Abstract
This theory-development case study of the quality circle management fashion focuses on three features of management-knowledge entrepreneurs' discourse promoting or discrediting such fashions: its lifecycle, forces triggering stages in its lifecycle, and the type of collective learning it fostered. Results suggest, first, that variability in when different types of knowledge entrepreneurs begin, continue, and stop promoting fashions explains variability in their lifecycles; second, that historically unique conjunctions of forces, endogenous and exogenous to the management-fashion market, trigger and shape management fashions; and third, that emotionally charged, enthusiastic, and unreasoned discourse characterizes the upswings of management fashion waves, whereas more reasoned, unemotional, and qualified discourse characterizes their downswings, evidencing a pattern of superstitious collective learning.
Keywords
Quality (philosophy)Fashion industryBusinessKnowledge managementSociologyPsychologyEpistemologyPolitical scienceComputer science
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Publication Info
- Year
- 1999
- Type
- article
- Volume
- 44
- Issue
- 4
- Pages
- 708-740
- Citations
- 1098
- Access
- Closed
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Cite This
Eric Abrahamson,
Gregory B. Fairchild
(1999).
Management Fashion: Lifecycles, Triggers, and Collective Learning Processes.
Administrative Science Quarterly
, 44
(4)
, 708-740.
https://doi.org/10.2307/2667053
Identifiers
- DOI
- 10.2307/2667053