Practice in research: phenomenon, perspective and philosophy

Abstract

The focus on practice in management studies – and the strategy field more specifically – is a recent and important development in what organizational scholars pay attention to and how. Reflecting the more general social theoretic 'practice turn' (Ortner 1984; Schatzki et al. 2001; Reckwitz 2002), this development is diverse and dynamic, expressing both a range of approaches and a set of emerging possibilities (Gherardi 2006; Malloy 2007; Postill forthcoming; Whittington 2006). Schatzki (2001a, p. 4) argues that given the broad array of interpretations and interests, the most effective notion of practice may be in its framing and orienting of research. It is in this spirit of exploring various ways of structuring practice research that I offer the discussion below, and not to propose or defend any particular conception or appropriation of practice ideas.