The hegemonic ambiguity of big concepts in organization studies

Abstract

The use of concepts is a vital part of the research process. Many researchers overexploit popular concepts by adding more and more vague and poorly defined meanings to them, thereby making their boundaries unclear and the concepts increasingly unwieldy. We will refer to these types of concepts as hembigs – an acronym for hegemonic, ambiguous, big concepts. The article demonstrates the problem in three domains: leadership, strategy and institution. It suggests ways to mitigate the problems with dominant scientific concepts, overloaded with more or less incoherent meanings.

Social impact in accounting: is it at risk of becoming a hembig concept and does this matter?

“…Alvesson and Blom’s (2021) coining of the term hembig relates to a concern with concepts and their use within scholarly work. The clear use of concepts within academic research, particularly when communicating research with others, helps “sharpen thinking and communicate clearly” (Alvesson and Blom, 2021, p. 1).…”

“…Alvesson and Blom’s (2021) coining of the term hembig relates to a concern with concepts and their use within scholarly work. The clear use of concepts within academic research, particularly when communicating research with others, helps “sharpen thinking and communicate clearly” (Alvesson and Blom, 2021, p. 1). At the same time, however, “the use of dominant, ambiguous, broad-ranging concepts in our field obstructs good research” (Alvesson and Blom, 2021, p. 2).…”

“…In this editorial, before introducing the papers that make up this special issue on accounting for social impact, we first provide a reflection on the concept of social impact within accounting. We draw on Alvesson and Blom’s (2021) hembig concept to frame this discussion. A hembig concept, a term coined by Alvesson and Blom (2021) and discussed in Alvesson and Sandberg (2020), is an acronym for a hegemonic, ambiguous, big concept.…”

“…We draw on Alvesson and Blom’s (2021) hembig concept to frame this discussion. A hembig concept, a term coined by Alvesson and Blom (2021) and discussed in Alvesson and Sandberg (2020), is an acronym for a hegemonic, ambiguous, big concept. It is defined as a “scientific concept characterised by its broad scope and ambiguous meanings, which at the same time and somewhat paradoxically, through its dominance crowds out other less fashionable concepts or prevents the development of a more precise terminology” (Alvesson and Sandberg, 2020, p. 3).…”

“…It is defined as a “scientific concept characterised by its broad scope and ambiguous meanings, which at the same time and somewhat paradoxically, through its dominance crowds out other less fashionable concepts or prevents the development of a more precise terminology” (Alvesson and Sandberg, 2020, p. 3). Alvesson and Blom (2021, p. 3) argue that “the aggregate of meanings and ‘all-inclusive’ treatment of some popular concepts in organisation studies make them appear as exceptionally important and broadly applicable. However, this also makes the use of concepts intellectually problematic and a source of ambiguity and confusion”.…”