Something Old,Something New and Something Puzzling: A Commentary on the Schneider–Geiger and Schreyögg Debate

Abstract

In this commentary, I suggest that the discussion between Schneider, Geiger, and Schreyögg revives some of the themes of the debate between Habermas and Luhmann, two of the main figures of post-war German social philosophy. Both Habermas and Luhmann put meaning making and knowledge at the centre of their theorization and therefore speak directly to the issue of knowledge and organizing. One of the effects of the discussion between Schneider, Geiger, and Schreyögg is that of enriching the current conversation on these themes and opening new opportunities for future research. In the commentary, however, I also note a tendency to provide a revisionist and edulcorated version of both Habermas’ ideas and some of the principles of post-modernism. I therefore ask whether we should resist readings that expunge all the emancipatory potential from radical authors so that they can become usable for managerial purposes. I conclude by purporting the idea that the mission o f organizational scholars is to generate knowledge about business but not necessarily for business.