Time in Organization Studies: An Overview of the Literature on the State of Theory, Research and Practice

Pierre Julien, Léonard Brunelle (1)

1 LAB IAE Paris - Sorbonne

This review depicts the theoretical perspectives on time and their implications for organizational research. It takes the shape of a critical review of time conceptualizations across the social and behavioral sciences. To describe time as duration and to decipher the role of the past, present, and future in organizational life, one must put time as the focal point of its investigation. First we reconsolidate the most widely used conceptual perspectives of time that have been considered in organization studies. Secondly we address time in relation to the research design and approaches in organizational research. As a synthesis, this paper put forth the implications that derive for theory, research and practice. This review logically provides a summary of how time has been, and can be, considered when dealing with organizational issues. Lastly, taking the form of a discussion, we bring forth how time and temporality across organizations may be interpreted, studied and used to deepen our knowledge of organizational research topics.

Mots clés: Temporality; Time-related research; Organizational Time; Time; Temporal Structuring

Domaines: Gestion et management

Pierre Julien, Léonard Brunelle. Time in Organization Studies: An Overview of the Literature on the State of Theory, Research and Practice. 2017. ⟨hal-01567237⟩