The Triumph of Emptiness

This second edition updates Alvesson's significant critique of the economy of persuasion, where organizations and groups assign resources to rhetoric, image, and reputation rather than production of goods and services. It examines critical phenomena such as the knowledge society, consumption, higher education, organizational change, and leadership.

List of contents

• 1: Introduction: Zero-Sum Games, Grandiosity, and Illusion Trick


• 2: Consumption: the Shortcomings of Affluence


• 3: Explaining the Consumption Paradox: Why Aren't People (More) Satisfied?


• 4: Higher Education: Triumph of the Knowledge Intensive Society or a Statistical Cosmetics Project?


• 5: Higher Education: An Image-Boosting Business?


• 6: Modern Working Life and Organizations: Change, Dynamism, and Post-Bureaucracy?


• 7: Organizational Structures on the Beauty Parade: Imitation and Shop-Window Dressing


• 8: A Place in the Sun: Occupational Groups' Professionalization Projects and Other Status and Influence Ambitions


• 9: Leadership: A Driving Force or Empty Talk


• 10: The Triumph of Imagology: A Paradise for Tricksters?


• 11: The Costs of Grandiosity

About the author

Mats Alvesson is a Professor in Organization Studies at Lund University. His research focuses on leadership, critical theory, gender, power, identity, and organizational image and culture.

Summary

This second edition updates Alvesson's significant critique of the economy of persuasion, where organizations and groups assign resources to rhetoric, image, and reputation rather than production of goods and services. It examines critical phenomena such as the knowledge society, consumption, higher education, organizational change, and leadership.

Additional text

most delightful book

Product details

• Authors: Mats Alvesson, Mats (Professor in Organization Studies Alvesson
• Publisher: Oxford University Press
• Languages: English
• Product format: Paperback / Softback
• Released: 30.04.2022
• EAN: 9780192865274
• ISBN: 978-0-19-286527-4
• No. of pages: 240
• Dimensions: 156 mm x 233 mm x 14 mm
• Subjects: Social sciences, law, business > Business > General, dictionaries; SOCIAL SCIENCE / General, BUSINESS & ECONOMICS / Organizational Behavior, BUSINESS & ECONOMICS / Business Ethics, BUSINESS & ECONOMICS / Consumer Behavior, Organizational theory & behaviour, Business Ethics, Business ethics and social responsibility, Organizational theory and behaviour, Consumerism