Chaos theory and the Larrikin Principle

The book develops a new critique of Managerialism and its global god-father, Neo-Liberalism, still dominant ideologies in management today. It complements theoretical critique with stories and voices from the front line of organisational life, in Australia, Mexico and Brazil.

The book argues that Managerialism is not only unjust. Linearity, rigidity and will to control produce dysfunctional organisations which require alternative practices in order to survive. Managerialism s efforts to ignore these basic facts of organisational life leave it enmeshed in unacknowledged contradictions, unable to understand itself or develop new strategies. The book gathers these alternative practices under the rubric of the Larrikin Principle.

The Larrikin is known in Australian popular culture as a carrier of a distinctive Australian identity, egalitarian improviser, rule-bender, relentless foe of managerial double-speak. This book takes the Larrikin figure back to its archetypal origins which have similar manifestations across the globe, in Australia and Latin America. The transcultural, postmodern larrikin principle carries principles and strategies of critical management and chaos theories into academic management studies and contemporary organisational life. It is a breath of fresh air that will be appreciated by students, practitioners and victims of managerialism today.

The book has been selected as one of ten finalists for the Department of Leadership Studies Book Award at the School of Leadership and Education Sciences at the University of San Diego. The award will be presented at the International Leadership Association Conference in Denver, Colorado in October.

Advances in Organization Studies, Vol. 26
Series editors: Stewart R. Clegg & Ralph E. Stablein

Advances in Organization Studies is a channel for cutting edge theoretical and empirical works of high quality, that contributes to the field of organizational studies. The series welcomes thought-provoking ideas, new perspectives and neglected topics from researchers within a wide range of disciplines and geographical locations