Call for Papers
Time in Organizations

23rd Colloquium in the History of Management and Organizations
Paris, Cité Internationale Universitaire

May 22th-23rd 2018

Organizations, such as firms, professions, institutions, etc. are exposed to management
constraints (e.g. accounting terms) and political horizons (e.g. election of professional
association’s chairman, terms of office) that are engaged in a short-time frame.
Yet, the definition of organizations’ strategy is placed on a future strongly dependent on
abilities to imagine forthcoming events. In this sense, organizations’ dynamism is often
linked with the ability to plan for the future.
A third temporality crosses through organizations and refers to a very short period of
time, associated with everyday life. As when one plans for the future, this temporality is
uncertain and unpredictable and often implies to make decisions in emergency
situations.
A fourth temporality consists of looking at the past. Probably “less conscious” than other
temporalities, it still gives…