnicalApproach 49
TheBehaviouralTheoryofOrganisations 50
Afterthe1980s:RenewedInterestfortheInstrumentation
ofManagementinFrenchAcademia 51
Conclusion 53
PART II THREE MAJOR TYPES OF SOCIAL
SCIENCE APPROACHES 55
3. Critical Perspectives onManagement Tools 59
Thesis1:ToolsImplicatedinRelationshipsofDomination 61
TheToolasanElementofaSocialandEconomicSystem 62
TheToolintheLegitimationofSocialHierarchies 64
TheToolasaLeverofExploitation 65
TheToolastheResultofPowerRelations 66
TheToolasaResourceinaStruggle 68
SummarySheet(Thesis1) 73
Thesis2:TheToolasaTechniqueforDisciplineand
Government 75
ManagementToolsasApparatusesofKnowledge/Power 76
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 vii
ManagementToolsasaDisciplinaryTechnique 77
ManagementTechniquesasaToolofGovernment 79
ManagementTechniquesasTechnologiesoftheSelf 81
SummarySheet(Thesis2) 87
Thesis3:TheToolAlienatesandDehumanises 91
ClinicalApproaches 91
CritiqueoftheManipulativeProject 94
TheCritiqueofTechnicismandtheDiscardingof
Subjectivity 96
SummarySheet(Thesis3) 98
4. Institutionalist Perspectives onManagement Tools 100
Thesis4:ManagementToolsInfluencedbyInstitutional
Strategies 102
TheFoundingConcepts:FieldLevelInstitutionsand
Isomorphism 102
FromSimilaritytoVariety:Researchbetween1990
and2000 105
TheDistinctionbetweenLegitimacy,Efficiencyand
Decoupling 107
Power,ConflictandInstitutions 108
TransnationalisationandInternationalStandards 110
SummarySheet(Thesis4) 115
Thesis5:ToolsasInvestmentinForms 118
TheConventionalistApproach 118
TheSociologyofQuantificationandClassifications 121
AnalyticalPerspectivesonManagementTools 127
SummarySheet(Thesis5) 138
Thesis6:TechnologyIsBothConstrainingandEnabling 142
StructurationTheory(ST):SomeoftheCentralConcepts 142
ThePlaceofTechnologyinProcessesofStructuration:
TwoDifferentOntologiesbutComplementaryEmpirical
Results 146
SummarySheet(Thesis6) 150
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viii 
5. Interactional Perspectives on Management Tools 153
Thesis7:TheToolIsaHuman/NonHuman
Arrangement 155
TheSymmetrybetweenHumansandNonHumans 155
NetworkandtheTranslationProcess 156
ObjectsasHuman/NonHumanArrangementsandthe
NotionofPerformation 157
UnderstandingtheImplementationandRoleofthe
ManagementToolwithinanOrganisation 158
SummarySheet(Thesis7) 166
Thesis8:TheToolIsNothingoutsidetheActivitySystem 169
FromTooltoInstrument 169
IndividualActivityMediated 171
ActivityandCollectiveWork 173
SummarySheet(Thesis8) 177
Thesis9:TheToolasaLanguageBeing 179
WrittenTextasaManagementTool 180
TheManagementToolasaSupportforSensemaking 184
TheManagementToolasText 185
SummarySheet(Thesis9) 187
Thesis10:TheEffectsoftheToolAreConditionedbyWhat
ActorsDo 189
TheRelativisationoftheFormalSystem 190
ChangeRatherThanFunctioning 191
Tooland/orRules? 192
SummarySheet(Thesis10) 195
PART III SYNTHESIS 199
6. The Agency of Management Tools 201
AFrameworkfortheAnalysisofManagementTools 203
VocabularyIssues 203
Functions 204
Effects 207
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 ix
TheEpistemicEffectsofTools 208
FirstOrderEffectsLinkedtoEpistemicFunction 208
EffectsofReactivityLinkedtotheEpistemicFunction 214
ThePragmaticEffectsofManagementTools 217
TheSpecificEffectsofToolsLinkedtoTheirPragmatic
Function 217
TheEffectsofReactivityLinkedtothePragmatic
FunctionofTools 219
ThePoliticalPracticesofManagementTools 222
PoliticalEffectsThatArePropertoManagementTools 223
ReactivityandthePoliticalEffectsof
ManagementTools 224
Conclusion 225
General Conclusion 227
StudyingManagementTools:AProjectofEmancipation 227
TheAnalysisofManagementToolsas
CounterExpertise 227
TowardsaNewSocioTechnicalApproach 229
AnApproachforaProject 231
MultiplytheAnglesofAnalysis 231
DialoguebetweentheGridsThemselves 232
RevisitingOlderQuestions 235
GoingbeyondtheMacro MicroDistinction 235
RenewingtheTheoryofOrganisations 239
ThinkingabouttheTransformationsofCapitalism 241
ManagementToolsPerspective:AResearchStrategy 244
Appendix1:CrossReadingtheThesesonSomeGeneric
Questions 246
HowDidWeGettoThisPoint? 246
WhatIstheToolMadeof? 247
HowDoesItWork? 247
HowDoesItEvolve? 248
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x 
WhatIstheEffect? 248
Appendix2:StudyingtheToolinAllItsVariousStates 250
(1) TheCirculatingForm(theToolOutsideaSpecific
Situation) 250
DescribingtheManagementToolasaTechnicalObject 250
IdentifytheConventions,Representations,Models
ofJudgementandAction,PremisesThatArePresentin
theToolorThatSupportItsPurpose 251
EstablishtheHistoryoftheTool 251
StudytheModesofCirculation 252
(2) TheInscribedForm(theToolinaSpecificSituation) 252
DescribetheOrganisationalContext 252
IdentifytheActorsinTheirRelationtotheTool 252
ReconstitutetheHistoryoftheToolinthe
Organisation 253
IdentifytheDifferentEffectsoftheTooland/orthe
TransformationsThatAccompanyIt 253
Bibliography 254
Index 283
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