Materiality in Management Studies: Development of the Theoretical Frontier

The book systematizes the materiality concept, which has been fragmented in various fields of business administration and sometimes identified with interpretive postmodern business administration, along with the meta-theories discussed in the humanities and social sciences that aim to overcome humanistic dualism. This book is devoted to developing the concept of materiality as the theoretical frontier that has not been fully addressed in management studies, ranging from daily work practices in office spaces to the manualization of high-tech aircraft maintenance, to quantified personnel evaluations and fuel efficiency standards, to innovation using advanced scientific equipment.

Institutional organization theory focuses on the material on which the symbolism of institutions is inscribed. Organizational routine research seeks to unravel the material dimension of organizational performative practices. Organizational wrongdoing research critiques material measurement practice based on social constructionism. Critical management studies focus on the material space as a way to counter the humanistic concept of time. Science-based innovation challenges sociomaterialistic science practices that originate from devices for management of technology (MOT) that have not been able to penetrate into the workings of science and technology, actually. Up-and-coming researchers in Japanese management studies conduct empirical research that draws out the implications of the concept of materiality.

Noboru Matsushima has consistently accumulated theoretical and empirical research based on the materiality concept since obtaining his dissertation in 2002, such as workstyle reform through the telework, organizational transformation by using corporate web system, and behavioral change through designing office layout. In addition, through the educational activities in the graduate school, he has accumulated researches on more wider issues using the concept of materiality, and this book is rooted in this research accumulation. More specific research achievements of the editors are detailed in the CV, but the peer-reviewed books (Matsushima, 2015), a compilation of organizational research on the concept of sociomateriality in information management research, won the Book Award of the Society for the History of Management Theories and the Book Award of the Japan Society for Information and Management. He also received the Paper Award of Japan Society for Information and Management for his action research on the introduction of electronic medical records in hospital organizations (Matsushima, 2009).

His research achievements are not only directly related to the concept of materiality, but the expansion of his research has led to this book covering the entire system of management studies. For example, he has accumulated research on institutionalist organization theory, which is the central theoretical foundation of recent management studies, and published a major book (Kuwada, Matsushima, Takahashi, 2015). He has accumulated research on science, technology, and society (STS), and he was responsible for the chapter on the concept of translation, which is central to almost the only book on actor network theory in Japan (Matsushima, 2006). Subsequent cross-disciplinary research achievements include an edited volume on the integration of organization theory and accounting (Kokubu, Sawabe & Matsushima, 2017). The author also organized a fusion symposium of humanities and science (with quantum phycologists), which will focus on the innovation ecosystem generated in the synchrotron radiation facilities in December 2020.