Article Abstract
Academic-management systems in the neoliberal business school explicitly link rewards to work that “counts” in terms of institutional metrics and prestige, notably “big hit” publications. Yet, many of us devote considerable time to tasks that do not count in this manner, for example reviewing manuscripts and mentoring colleagues. Why do so many academics continue to do this uncounted work in schools governed by audit cultures? One reason, we propose, is because it is commonly considered collegial to do so. We regard academic collegiality as an indispensable aspect of our profession that needs protection. However, it has become a double-edged sword. Collegiality is prized for its intrinsic value, but also works in tandem with performance metrics by compelling academics to undertake duties that otherwise remain unquantified. To better understand this negative side of collegiality, we theorize it as a form of “concertive control.” This control—expressed via norms of good organizational citizenship—is closely connected with the perpetuation of audit cultures but is often misinterpreted as the opposite. What is to be done? Rather than simply abandon collegiality, we recommend building a fuller, more multidimensional expression of it, and offer practical suggestions for doing so.
Academy of Management Learning and Education, September 2023
About the researcher
Bill Harley is Professor of Management in the Department of Management and Marketing at The University of Melbourne, Australia. He has qualifications in political science and industrial relations and his research focuses on employee experiences of management practices, with a particular focus on issues of power and control. Bill also does work on research methodology. His work has been published in journals including Journal of Management Studies, Organizational Research Methods, Academy of Management Learning and Education and Industrial Relations. Bill is a past editor of Journal of Management Studies and is on the editorial board of a number of journals. He is co-author, with Emma Bell and Alan Bryman of Business Research Methods.