The diffusion of management fads: a popularization perspective

Purpose This paper aims to investigate the transience of management fads in academic and practitioner-oriented communities shed light on their roles diffusion fads. Design/methodology/approach study traces lifecycles following journals over more than 50 years: balanced scorecard, business process reengineering, design thinking, knowledge management, learning organization, by objectives (MBO), matrix organization total quality (TQM). Findings Contrary academic–practitioner gap lamented literature, this indicates no such regarding these general, but finds differences intensity with which are dealt with. The two stimulate, sustain abandon collectively, as most were found mirror each other both communities. provides evidence a contemporary form popularization dynamic exchange between journals, rather traditional one-way transfer from academia practice. Originality/value is first multiple simultaneously historical comparison