Bringing Morgan’s metaphors in organization contexts: An essay review

Abstract

Recently, the issue of metaphors in organizational studies has fascinated researchers’ attention and interests, leading to a substantial body of research generating theoretical understandings, philosophical concepts, insightful meanings, and experiential interpretations. In this review paper, the researchers critically approached reading and reviewing the studies which have been undertaken so far in order to achieve an orientation in metaphorical research on organizations. So, at first, Gareth Morgan’s Images of Organization in terms of different metaphors were discussed and elaborated. Then, the review of a number of papers illustrated that a majority of research works on this issue focused on the theoretical and conceptual aspects of organizational metaphors without taking their practicality in real contexts into account. Based on this review paper, it is suggested that in order to enrich this area with innovative ideas, understandings, and insights, there is a need for further research which targets the practical use of metaphors in organizations.

Keywords:

• organizational metaphors
• organizational behavior
• review paper
• Morgan’s metaphors
• philosophical concepts
• images of organization

PUBLIC INTEREST STATEMENT

It might be believed that metaphor is just discussed in the realm of literature as a technique when the author intends not to explicitly convey an issue; rather, (s)he prefers to implicitly accentuate, introduce, and remind an important issue, or even caution others about an event which is taken for granted or must be taken into account by the community. Interestingly, Gareth Morgan in 1986 introduced images of organizations as metaphors in the fields of Organization Management and Organization Behavior. In this regard, organizations in most research are considered as lived entities where the relationships of staff and the communications (constructive/destructive) which happen therein lead to the success or failure of the organizations to achieve their specified goals in both short and long term. Hence, we critically reviewed the studies which have been undertaken so far in order to achieve an orientation in metaphorical research on organizations.

Competing interests

The authors claim that they have no conflict of interest to be cited here.

Additional information

Funding

The authors claim that there is no funding to be cited here.

Notes on contributors

Iman Tohidian

Iman Tohidian is pursuing his Ph.D. in Higher Education Administration at Allameh Tabataba’i University (ATU), Tehran, Iran. He has taught courses for undergraduate EFL learners at different universities of Tehran, Shiraz, Yazd, Kashan, & Tarbiat Modares University. He has published research articles and book reviews in international reputable journals. His areas of interest are Higher Education, Educational Policy, Educational Management & Leadership, Critical Literacy, Cultural Studies, Language & Power, Women & Identities, Psycho- and Socio-analysis of Language, Teacher Education, Critical Pedagogy, and Educational Reform.

Hamid Rahimian (Associate Prof.) is affiliated with the Department of Educational Administration and Planning, Faculty of Psychology & Education, Allameh Tabataba’i University (ATU), Tehran, Iran. He got his M.A. in Educational Administration from George Mason University, USA in 1986 and his Ph.D. in Educational Administration from University of Maryland, USA in 1992. He has served three times as the head of department at ATU. He is also the founder of the Institute of Management Research and Education which is affiliated with the Ministry of Energy, Iran.