Time and Organizational Improvisation

We argue that effective management action is impeded by a simplistic understanding of time--one dominated by a clock-time perspective. Using the concept of improvisation, we reconcile two major time dichotomies associated with organizational phenomena: clock time versus event time and linear time ve...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:	The Academy of Management review Vol. 30; no. 1; pp. 129 - 145
Main Authors:	Crossan, Mary, Cunha, Miguel Pina e, Vera, Dusya, Cunha, João
Format:	Journal Article
Language:	English
Published:	Briarcliff Manor Academy of Management 01-01-2005
Subjects:	Business management Coordinate systems Corporate strategies Cyclical time Deadlines Improvisation Jazz Management techniques Management theory Memory Methodology Organization theory Organizational behavior Practice Product development Spontaneity Time Time management Time pressure Canada
Online Access:	Get full text
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Summary:	We argue that effective management action is impeded by a simplistic understanding of time--one dominated by a clock-time perspective. Using the concept of improvisation, we reconcile two major time dichotomies associated with organizational phenomena: clock time versus event time and linear time versus cyclical time. We propose that improvisation offers a means for management theorists and practictioners to overcome these apparent time dichotomies.
Bibliography:	ObjectType-Article-2 SourceType-Scholarly Journals-1 ObjectType-Feature-1 content type line 23
ISSN:	0363-7425 1930-3807
DOI:	10.5465/AMR.2005.15281441