The Book reviews section of M@n@gement welcomes critical reviews engaging with books, and potentially other media materials, relevant to the fields of management, strategy, and organization studies.

In line with the journal’s scope, reviews should speak to contemporary debates on management, organizations, work, markets, institutions, and collective action, in line with broader social, technological, ecological, economic, or political transformations. They should not be descriptive summaries, but should develop a clear argument about the contribution, relevance, limits, and possible uses of the book(s) under discussion.

In addition to the traditional ‘My own book review’ format at M@n@gement^[1], which is by invitation only, the section welcomes two main formats: Book conversation and Book intersection.

1.   Book conversation

Book conversations are submissions of 1,500–3,000 words focused on a single book, in dialogue with scientific knowledge or with practitioners, according to the two following options:

Critical book conversation: a critical review of one book relevant to the scope of M@n@gement. The review should identify the book’s central argument and contribution, situate it within relevant scholarly conversations, and assess its implications for management, strategy, organization studies, and related social science fields. This format can be used to discuss a recent publication or revisit a book many years after its publication. In the latter case, authors are invited to reflect on the book’s trajectory, its influence, how it has been interpreted or challenged over time, and what they might write differently today.

Business Voice book conversation: a review written in dialogue with a practitioner’s perspective. This format is an opportunity to discuss how practice-based perspectives can enrich scholarly conversations relevant to M@n@gement, while also discussing how the book may inform, challenge, or reframe managerial and organizational practices. Contributions may be authored by academics with strong engagement in practice or co-authored by scholars and practitioners. Co-authored contributions are particularly welcome when they combine conceptual insight and critical distance, with situated field experience.

2.   Book intersection

Book intersection are submissions of 2,500–4,000 words that discuss a shared theme, debate, field or phenomenon through several books, or through at least one book in dialogue with other media materials. They should develop an argument across the materials reviewed rather than offer a succession of separate summaries.

Thematic review: review of several books connected by a common topic, theoretical debate, empirical setting, or research tradition. The review should show how the books collectively illuminate an issue relevant to management and organization studies, while identifying convergences, tensions, blind spots, and possible avenues for future inquiry.

Book + media review: a thematic review that connects at least one book with other media, such as a film, series, documentary, podcast, exhibition, digital platform, or other cultural production. The aim is to examine how organizational and managerial issues are represented, debated, contested, or made visible across scholarly and public arenas. This format should use the comparison between the book and the other medium to generate insight into phenomena relevant to the journal’s scope.

Submission process

Prospective authors must contact the editors-in-chief before submission with a brief proposal indicating the intended format, the book(s) or material(s) to be reviewed, and the main angle of discussion. This preliminary exchange is intended to ensure fit with the scope and editorial orientation of M@n@gement and to support contributions that are original, timely, and relevant to the journal’s readership.

Submitted reviews will be assessed by the senior editors. The process is editorial rather than a standard double-blind review process, but authors will be asked to revise their manuscript before publication.

General expectations

Book reviews in M@n@gement should:

• engage with books, and potential other medias, that are clearly relevant to management, strategy and organization studies;
• situate the discussion within broader scholarly debates, including debates in the social sciences where appropriate;
• develop a critical and well-argued perspective;
• avoid purely descriptive or promotional accounts;
• indicate the potential relevance of the reviewed work for research, practice, or public debate.

 

^[1] A reflexive review written by the author or editor of the book under discussion