An understanding of how management operates, combined with a questioning stance towards its prevailing assumptions and power structures, forms the basis of a particular academic field. This field seeks to examine not only the technical aspects of running organizations, but also the social, political, and ethical implications of management practices. For example, it might investigate how decisions made by corporate executives impact workers’ rights, environmental sustainability, or global inequality.
The value of this approach lies in its ability to expose hidden biases and potential harms associated with traditional management theories. By challenging the status quo and promoting alternative perspectives, this intellectual endeavor facilitates more responsible and equitable organizational behavior. Its historical development can be traced to intellectual movements that emphasize social justice and critique of power dynamics.