| The body of this dissertation contains three papers. Although each of the three papers is intended to stand alone, what unites the three is their mutual origin in the ideas of Ludwig von Wittgenstein. And in this sense, the dissertation as a whole can be seen as an exploration of the potential implications of Wittgenstein's philosophy for the study of organization.;The first of these papers was written with Nelson Phillips. In this paper we intervene in a dialogue regarding Wittgenstein's concept of 'language games'. We provide what we feel is a richer understanding of this concept than was being utilized therein and, in doing so, address some of the criticisms being directed toward it. In addition, we suggest how this concept might further benefit those who research organizational phenomena.;In the second paper I begin by drawing attention to the origins and limitations of the 'information processing' metaphor that currently informs our understanding of organizational behavior. I then suggest that we may wish to consider an alternative conception of the 'subject', one informed by Wittgenstein's perspective on language. In this regard, I propose that we consider Pierre Bourdieu's concept of 'habitus'.;In the final paper I outline an alternative paradigm for organization studies. I argue that an alternative such as this is necessary because our existing "duality" paradigm creates false antinomies that impede research and obstruct collaboration. In response, I propose the "relationality" paradigm which transcends these antinomies and opens up new possibilities for organizational research.;The dissertation concludes with an examination of the moral implications of Wittgenstein's philosophy and connects these with recent writings on postmodernism and postmodern ethics. Because Wittgenstein's philosophy is so often associated with the 'demise of the ethical', I argue that it is imperative that we not also associate it with the 'demise of morality'. |
