COVID?19 and the Future of Management Studies. Insights from Leading Scholars

The COVID-19 pandemic and its medical, social economic impacts presented profound challenges to business, government, society. It also presents management scholars with an opportunity rethink some of our core assumptions directions research. In response, in the Summer 2020, capacity as co- General Editors Journal Management Studies, one foremost academic journals organization studies, we commissioned short commentaries from leading scholars. total, published 36 these intend publish several more coming months. Topics ranged strategy entrepreneurship OB/OT, innovation sustainability. Below, provide synthesis integration three related – overarching themes that emerged this collection, well a final set insights derived initiative. A common theme which runs across many concerns extent direction change aftermath pandemic. For authors is unforeseen exogenous shock reinforcing accelerating ongoing trends (flexible work arrangements; e-commerce; digitalization) while reversing others (traditional forms globalization reflected physical movement people may slow permanently) (Ancona et al., 2021; Foss, 2021). Whilst firms have simply shut or scaled down their operations, has intensified need for rapid agility adaptation organizations contract, pivot, re-invent themselves, redeploy resources sometimes radical, sudden potentially disruptive fashion (Ahlstrom Wang, Hitt At global industry level, see disruption supply chains executive mobility patterns, at conversion face online business models, constant introduction new health & safety regulations policies (Kano Oh, 2020; Verbeke Yuan, Scholars should study practices don’t fit neatly into established theory closely intensively. Relatedly, jolt provided by created winners losers, undermining traditional businesses rewarding ‘asset light’, ‘virtual’ ‘networked’ models (George 2020). This generally cemented dominance handful players technology, retail, finance other industries but instances it facilitated processes favouring ‘challengers’ over ‘incumbents’ number fields. As example, Airbnb enjoyed advantage on hotels tour operators was better positioned service increasing demand families groups who wanted meet remote locations relative isolation, providing longer term rentals residential style self-catered accommodation. Another example are digital subscription services such Netflix share releases viewers operators. Of course were already train they certainly further accelerated same time, COVID broader removed barriers entry start-ups. Indeed, research John Haltiwanger University Maryland suggests third quarter 2020 highest record registrations USA, nearly 1.6 million applications (Sasso Matthews, Further bankruptcies USA declined substantially compared 2019, partly because income support payments government. such, both markets governments were, own ways, able mitigate buffer sever effects COVID-19-induced recession. One debate emerges pertains control coordination tasks activities. Once scenario, inspired organizational routines (Pentland Reuter, 1994) technological interdependencies (Thompson, 1967), that, since existing procedures, systems cannot be easily stretched cover virtual home based working will become increasingly reliant output control, whereby delivering objectives matter than displaying right behaviour. supported asynchronous de-centralized allow modularization distributed through technologies (Foss, George These include use open access platforms file repositories those originally pioneered Linux, direct observability independent contribution scenario might characterized fluid diffuse collaboration permeable boundaries between organizations. none entirely tendencies existed pre-Covid-19 again amplifying trends. An alternative highlighted commentators sees retreating onto internalizing activities reducing whilst centralize decision making hands restricted key managers context cultures expected autarchic perhaps authoritarian (Spicer, Finally, dystopian developed during lockdown accelerate ‘control revolution’ (Beniger, 1986) within workplaces could finally result version Jeremy Bentham’s panopticon, long anticipated labour process critical studies tradition (Mckinlay Starkey, 1998; Sewell Wilkinson, 1992). Here, employees just like inmates prison, aware fact any point under managerial observation without them necessarily knowing so. exemplar notion ‘digital exhaust’ (Leonardi, 2021), routinely effortlessly capture fine grained information workforce, automatically using meta-data produced various create logs employee turn allows companies footprints particular team can used evaluate current behaviours even predict future ones allowing render professional white collar observable, measurable amenable scientific types intervention. COVID-19, lockdowns ensuing crisis had uneven consequences, penalizing women, ethnic minorities low wage earners general. not racist classist. Rather reflects how exposed fault lines inequalities lot this, course, depends ‘inequality regimes’ govern jobs occupations accessed, designed rewarded managed (Acker, 2006; Tomaskovic-Devey Avent-Holt, 2019). particular, workers, disproportionally female minorities, less likely live cramped conditions. They rely public transport dependent crowded underfunded services. employers ‘low skill/low wage’ model prioritize cost effectiveness wellbeing. Similarly, school closures laid bare persistent gender imbalance childcare, where women integrated high status, paying formerly male-dominated domains (Milliken Yet, bringing scars stark relief, help pierce ‘the veil ignorance’ (Munir, 2021) bring about transformational area, questioning whose interest societies run (Amis Greenwood, instance, sensitive prioritized retaining bonuses dividends avoiding redundancies, case JC Penney Hertz awarded multi-million dollar CEOs days before filing bankruptcy We sceptical celebrity turnaround stories attuned noticing everyday front line workers kept going. differences terms healthcare benefits, wellbeing willingness give voice processes. prompt occupational re-rating confer value regard doctors nurses teachers transport, care delivery been fight against (Ashforth, Zannoni, societal make us institutional countries stronger cooperative collectivist orientations outperformed individualist costs (Avery, Eaton Hecksher, want conclude offer thoughts build go beyond rich included series. First, underscored realty non-ergodic change, what call ‘Knightian’ uncertainty, periods stability punctuated constant, unpredictable, therefore, difficult-to-prepare manifested national level scrambled respond multiple waves outbreak secondary tertiary effects; travel, hospitality, commercial real estate upended; firm-level forced operate mode; individual individuals learn ways working, adapt changing shifts hazards, redefine family boundaries. simultaneously generating centripetal centrifugal effects: exposing among countries, sectors (business, civil society), groups, exacerbating divisions form medical nationalism pressures source regionally locally, rising separation. must recognize forces co-exist dynamic interactive fashion. Second, intersects growing around by, discussed above, halting others. writing inevitably projected concerned balance continuity, predicting return normality emphasizing dawn ‘new normal’. Specifically, reliance technology epitomized growth video-conferencing platforms, fuelling towards digitalization virtualization staple Fourth Industrial revolution (Schwab, 2017). creating space trial develop artificial intelligence machine learning solutions sophisticated Bots centres way handle consumer disrupted reduced workforces. unfairness ineffectiveness technologies, indicated controversial ultimately unsuccessful attempts British government algorithms award qualifications following cancellation exams. limits dangers AI discussed. digitalizing brought foreground importance often poorly paid (careers, counsellors, workers) human touch automated. acting event shaping time highlighting limitations. suddenly dramatically halted seemed inexorable rise ‘market logic’ almost overnight displaced values, discourses, connected logics ‘state’ ‘community’ (Thornton 2012). State reasserted central role all sectors, imposing unprecedented levels shutting whole (hospitality) seeking rapidly expand state intervention, increased funding deregulation (medical research, healthcare, education) (King Carberry, Lawton Furthermore, subsidy furlough schemes, ‘frontiers state’, reverse Margaret Thatcher’s famous expression, rolled forward point, market oriented UK, half workforce now directly employment (Telegraph, media discourse priorities growth, solidarity freedom enterprise subordinated safety, collective community cohesion. regard, drawn attention clear focus address bigger, bolder, questions. challenging tackle termed ‘grand challenges’, complex, multi-level, multi-actor issues climate inequality, implications mass migrations, crises (Bansal Buckley 2017; Crane Matten, Howard-Grenville, Munir, Many exacerbated aggravated COVID-19; according United Nations, additional 207 globally pushed extreme poverty due Pandemic (UN, realties underscore necessity think conceptualizations consider integrative holistic topics approaches order ensure fully engaged pressing helped illuminate. With collection commentaries, Studies sought encourage process. hope year come articles addressing questions raised collection.