Mind the Flower: Rebalancing Form and Function in Organization Studies

Abstract

Moving away from a tradition of craft production to an increasingly bureaucratic, mass-produced mode, the field of organization studies is becoming more formulaic. The subfield of “organizational aesthetics” is an example of a potential antidote, a nomadic foray into more exotic research contexts. However, the exploration of aesthetic phenomena for organizational purposes has largely conformed to an entrenched utilitarian paradigm that pursues managerial relevance and prioritizes “function” over “form.” This essay highlights the blocking capacity of the utilitarian paradigm, questioning its assumptions and promoting a non-utilitarian perspective on aesthetics, inspired by the writings and poetry of Jim March. Drawing on art history, I direct attention to the aspects of aesthetic phenomena that militate against organization and commercial exploitation, and stimulate appreciation of beauty, sensory experiences and more elegant, less formulaic writing.