Metaphor in the literature of organizational analysis: a preliminary taxonomy and a glimpse at a humanities-based perspective

This paper reviews the writing on metaphor in organizational analysis. It aims to synthesize developments and draw out trends. It argues that the implications of metaphor, as spelt out by poets, philosophers and linguists, do not seem to have been considered as fully as they might have been by many writers in organizational analysis. It explores possible reasons why this might be the case and what this suggests about dominant assumptions in the field. It concludes by looking at some avenues for research that arise from the study of metaphor from a more humanities-based perspective.

(Reprinted by permission of Sage Publications Ltd from Inns, Dawn (2002) Metaphor in the literature of organizational analysis: a preliminary taxonomy and a glimpse at a humanities-based perspective. © 2002 SAGE Publications).