Management and Organisation Studies

Our research critically explores the complexity of modern organisations, examining issues that range from professional services and public sector management to the psychosocial dimensions of work.

Our strongly interdisciplinary approach takes inspiration from sociology, history, linguistics and philosophy. We address pressing issues in business and society, including the development of professional identity, organisational wrongdoing, management of healthcare delivery, marketisation of public services, NGOs addressing global inequalities, the dynamics of inequalities at work; including between species, and the evolving nature of work.

The group also includes scholars who explore the impact of technology and systems theory on organisational structures and processes, particularly in relation to artificial intelligence and cyber security. This technical focus is complemented by research into the cultural and affective aspects of organisational life, such as the role of fear, shame, and other emotions in shaping workplace dynamics.

Research interests

Organisation Theory, Public Sector Management, Critical Management Studies, Leadership, Ethics, Professions, Institutional Theory, Health and Gender Inequalities, Methodological innovations.

Research highlights

• York to lead new research on management in the NHS
• Institute for Safe Autonomy, University of York
• Management capacity and capability in healthcare: What difference does it make?

Thought leadership in management and organisation studies

The Management and Organisation Studies group in the School for Business and Society mobilises a broad range of conceptual lenses in order to examine managerial as well as organizational practices and processes. A common feature of research in this group is the adoption of a critical angle that seeks to problematise taken-for-granted assumptions about organising and managing and to flesh out lived experiences of, and at, work.

This group presents a strong interest in and commitment to the development of innovative research methodologies that attempt to grapple with the multifaceted nature of organising and managing as principles, and with the broad and diverse range of human and more-than-human actors that come to shape practices, processes and outcomes in formal organisations and beyond.

Beyond empirical research, the group is engaged in critical and conceptual explorations into organizational practices, processes and structures, the evolution of management as a profession and practice, and the broader relation between organisations and society.

Overall, the group's research contributes to a nuanced understanding of how organisations operate, evolve, and impact both individuals and society, offering valuable insights for academics, practitioners, and policymakers alike.

Methods employed

Ethnography, Interviews, Focus Groups, Administrative data, Affective Ethnography, Auto ethnography, Multi-Vocal autoethnography, Art-based Methods, Participative Research, Psychodynamic Methods Rhythmanalysis, Digital Research, Historical Methods, Modelling and Simulation.

Journals this group has published in

Journal of Management Studies; Organization Studies; Human Relations; Public Management Review; Work, Employment and Society; Sociology; Sociology of Health and Illness; Business History; Accounting, Organisation and Society; Public Administration Review; Journal of Public Administration Research and Theory; British Journal of Management; Nature Food; Organization; Gender, Work and Organization; Journal of Business Ethics; Journal of Management Inquiry; Management Learning.

Funded projects

Funded projects include successful applications to awarding bodies such as the British Academy, the Solicitors Regulatory Authority, the Health Foundation, the Medical Research Council/Preventive Research Partnership, the National Institute for Health and Care Research.

Professional affiliations

Academy of Management (AoM), European Group for Organisational Studies (EGOS), British Academy of Management (BAM), British Sociological Association (BSA), Society for the Advancement of Socio-Economics (SASE), Standing Conference of Organizational Symbolism (SCOS), Association of Business Historians (ABH), Complex Systems Society (CCS).