UCL School of Management

Research project

Philosophy of science in new knowledge production

Summary

We investigate how relatively abstract discourses concerning the progress of science  are relevant to the production of new knowledge across a range of scientific organizations that include but are not restricted to universities. The discourses of the philosophy of science are relevant not just for understanding how trained scientists produce new knowledge, but also how the many other people designated in organizations as “knowledge workers” produce new knowledge. Further, rethinking the way we conceptualize research has implications for the encouragement of diverse perspectives and competing research programs.

Relevance

If this research project has one overarching conclusion it is that the philosophy of science can promote alternative constructions of how knowledge can be produced, and these alternative constructions can facilitate organizational experiments across otherwise entrenched knowledge silos. 

Selected publications

Kilduff, M. J., Mehra, A., & Dunn, M. (2011). From blue sky research to problem solving: A philosophy of science theory of new knowledge production. Academy of Management Review, 36, 297-317.
Kilduff, M., Tsai, W., & Hanke, R. (2006). A paradigm too far? A dynamic stability reconsideration of the social network research program. ACADEMY OF MANAGEMENT REVIEW, 31 (4), 1031-1048. doi:10.5465/AMR.2006.22528168 [link]
Kilduff, M., & Kelemen, M. (2003). BRINGING IDEAS BACK IN: ECLECTICISM AND DISCOVERY IN ORGANIZATIONAL STUDIES. null (pp. 89-109). doi:10.1016/S0733-558X(03)21004-1 [link]
Kilduff, M., & Kelemen, M. (2001). The Consolations of Organization Theory. British Journal of Management, 12 (SPEC. ISS.). doi:10.1111/1467-8551.12.s1.7 [link]
Kilduff, M., & Mehra, A. (1997). Postmodernism and organizational research. Academy of Management Review, 22 (2), 453-481. doi:10.5465/AMR.1997.9707154066 [link]

Link to the publication’s UCL Discovery page

Last updated Tuesday, 22 July 2014

Author

Research areas

Organization theory

Research topics

Innovation; Organisational design; Organization of knowledge; Philosophy of science; Poststructuralism