Suhaib Riaz | University of Massachusetts, Boston (original) (raw)
Papers by Suhaib Riaz
We draw on an in-depth investigation into the phenomenon of community radio in India to identify ... more We draw on an in-depth investigation into the phenomenon of community radio in India to identify the emergence of an institutional logic in a field. We delineate five stages of emergence, starting with problematization of dominant logics and ending with formation of an institutionally complex field. Further, we highlight how such a process results in organizational forms that reflect ongoing struggles among dominant logics and the emerging logic. We contribute to neoinstitutional studies on the emergence of social objects and also draw the attention of emergence theorists to the contested manner in which emergence takes place in the social world.
In this article we explore how elite actors respond to a field-wide crisis. Drawing from a study ... more In this article we explore how elite actors respond to a field-wide crisis. Drawing from a study of CEOs of large US banks in the immediate aftermath of the global financial crisis, we show how elite actors use rhetorical strategies to defend their dominant position in the field. Specifically, we show how actors strengthen their epistemic authority—the perceived expertise and trustworthiness of an actor—through four distinct but interwoven rhetorical strategies. Actors used two internally-directed means of strengthening epistemic authority by providing rational guarantees and expressing normative responsibilities, and two externally-directed strategies that sought to strengthen their own epistemic authority by lowering the epistemic authority of others through critiquing judgments and questioning motives. We contribute to research on defensive institutional work by highlighting how elite actors rhetorically defended their position following a field-wide crisis.
The Routledge Companion to Philosophy in Organization Studies
In this chapter, I lay the groundwork for a critical examination of organizations engaged in busi... more In this chapter, I lay the groundwork for a critical examination of organizations engaged in businesses surrounding debt practices and financialization in contemporary societies. I draw on the literature to discuss that in the business of debt, the winners are likely to be elite borrowers and powerful financial organizations; the losers are likely to be non-elite borrowers who face various constraints as evidenced by their debt profile, have low power compared to financial organizations in the contract and in terms of influencing regulations, are bound by personal responsibility in the face of systemic problems, and suffer the disciplinary effects of debt on their overall life. Building on this background, I argue that contemporary practices of debt have an overall impact on society that is largely in conflict with moral philosophy and I illustrate this with a discussion of Rawlsian philosophy. Furthermore, I critically examine the other side of debt – debt-ownership and its expansion through securitization. I draw on Bourdieu’s idea of “illusio” to argue that the project of financial democracy via financialization as it is currently executed, while supported by the rhetoric of access and opportunity, may actually serve to strengthen the dominant positions of elite actors in society.
In this article, I argue for 'bringing inequality back in' to organizational research in order to... more In this article, I argue for 'bringing inequality back in' to organizational research in order to investigate the role of management and organizational practices in macro-level economic inequality. To set an agenda in this area, I suggest considering three loci where the links between organizations and inequality may be observed: the organizational locus comprising the producer/employee, investor and consumer dimensions; the inter- organizational locus to help disentangle issues related to the distribution of economic rewards across value chains, large financial versus non-financial organizations, and across occupations and organizations in general; and socio-political system as a locus where issues related to social change, political influence and the institutional system may be unpacked. In addition, I suggest considering the link between organizations and inequality from other important vantage points: elites, demographics, global inequality and debt. I also briefly highlight issues related to data and analyses. Throughout, I discuss the contributions of the five articles in the special issue and how they push us towards this agenda. Finally, I suggest that it may be helpful to think of an ‘inequality footprint’ of management and organizational practices, potentially leading organizations to reduce and reverse this footprint and ensure that economic benefits reach wider society.
This special issue focuses on the relation between economic inequality and management in organiza... more This special issue focuses on the relation between economic inequality and management in organizations. Particularly, we are interested in (i) how economic inequality at the societal level affects management in organizations and (ii) how organizational practices influence economic inequality at the societal level.
Organization, Jan 1, 2011
Academy of International Business Insights, Jan 1, 2009
Website by Suhaib Riaz
We draw on an in-depth investigation into the phenomenon of community radio in India to identify ... more We draw on an in-depth investigation into the phenomenon of community radio in India to identify the emergence of an institutional logic in a field. We delineate five stages of emergence, starting with problematization of dominant logics and ending with formation of an institutionally complex field. Further, we highlight how such a process results in organizational forms that reflect ongoing struggles among dominant logics and the emerging logic. We contribute to neoinstitutional studies on the emergence of social objects and also draw the attention of emergence theorists to the contested manner in which emergence takes place in the social world.
In this article we explore how elite actors respond to a field-wide crisis. Drawing from a study ... more In this article we explore how elite actors respond to a field-wide crisis. Drawing from a study of CEOs of large US banks in the immediate aftermath of the global financial crisis, we show how elite actors use rhetorical strategies to defend their dominant position in the field. Specifically, we show how actors strengthen their epistemic authority—the perceived expertise and trustworthiness of an actor—through four distinct but interwoven rhetorical strategies. Actors used two internally-directed means of strengthening epistemic authority by providing rational guarantees and expressing normative responsibilities, and two externally-directed strategies that sought to strengthen their own epistemic authority by lowering the epistemic authority of others through critiquing judgments and questioning motives. We contribute to research on defensive institutional work by highlighting how elite actors rhetorically defended their position following a field-wide crisis.
The Routledge Companion to Philosophy in Organization Studies
In this chapter, I lay the groundwork for a critical examination of organizations engaged in busi... more In this chapter, I lay the groundwork for a critical examination of organizations engaged in businesses surrounding debt practices and financialization in contemporary societies. I draw on the literature to discuss that in the business of debt, the winners are likely to be elite borrowers and powerful financial organizations; the losers are likely to be non-elite borrowers who face various constraints as evidenced by their debt profile, have low power compared to financial organizations in the contract and in terms of influencing regulations, are bound by personal responsibility in the face of systemic problems, and suffer the disciplinary effects of debt on their overall life. Building on this background, I argue that contemporary practices of debt have an overall impact on society that is largely in conflict with moral philosophy and I illustrate this with a discussion of Rawlsian philosophy. Furthermore, I critically examine the other side of debt – debt-ownership and its expansion through securitization. I draw on Bourdieu’s idea of “illusio” to argue that the project of financial democracy via financialization as it is currently executed, while supported by the rhetoric of access and opportunity, may actually serve to strengthen the dominant positions of elite actors in society.
In this article, I argue for 'bringing inequality back in' to organizational research in order to... more In this article, I argue for 'bringing inequality back in' to organizational research in order to investigate the role of management and organizational practices in macro-level economic inequality. To set an agenda in this area, I suggest considering three loci where the links between organizations and inequality may be observed: the organizational locus comprising the producer/employee, investor and consumer dimensions; the inter- organizational locus to help disentangle issues related to the distribution of economic rewards across value chains, large financial versus non-financial organizations, and across occupations and organizations in general; and socio-political system as a locus where issues related to social change, political influence and the institutional system may be unpacked. In addition, I suggest considering the link between organizations and inequality from other important vantage points: elites, demographics, global inequality and debt. I also briefly highlight issues related to data and analyses. Throughout, I discuss the contributions of the five articles in the special issue and how they push us towards this agenda. Finally, I suggest that it may be helpful to think of an ‘inequality footprint’ of management and organizational practices, potentially leading organizations to reduce and reverse this footprint and ensure that economic benefits reach wider society.
This special issue focuses on the relation between economic inequality and management in organiza... more This special issue focuses on the relation between economic inequality and management in organizations. Particularly, we are interested in (i) how economic inequality at the societal level affects management in organizations and (ii) how organizational practices influence economic inequality at the societal level.
Organization, Jan 1, 2011
Academy of International Business Insights, Jan 1, 2009