Beneath the radar: a critical realist analysis of ‘the knowledge economy’ and ‘shareholder value’ as competing discourses

Paul Thompson, B. Harley

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article

24 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

This paper seeks to apply a critical realist lens to the analysis of discourse. Our central argument is that the most fruitful way to make sense of discourse is to treat it as an empirical object of inquiry alongside extra-discursive phenomena. In making this argument, we consider two recent discourses, the ‘knowledge-based economy’ (KBE) and ‘shareholder value’ (SV) and demonstrate that while the KBE discourse gained much more attention, SV discourse had much more significant material outcomes. We suggest that research on the potential causal powers of discourse should move away from an exclusive focus on the discursive and pay attention to actors and institutions and to extra-discursive conditions and constraints.
LanguageEnglish
Pages1363-1381
Number of pages19
JournalOrganization Studies
Volume33
Issue number10
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Oct 2012

Fingerprint

Shareholders
Radar
Lenses
Shareholder value
Knowledge economy
Discourse

Keywords

  • critical realism
  • discourse analysis
  • financialization

Cite this

Thompson, Paul ; Harley, B. / Beneath the radar : a critical realist analysis of ‘the knowledge economy’ and ‘shareholder value’ as competing discourses. In: Organization Studies. 2012 ; Vol. 33, No. 10. pp. 1363-1381.
@article{41efc0fa16a74d62afa8a2677092eb18,
title = "Beneath the radar: a critical realist analysis of ‘the knowledge economy’ and ‘shareholder value’ as competing discourses",
abstract = "This paper seeks to apply a critical realist lens to the analysis of discourse. Our central argument is that the most fruitful way to make sense of discourse is to treat it as an empirical object of inquiry alongside extra-discursive phenomena. In making this argument, we consider two recent discourses, the ‘knowledge-based economy’ (KBE) and ‘shareholder value’ (SV) and demonstrate that while the KBE discourse gained much more attention, SV discourse had much more significant material outcomes. We suggest that research on the potential causal powers of discourse should move away from an exclusive focus on the discursive and pay attention to actors and institutions and to extra-discursive conditions and constraints.",
keywords = "critical realism, discourse analysis, financialization",
author = "Paul Thompson and B. Harley",
year = "2012",
month = "10",
doi = "10.1177/0170840612457614",
language = "English",
volume = "33",
pages = "1363--1381",
journal = "Organization Studies",
issn = "0170-8406",
number = "10",

}

Thompson, P & Harley, B 2012, 'Beneath the radar: a critical realist analysis of ‘the knowledge economy’ and ‘shareholder value’ as competing discourses' Organization Studies, vol. 33, no. 10, pp. 1363-1381. https://doi.org/10.1177/0170840612457614

Beneath the radar : a critical realist analysis of ‘the knowledge economy’ and ‘shareholder value’ as competing discourses. / Thompson, Paul; Harley, B.

In: Organization Studies, Vol. 33, No. 10, 10.2012, p. 1363-1381.

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article

TY - JOUR

T1 - Beneath the radar

T2 - Organization Studies

AU - Thompson, Paul

AU - Harley, B.

PY - 2012/10

Y1 - 2012/10

N2 - This paper seeks to apply a critical realist lens to the analysis of discourse. Our central argument is that the most fruitful way to make sense of discourse is to treat it as an empirical object of inquiry alongside extra-discursive phenomena. In making this argument, we consider two recent discourses, the ‘knowledge-based economy’ (KBE) and ‘shareholder value’ (SV) and demonstrate that while the KBE discourse gained much more attention, SV discourse had much more significant material outcomes. We suggest that research on the potential causal powers of discourse should move away from an exclusive focus on the discursive and pay attention to actors and institutions and to extra-discursive conditions and constraints.

AB - This paper seeks to apply a critical realist lens to the analysis of discourse. Our central argument is that the most fruitful way to make sense of discourse is to treat it as an empirical object of inquiry alongside extra-discursive phenomena. In making this argument, we consider two recent discourses, the ‘knowledge-based economy’ (KBE) and ‘shareholder value’ (SV) and demonstrate that while the KBE discourse gained much more attention, SV discourse had much more significant material outcomes. We suggest that research on the potential causal powers of discourse should move away from an exclusive focus on the discursive and pay attention to actors and institutions and to extra-discursive conditions and constraints.

KW - critical realism

KW - discourse analysis

KW - financialization

U2 - 10.1177/0170840612457614

DO - 10.1177/0170840612457614

M3 - Article

VL - 33

SP - 1363

EP - 1381

JO - Organization Studies

JF - Organization Studies

SN - 0170-8406

IS - 10

ER -

Thompson P, Harley B. Beneath the radar: a critical realist analysis of ‘the knowledge economy’ and ‘shareholder value’ as competing discourses. Organization Studies. 2012 Oct;33(10):1363-1381. https://doi.org/10.1177/0170840612457614

Access to Document