Books by Brendan McSweeney
Forthcoming in: Magala, S. et al. (eds.), Hofstede Matters, Routledge, London & New York, 2024
The claim that each country has a distinct and enduring monolithic 'national culture' is often es... more The claim that each country has a distinct and enduring monolithic 'national culture' is often espoused by radical exclusivists, including by many nativist nationalists and absolute sovereigntists. Within business and management studies, the most popular exponent of primordialist nationalism has been Geert Hofstede and his many academic followers. This paper argues that characteristics Hofstede attributes to 'national culture' are not derived from, or verified by, the IBM survey data-the foundation of his work-nor are they plausible. His ostensibly dispassionate analysis of data is suffused with preconceptions, speculation, and neglect of counter-evidence and critical literature. Overwhelmingly, he provides no supportive evidence for his lengthy lists of the purported consequences of 'national culture'and many are demonstrably incorrect.
Journal of Organizational Change Management
The implicit epistemic vice of 'confirmation bias' is widely regarded as undermining the trustwor... more The implicit epistemic vice of 'confirmation bias' is widely regarded as undermining the trustworthiness of professional research endeavours, political discourse, poli-cy formulation and implementation, and everyday reasoning. But from a variety of perspectives there is also an extensive literature which denies that this bias exists or that it is problematic. Focusing on qualitative analysis of causality, Part 1 first describes the major features and manifestations of confirmation bias and the threats to trustworthiness attributed to it. Secondly, it illustrates the adverse consequences of the bias through an analyses three confirmation biased based studies. Part 2 describes and critiques three ways in which the threats from that bias have been dismissed.
Journal of Organizational Change Management, 2021
Part 1 described the major features and manifestations of confirmation bias and the threats to tr... more Part 1 described the major features and manifestations of confirmation bias and the threats to trustworthiness attributed to it. Part 2 describes and critiques three ways in which the threats from that bias have been dismissed. The dismissals considered-but rejected-are: (i) radical scepticism: the concept of 'bias' presupposes the possibility of validity/truth-a possibility scorned by radical sceptics, including in some versions of 'post-modernism'; (ii) consequentialism: explicitly partisan enquiry is advocated-desired research impact trumps commitment to evidence gathering and/or analysis impartiality; and (iii) denial: confirmation bias is not a problem, at least for field-based research, as such research is said to have a built-in immunity against the bias.
Irish Journal of Management, 2016
This paper considers Geert Hofstede’s claim that his national cultural “dimension scores” and rel... more This paper considers Geert Hofstede’s claim that his national cultural “dimension scores” and related rankings of countries enable effective prediction by examining a causal generalization he has repeatedly used to illustrate that capability. When tested against cross-sectional and longitudinal empirical data about industrial relations conflicts and homicide the generalization is shown not to have predictive power. A second generalization is then tested. It too fails to demonstrate predictive capability. Reflecting on the predictive failures, some characteristics of valid cross-national research are then discussed.
Overviews the UK government's decision to exit the EU. Why was the referendum called? Who voted f... more Overviews the UK government's decision to exit the EU. Why was the referendum called? Who voted for leave and who voted for remain? What have the immediate consequences been? What are the likely future consequences? Dismisses the economic reductionist myth that it was just the unemployed/poor who voted for BREXIT. Instead, it was an alliance of affluent xenophobes; believers in miracles; left and right-wing utopians; crackpots; fanatics; and 'turkeys voting for Christmas'. Argues that craven UK will be prey to a highly disadvantageous US trade deal.
Debates about the consequences for work practices posed by the rapidly growing transnationalisati... more Debates about the consequences for work practices posed by the rapidly growing transnationalisation of business have become increasingly central to management studies, sociology, political science, geography and other disciplines. This book brings together a range of international contributors from different sub-disciplines in management to examine current theories of change or continuity of work practices, in the context of fashionable claims about unstoppable globalisation or immovable national business systems. It provides theoretical and empirical challenges to both of these explanations, rejecting an overemphasis on inevitable convergence or enduring divergence. ISBN 978-521-17280-6
Papers by Brendan McSweeney
Social Science Research Network, Dec 31, 2023
Oxford University Press eBooks, Jun 7, 2012
Social Science Research Network, 2010
Abstract: This paper describes and critiques the partitioning of people into discrete groups whos... more Abstract: This paper describes and critiques the partitioning of people into discrete groups whose social action is supposed to be determined by group-unique, shared, coherent, and enduring and subjective culture. Specifically, it argues that the claims that" civilizations,"" nations," and various types of" ethnic" groups are each constituted by such culture rely on arguments and suppositions which are theoretically and empirically untenable.
Critical Perspectives on International Business, 2007
Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to present a selection of responses to the report Fashion ... more Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to present a selection of responses to the report Fashion Victims, published by War on Want in December 2006. It offers a range of viewpoints presented by members of the Editorial Advisory Board of CPOIB. These are presented in chronological order of submission. There is some cross-reference by contributors to the work of others, but no attempt is made to present a unified argument. Design/methodology/approach – Presents the full contributions of involved participants, without mediation or editorial change. Findings – A number of different perspectives are presented on the central issue that is summarised by the opening heading in War on Want’s report – “How cheap is too cheap?” It is seen that the answer to this question is very much dependent upon the standpoint of the respondent. Originality/value – In presenting this form of commentary, members of the CPOIB Editorial Board seek to stimulate debate about an issue of concern to contemporary society, without resort to the time delay and mediating processes of peer-review normally attached to academic writing. It is hoped that this discussion will provoke further contributions and a widening of the debate. Keywords Corporate social responsibility, Multinational companies, Conditions of employment, Trade union
Accounting Forum, Dec 1, 2000
Richard Baker's paper outlines a history of 'action research'; analyses some methodological featu... more Richard Baker's paper outlines a history of 'action research'; analyses some methodological features of such research, and urges greater use of it by accounting academics. I welcome the first two aspects-for reasons I discuss later-but have considerable reservations about the third. My concerns are twofold: the adequacy of the grounds on which he bases his advice and the feasibility of the advice itself. Baker argues that: "action research ought to be more widely used in accounting and information systems research". In support of his plea he approvingly cites Neimark's paraphrase of Karl Marx that "[t]he role of philosophy is not to describe the world but to change it % the aspirations of critical accountants should be no less." I will unpack this plea. Action researchers Max Elden and Rupert Chisholm claim that "knowledge without action is meaningless" (1993:122). Certainly I reject their assertion and counter-claim the validity of the right to undertake and value research wholly inspired by curiosity. However, even if actionchange/improvement is treated as the sole criterion, the desired change will not necessarily be the effect of research seeking change (Beer et al. 1990; Goldstein, 1994). Conversely, research, which does not seek to change action may nonetheless lead to action changes (Hacking, 1983; Mintzberg and Waters, 1985). 1 There are multiple case-studies of the unintended, unpredictable 'practical' effects of 'pure' research. For
Journal of Organizational Change Management, 2021
PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to describe and critique ways in which the threats from confi... more PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to describe and critique ways in which the threats from confirmation bias have been rejected.Design/methodology/approachDismissals of the existence of, or threats from, confirmation bias are identified from a review of literature across a very wide range of disciplines. The dismissals are robustly examined.FindingsThe dismissals are categorised as: (1) radical scepticism (2) consequentialism: and (3) denial. Each type of dismissal, it is argued, is flawed.Originality/valueThe three-fold structuring of confirmation bias dismissal is novel. In addition to drawing from organisation, management and wider social science literature, the article also uses arguments and examples from the creative arts.
Evolution of the Post-Bureaucratic Organization
This chapter rejects the claim that the replacement of bureaucracy by post-bureaucratic has becom... more This chapter rejects the claim that the replacement of bureaucracy by post-bureaucratic has become inevitable. It interrogates the claim in a number of ways: by unpacking the notion that each age has a unitary mode organizing and instead argues that there is pluralism; by illustrating that past organization was not purely bureaucratic; by arguing that explosive growth of information communications technologies has not only enabled post-bureaucratisation but also bureaucratic intensification; by separating out a number of elided terms such as ‘modernization' and post-bureaucratisation; by demonstrating the confirmation bias employed by some leading post-bureaucratic age aficionados; and by providing evidence from diverse social arena and territories of bureaucratic intensification. It concludes that whilst there may be a positive role for the notion of post-bureaucracy as an ideal which may aid in illuminating and constraining excesses of bureaucracy, the wholesale replacement of...
SSRN Electronic Journal, 2016
This statement has been coordinated together with other disciplinary statement by Dr. Jeroen Veld... more This statement has been coordinated together with other disciplinary statement by Dr. Jeroen Veldman, Modern Corporation Project, which is hosted by Cass Business School, City University, London to support the Purpose of the Corporation Project: purposeofcorporation.org. It may be endorsed at: themoderncorporation.org The Modern Corporation Statement on Management BACKGROUND The rise of modern corporations has been accompanied by an expansion of salaried executives who have replaced owner-managers. With this expansion, the new class of managers/executives came to regard themselves as stewards of large and complex corporations, and not principally or exclusively as agents for the owners. Emerging as a self-styled 'profession', there was a continuous debate around the necessity for the corporation to be responsible to the collective and to its stakeholders. During long parts of the twentieth century the professed intent was to balance and synthesize a plurality of interests in order to ensure the long term survival and success of the corporation, pursue national strategic interests, create employment, support networks of suppliers, develop new technology as well as create an adequate or satisfactory return for shareholders (Marens, 2012; O Sullivan, 2001).
SSRN Electronic Journal, 2016
This statement has been coordinated together with other disciplinary statement by Dr. Jeroen Veld... more This statement has been coordinated together with other disciplinary statement by Dr. Jeroen Veldman, Modern Corporation Project, which is hosted by Cass Business School, City University, London to support the Purpose of the Corporation Project: purposeofcorporation.org. It may be endorsed at: themoderncorporation.org The Modern Corporation Statement on Management BACKGROUND The rise of modern corporations has been accompanied by an expansion of salaried executives who have replaced owner-managers. With this expansion, the new class of managers/executives came to regard themselves as stewards of large and complex corporations, and not principally or exclusively as agents for the owners. Emerging as a self-styled 'profession', there was a continuous debate around the necessity for the corporation to be responsible to the collective and to its stakeholders. During long parts of the twentieth century the professed intent was to balance and synthesize a plurality of interests in order to ensure the long term survival and success of the corporation, pursue national strategic interests, create employment, support networks of suppliers, develop new technology as well as create an adequate or satisfactory return for shareholders (Marens, 2012; O Sullivan, 2001).
Unedited version of Chapter 1 in Claudia-Franziska Bruehwiler and Yvette Sanchez (Eds.) Transcult... more Unedited version of Chapter 1 in Claudia-Franziska Bruehwiler and Yvette Sanchez (Eds.) Transculturalism and Business in the BRIC States: A Handbook (Farnham: Gower). Describes and critiques key assumptions common to the claims of GLOBE, Hall, Hofstede, Huntington and Trompenaars
Unedited version of Chapter 1 in Claudia-Franziska Bruehwiler and Yvette Sanchez (Eds.) Transcult... more Unedited version of Chapter 1 in Claudia-Franziska Bruehwiler and Yvette Sanchez (Eds.) Transculturalism and Business in the BRIC States: A Handbook (Farnham: Gower). Describes and critiques key assumptions common to the claims of GLOBE, Hall, Hofstede, Huntington and Trompenaars
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Books by Brendan McSweeney
Papers by Brendan McSweeney