Geographies of Management Ideas

Abstract

This dissertation concerns management ideas – ideas on optimal utilisation of organisational resources – that are antecedents to organisational change. In the context of a globalised economy, the dissemination of management ideas has intensified through multinational corporations and global production networks. Despite the growing consensus among economic geographers on the importance of firm practices, limited scholarly attention has been paid to the role of management ideas in shaping firm practices and, ultimately, economic geographies.

Drawing on evidence-rich qualitative data from interviews and ethnographic observations of software development teams in both China and Sweden, the dissertation provides insights into the dynamics and impact of management ideas in shaping firm practices. Adopting a relational approach, the research examines management ideas as epistemic movements and highlights the central role of embeddedness and epistemic communities in their dissemination.