Organizational discourse and change : positions, perspectives, progress and prospects

It has been 10 years since The Journal of Applied Behavioral Science (JABS) published a special issue titled “Discourses of Organizing” (Vol. 36, No. 2, 2000) based on the then emerging field of organizational discourse. A decade on seems to be an appropriate juncture at which to reflect on the range of work produced and the general progress made and consider possible future directions. In addition to briefly taking stock of developments within the field, this opening piece provides an opportunity to introduce the subsequent articles contained in this special issue and locate them within the developing landscape of discursive contributions on organizational change. Given these broad aims, there are three main sections in this introductory article. First, the general trajectory and shifting patterns of “organizational discourse and change” contributions are considered and a way of thinking about different waves of engagement is presented. Then, in the second main section, the focus and general contribution of the articles presented in this collection are discussed. Finally, we conclude by speculating on emerging trends and the scope for further inquiry.