Overcoming Managerialism: Power, Authority and Rhetoric at Work

Managerialism has often been defined as an ideology, according to which the effective and efficient running of commercial firms, not-for-profit organizations and public administrations is delivered by individuals who possess superior formal knowledge and expertise in management. Arguing to their exclusive education, managers deprive employers and employees of decision-making power and ensconce themselves systematically in the power structure of workplaces to advance their own interests and agenda.

The central thesis of Overcoming Managerialism is that resisting and overcoming managerialism necessitates the re-establishing of the conceptual distinction between power and authority. Second, it requires the rehabilitating of authoritative management as a protection against authoritarian practices. Authority, properly conceived, redirects power to technical experts and professionals and thereby limits managerial power. The authors discuss ten contentions which, taken together, represent a theory of the foundation of management in which authority, power and rhetoric are central concepts.

This book combines academic scholarship with a readable critique of managerialism. It will be of interest to both management scholars and students.

Robert Spillane is Professor of Management at the Macquarie Business School, Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia. He has published 20 books, and 120 journal articles on philosophy, psychology, and their application to management. He has been a visiting scholar at the London Business School and the Centre for Working Life, Stockholm, Sweden. His research interests focus on power and authority relationships in management and leadership.

Jean-Etienne Joullié worked as an engineer in Europe and Asia Pacific for 18 years. He holds an MSC in Electrical Engineering, an MBA, and a PhD in philosophy. He has taught in management schools in Australia, Kuwait and Canada and is currently Associate Professor at Ecole de Management Léonard de Vinci, Paris La Défense. He has published books on philosophy, leadership, psychology, and management and articles in management journals.