Abstract

Reactions to my article have fallen into three classes. Nicolay A. M. Worren's negative comments typify the "how-dare-you" class: "How dare you develop a theory that suggests that sociopsychological forces have any influence on the popularity of management innovations." There was also a second class of positive "you-told-them" comments: "Bravo! you really told those unethical consultants and management gurus that they make their living by exploiting the sociopsychological vulnerabilities of managers struggling to find their way in a dynamic, complex, and ambiguous world." In my opinion, both types of comments missed my article's main point: that we must take management fashions very seriously precisely because they are not only sociopsychological phenomena.

Citation

Abrahamson, Eric. "Management fashion, academic fashion, and enduring truths." The Academy of Management Review 21, no. 3 (July 1996): 616-618.

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