Power and Resistance: Variations on “what's going on politically in and around organizations?”

M@n@gement Copies of this article can be made free of charge and without securing permission, for purposes of teaching, research, or library reserve. Consent to other kinds of copying, such as that for creating new works, or for resale, must be obtained from both the journal editor(s) and the author(s). M@n@gement is a double-blind refereed journal where articles are published in their original language as soon as they have been accepted. Power and Resistance : Variations on " what's going on politically in and around organizations? " M@n@gement, 14(1), 1-46. Association Internationale de Management Stratégique Unplugged 2 Power and Resistance : Variations on " what's going on politically in and around organizations? " INTRODUCTION Power is one of the central concepts of both the social sciences in general and organizational and management theory in particular. It is to be found at the heart of all social relationships, and forms a leitmotiv In other words, it is an integral part of social living involving groups or individuals within organizations. Although its role is a pivotal one, the " scientific " treatment to which this concept is subjected gives rise to a paradox in that substantial organizational research overtly dedicated to the topic are still few and far between. This is in spite of the numerous empirical projects which have been carried out and the excellent synoptic works which now exist. All things considered, one could assume either that power is merely subordinate to other organization based social phenomena or that, by dint of its very significance, power merits only the courtesy of a " passing " glance, and constitutes so obvious a topic of discussion that we need barely tarry to pay it any particular attention. The secondary role to which power has been relegated by organizational research leads to a shortcoming in the way in which it is conceptualized in organizational and management studies on 'politics'. Indeed, only seldom do scholars see organizations and institutions as political groupings when conceptualizing power. They tend, rather, to make for a theoretical standpoint, and to draw on tried and tested concepts from social theory which do not allow sufficient light to be shed on the specificity (or non-specificity) of political goings-on within organizations. This is in spite of the fact that political issues are increasingly to be found at the heart of the dynamics at work in organizations: the principles of " new …