From a label to a metatheory of paradox: if we change the way we look at things, the things we look at change

Published in: Academy of Management Collections – 30 November 2022

Written by 

Jennifer L. Sparr, Ella Miron-Spektor, Marianne W. Lewis and Wendy K. Smith

Summary 

What we found: We argue that similarly to a paradigm shift in physics from a linear, Newtonian approaches to paradoxical quantum theory, paradox theory enables a paradigm shift in management science towards a better understanding of complexity. It all starts with a simple shift of management questions from either/or to both/and.

Why it matters: Shifting the question from either/or to both/and enables looking at a complex issue from different perspectives and bringing them together, thus finding new approaches to manage the complexity.

What next: We need to teach both/and-thinking in schools, universities and leadership development programs to enable complexity management. Further, bringing together scholars and practitioners to co-create solutions will help to engage different perspectives and finding both/and approaches.