Dialectic in the Park
Encyclopedia
"Dialectic in the Park" is a name coined by Stefan Stern from the Financial Times
for the “Humanising Work” symposium held in June 2008 at the Lehman Brothers Centre for Women in Business
at London Business School
. It was organised by Professor Judy Wajcman
, then Visiting Professor at the Centre, and Dr Elisabeth Kelan
, the Centre's Senior Research Fellow
.
and saw two talks by (Lord) Anthony Giddens
and Richard Sennett
. Stefan Stern from the Financial Times
likened this event to an academic version of the Rumble in the Jungle and referred to it as the "Dialectic in the Park" - a reference to London Business School's Regent's Park campus. He authored several articles on the topic of "What sociologists can teach managers" discussing his impression that sociologists could help you run your company better than management gurus.
Financial Times
The Financial Times is an international business newspaper. It is a morning daily newspaper published in London and printed in 24 cities around the world. Its primary rival is the Wall Street Journal, published in New York City....
for the “Humanising Work” symposium held in June 2008 at the Lehman Brothers Centre for Women in Business
Lehman Brothers Centre for Women in Business
The Lehman Brothers Centre for Women in Business is based at London Business School and was established as a joint partnership between London Business School and Lehman Brothers, the investment bank....
at London Business School
London Business School
London Business School is an international business school and a constituent college of the federal University of London, located in central London, beside Regent's Park...
. It was organised by Professor Judy Wajcman
Judy Wajcman
Judy Wajcman is a Professor of Sociology at the London School of Economics and Political Science.She was formerly a Professor of Sociology in the Research School of Social Sciences, Australian National University. She has been a Visiting Professor at the Lehman Brothers Centre for Women in Business...
, then Visiting Professor at the Centre, and Dr Elisabeth Kelan
Elisabeth Kelan
Dr Elisabeth Kelan is an Associate Professor in the Department of Management at King’s College London. Prior to that she was Senior Research Fellow in the Centre for Women in Business at London Business School, founded by Laura D’Andrea Tyson...
, the Centre's Senior Research Fellow
Research fellow
The title of research fellow is used to denote a research position at a university or similar institution, usually for academic staff or faculty members. A research fellow may act either as an independent investigator or under the supervision of a principal investigator...
.
Overview
The groundbreaking seminar attempted to expose business academics and practitioners to current research and knowledge in the social sciencesSocial sciences
Social science is the field of study concerned with society. "Social science" is commonly used as an umbrella term to refer to a plurality of fields outside of the natural sciences usually exclusive of the administrative or managerial sciences...
and saw two talks by (Lord) Anthony Giddens
Anthony Giddens
Anthony Giddens, Baron Giddens is a British sociologist who is known for his theory of structuration and his holistic view of modern societies. He is considered to be one of the most prominent modern contributors in the field of sociology, the author of at least 34 books, published in at least 29...
and Richard Sennett
Richard Sennett
Richard Sennett is the Centennial Professor of Sociology at the London School of Economics and University Professor of the Humanities at New York University...
. Stefan Stern from the Financial Times
Financial Times
The Financial Times is an international business newspaper. It is a morning daily newspaper published in London and printed in 24 cities around the world. Its primary rival is the Wall Street Journal, published in New York City....
likened this event to an academic version of the Rumble in the Jungle and referred to it as the "Dialectic in the Park" - a reference to London Business School's Regent's Park campus. He authored several articles on the topic of "What sociologists can teach managers" discussing his impression that sociologists could help you run your company better than management gurus.
Naming
The inspiration for the likening name under which this event is now known came from several aspects:- The dialectic discourses outlined by the two organisers and showcased in the talks of Giddens and Sennett are not commonly found in business studies and broke new intellectual ground at Regent's Park where London Business School is located.
- The setting effectively put successful management gurus in the audience vis-à-vis prominent social scientists at the lectern.
- Disciplinary permeability and acceptance between the social sciences and business studies (despite the latter technically being a sub-category of it) is still relatively rare and - as Stefan Stern discussed - evokes new horizons for both theorists and practitioners, with benefits for real-world managementManagementManagement in all business and organizational activities is the act of getting people together to accomplish desired goals and objectives using available resources efficiently and effectively...
and business administration. - Both the organisers and speakers have a strong academic connection to the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE)London School of EconomicsThe London School of Economics and Political Science is a public research university specialised in the social sciences located in London, United Kingdom, and a constituent college of the federal University of London...
, with which London Business School sees itself in rivalry. This tension gets occasionally complicated by the popular belief that London Business School is actually the business school department of the LSE. In fact, both are two distinct universities.