In this paper, we argue that competition has to be seen as a cultural phenomenon. In advanced capitalist societies the phenomenon of competition has takeit a specific form, which we call perverted competition. We both problematize this concept and discuss some of the consequences associated with it. We argue that the concept of perverted competition distorts the social relations both within and between organizations in a pervasive way. The challenge of critical thinking in management and organization theory is both to explore the destructive consequences of perverted competition and to engage in a counter discourse which explores the possibilities of constructive relations.
Coombs, R., D. Knights and H. Willmott.1992. 'Culture Control and Competition: Towards a Conceptual Framework for the Study of Information Technology in Organizations ', Organization Studies, 13: 51-72.
7.
Cooper, R.1983. 'The Other. A Model of Human Structuring' in G. Morgan (ed.), Beyond Method: Strategies of Social Research, pp. 202-18. London: Sage Publications.
8.
D'Aveni, R.1994. Hypercompetition. Managing the Dynamics of Strategic Management . New York: Free Press.
9.
Deleuze, G.1968. Difference and Repetition. London: Athlone Press.
10.
Deleuze, G., and F. Guattari.1979. Anti-Oedipus: Capitalism and Schizophrenia . New York: Viking.
11.
Derrida, J.1976. Of Grammatology. London: Johns Hopkins Press.
12.
Fiske, J.1990. Introduction to Communication Studies, 2nd edn, London: Routledge.
13.
Foucault, M.1977. Discipline and Punish. The Birth of the Prison, London: Allen Lane.
14.
—. 1988. 'The Political Technology of Individuals', in L.H. Martin, H. Gutman and P. Hutton (eds), Technologies of the Self. A Seminar with Michel Foucault, pp. 145-162. Amherst : The University of Massachusetts Press.
15.
Giddens, A.1994.'Living in a Post-Traditional Society' in U. Beck, A. Giddens and S. Lash (eds), Reflexive Modernization , pp. 56-109. Cambridge: Polity Press.
16.
Granovetter, M.1985. 'Economic Action and Social Structures: the Problem of Embeddedness', American Journal of Sociology, 91(3): 481-510.
17.
Grey, Ch.1994. 'Career as a Project of the Self and Labour Process Discipline ', Sociology, 28(2): 479-98.
18.
Guns, B.1992. 'The Faster Learning Organization; in S. Chawla and J. Renesch (eds), Learning Organizations, pp. 337-48, Portland, Oregon: Productivity Press.
19.
Handy, Charles.1995. 'Managing the Dream', in S. Chawla and J. Renesch (eds), Learning Organizations, pp.44-55.
20.
Hassard, J.1996. 'Images of Time in Work and Organization', in St. Clegg et al., Handbook of Organization Studies, pp. 581-98, London: Sage Publications .
21.
Hoskin, K., and R. Macve1986. 'Accounting and the Examination: a Genealogy of Disciplinary Power', Accounting, Organizations and Society, 105-36.
22.
Hoskin, K., R. Macve and J. Stone.1997. 'The Historical Genesis of Modem Business and Military Strategy. 1850-1950', Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Accounting Conference. Manchester: 7-9 July.
23.
Hinterhuber, H., G. Handlbauer, K. Matzler and E. Valdani.1998. 'The New Rules of Competition: From Evolution to Co-Evolution', CEMS Business Review, 2(3): 167-75.
24.
Ilinitch, A.Y., R.A. D'Aveni and A.Y. Lewin.1996.'New Organizational Forms and Strategies for Managing in Hypercompetitive Environments', Organization Science, 7(3): 211-19.
25.
Kanter, R.M.1995. 'Mastering Change', in S. Chawla .and J. Renesch, Learning Organizations, pp. 71-84. Portland, Oregon : Productivity Press.
26.
Kerfood, D., and D. Knights.1996. 'The Best is Yet to Come? Searching for Embodiment in Managerial Work', in: D. Collinson and J. Heam (eds), Management, Men and Masculinity. London: Sage Publications (quoted from the manuscript).
27.
Knights, D.1992. 'Changing Spaces: The Disruptive Impact of a New Epistemological Location for the Study of Management', in: Academy of Management Review17(3): 514-36.
28.
Kofman, F., and P. Senge.1992. 'Communities of Commitment: The Heart of the Learning Organization', in S. Chawla and J. Renesch (eds), Learning Organizations, pp. 15-44, Portland, Oregon: Productivity Press.
29.
Lee, R.B.1984. The Dobe !Kung. New York: Holt.
30.
LaBier, D.1986. Modern Madness: The Hidden Link Between Work and Emotional Conflict. New York: Simon and Schuster .
31.
Legge, K.1999. 'Representing People at Work', Organization , 6(2): 245-64.
32.
Pemicky, R.1990.'Schneller werden' in A.D. Little (ed.), Management der Hochleistungsorganisation . Wiesbaden: Westdeutscher Verlag .
33.
Peters, T., and R. Waterman.1982. In Search of Excellence. Lessons From Americas's Best-run Companies. New York: Harper and Row.
34.
Pfeffer, J.1995. Competitive Advantage through People. Unleashing the Pozver of the Work Force. Boston, Massachusetts: Harvard Business Press.
35.
Porter, M.E.1985. Competitive Advantage: Creating and Sustaining Superior Performance. New York: Free Press .
36.
Rorty, R.1989. Contingency, Irony, and SolidarityCambridge: Cambridge University Press.
37.
Senge, P.1990. The Fifth Discipline: The Art and Practice of the Learning Organization. New York: Doubleday/ Currency.
38.
Starkey, K.1989. 'Time and Work: A Psychological Perspective', in B. Blython, J. Hassard, J. Hill and K. Starkey (eds), Time, Work and Organization , pp. 35-56, London: Sage Publications.
39.
Sloterdijik, P.1988. Eurotaoismus. Zur Kritik der politischen Kinetik. Frankfurt aM.: Suhrkamp.
40.
Watson, T.1995. In Search of Management. London: Sage Publications.
41.
Weick, K.1979. The Social Psychology of Organizing, 2nd edn, Reading, MA: Addison-Wesley .
42.
. 1987. 'Substitutes for Corporate Strategy', in D. Teece, (ed.), The Competitive Challenge , pp. 22-33, Cambridge, MA: Ballinger.
43.
Zohar, A., and G. Morgan.1996. 'Refining our Understanding of Hypercompetition and Hyper-turbulence', in Organization Science7(3): 460-64.
