Leb umen , No be
A icle
On he use ulness o Nie zsche o s eng hening he
c i ical adicali y o C i ical Managemen S udies
Cogen Business & Managemen
P o ided in Coope a ion wi h:
Taylo & F ancis G oup
Sugges ed Ci a ion: Leb umen , No be (2024) : On he use ulness o Nie zsche o s eng hening he
c i ical adicali y o C i ical Managemen S udies, Cogen Business & Managemen , ISSN 2331-1975,
Taylo & F ancis, Abingdon, Vol. 11, Iss. 1, pp. 1-8,
h ps://doi.o g/10.1080/23311975.2023.2300843
This Ve sion is a ailable a :
h ps://hdl.handle.ne /10419/325983
S anda d-Nu zungsbedingungen:
Die Dokumen e au EconS o dü en zu eigenen wissenscha lichen
Zwecken und zum P i a geb auch gespeiche und kopie we den.
Sie dü en die Dokumen e nich ü ö en liche ode komme zielle
Zwecke e iel äl igen, ö en lich auss ellen, ö en lich zugänglich
machen, e eiben ode ande wei ig nu zen.
So e n die Ve asse die Dokumen e un e Open-Con en -Lizenzen
(insbesonde e CC-Lizenzen) zu Ve ügung ges ell haben soll en,
gel en abweichend on diesen Nu zungsbedingungen die in de do
genann en Lizenz gewäh en Nu zungs ech e.
Te ms o use:
Documen s in EconS o may be sa ed and copied o you pe sonal
and schola ly pu poses.
You a e no o copy documen s o public o comme cial pu poses, o
exhibi he documen s publicly, o make hem publicly a ailable on he
in e ne , o o dis ibu e o o he wise use he documen s in public.
I he documen s ha e been made a ailable unde an Open Con en
Licence (especially C ea i e Commons Licences), you may exe cise
u he usage igh s as speci ied in he indica ed licence.
h ps://c ea i ecommons.o g/licenses/by/4.0/
Cogen Business & Managemen
ISSN: 2331-1975 (Online) Jou nal homepage: www. and online.com/jou nals/oabm20
On he use ulness o Nie zsche o s eng hening
he c i ical adicali y o C i ical Managemen
S udies
No be Leb umen
To ci e his a icle: No be Leb umen (2024) On he use ulness o Nie zsche o s eng hening
he c i ical adicali y o C i ical Managemen S udies, Cogen Business & Managemen , 11:1,
2300843, DOI: 10.1080/23311975.2023.2300843
To link o his a icle: h ps://doi.o g/10.1080/23311975.2023.2300843
© 2024 The Au ho (s). Published by In o ma
UK Limi ed, ading as Taylo & F ancis
G oup
Published online: 13 Feb 2024.
Submi you a icle o his jou nal
A icle iews: 764
View ela ed a icles
View C ossma k da a
Full Te ms & Condi ions o access and use can be ound a
h ps://www. and online.com/ac ion/jou nalIn o ma ion?jou nalCode=oabm20
ManageMen | ReseaRch Le eR
Cogen Business & ManageMen
2024, VoL. 11, no. 1, 2300843
On he use ulness o Nie zsche o s eng hening he c i ical
adicali y o C i ical Managemen S udies
no be Leb umen
Cle mon au e gne uni e si y, CleRMa, Cle mon -Fe and, F ance
ABSTRACT
I is well known ha he e is li le in e es in nie zschean hough in he managemen
sciences. his obse a ion is suppo ed by he low numbe o a icles published in
managemen science jou nals ha use wha could be called he nie zschean concep ual
amewo k o e en pa o i . his obse a ion o a weak mobiliza ion o he nie zschean
co pus can be explained, on he one hand, by he non-uni ocal cha ac e o he
nie zschean s yle and, on he o he hand, by he c i ical adicali y o nie zschean
hough . gi en his si ua ion, one migh expec c i ical Managemen s udies o make
signi ican use o nie zschean concep s, especially nie zschean genealogy. Bu his is
no he case. nie zsche’s wo k is ha dly used by c i ical Managemen s udies (cMs). Ye
cMs, because i seeks o ques ion and challenge exis ing manage ial p ac ices by
analysing he powe dynamics, p ocesses o domina ion and inequali ies ha a e
exp essed in o ganisa ions, could bene i om he nie zschean genealogy. Indeed,
nie zschean genealogy, which aims o shed ligh on he his o y and o igins o alues,
can p o ide use ul insigh s in o he c i ical wo k ca ied ou by cMs and b oaden hei
scope o in es iga ion. In his essay, I a gue ha cMs should inco po a e nie zschean
genealogy in o hei esea ch in o de o s eng hen he c i ical scope o hei wo k
when ques ioning he axiological ounda ions o manage ial p ac ices and explo ing
he powe ela ions ha un h ough o ganisa ions.
In oduc ion: Nie zsche, a ‘neglec ed’ hinke by he managemen sciences
nie zsche has always been o me a loyal companion (which he wished o be in he eyes o his eade s)
who has always played he ole o a lookou when he wea he u ns sou and i is necessa y o ely on
landma ks o ind i m g ound. Du ing my s udies, I had he oppo uni y o ollow he cou ses o some
F ench nie zschean exege es, namely P o esso s Michel haa , e ic Blondel, Pa ick Wo ling and Ma c
c épon, no o ge ing ch is ian Be ne who in oduced me o nie zsche du ing Yea 13. his e y pe -
sonal con ex explains why, wi h age, I de eloped an a ini y wi h his hinke ha has ollowed me since
he beginning o my ca ee as a eache - esea che in managemen sciences.
hese a ini ies wi h nie zsche ha e na u ally led me o equen ly wonde abou he lack o in e es
in nie zschean hough in managemen sciences. his obse a ion o a lack o in e es is suppo ed by
he ew a icles published in managemen science jou nals ha call upon wha could be called he
nie zschean amewo k o e en pa o i (see ables 1 and 2). his is a s ange obse a ion when one
conside s ha he e is a way o philosophising be o e and a e nie zsche. Faced wi h he weak use o
he nie zschean co pus in ou esea ch, I ha e inally ound only wo easons o such a si ua ion. he
i s eason is he asys ema ic and non-uni ocal cha ac e o nie zschean hough and s yle. e e y eade
o nie zsche mus ha e had he same expe ience as I did: nie zschean w i ings alk o each o he , one
can e en say ha hey cons i u e a polyphonic ne wo k o concep ual analyses ha communica e wi h
© 2024 he au ho (s). Published by in o ma uK Limi ed, ading as aylo & F ancis g oup
CONTACT no be Leb umen no be [email p o ec ed] Cle mon au e gne uni e si y, CleRMa, Cle mon -Fe and, F ance.
h ps://doi.o g/10.1080/23311975.2023.2300843
his is an open access a icle dis ibu ed unde he e ms o he C ea i e Commons a ibu ion License (h p://c ea i ecommons.o g/licenses/by/4.0/), which
pe mi s un es ic ed use, dis ibu ion, and ep oduc ion in any medium, p o ided he o iginal wo k is p ope ly ci ed. he e ms on which his a icle has been
published allow he pos ing o he accep ed Manusc ip in a eposi o y by he au ho (s) o wi h hei consen .
ARTICLE HISTORY
Recei ed 10 augus
2023Re ised 26
Decembe 2023accep ed
27 Decembe 2023
KEYWORDS
nie zsche; c i ical
Managemen s udies;
managemen s udies;
c i ical analysis;
genealogy
REVIEWING EDITOR
Pablo Ruiz, Uni e sidad de
cas illa-La Mancha, spain
SUBJECT
Philosophy o Mind;
Business, Managemen and
accoun ing; Philosophy
2 n. LeBRUMen
Table 1. Pape s using only he nie zschean concep ual amewo k - sou ces: eBsCohos business sou ce comple e and
Cai n.
Ba don, hibau , e emmanuel Josse and. 2011. « a nie zschean eading o Foucauldian hinking: cons uc ing a p ojec o he sel wi hin an
on ology o becoming ». O ganiza ion 18 (4): 497-515.
Chi a , alexand e. 2017. « nie zsche e le a ail : ce « ice » de no e époque ». Re ue de philosophie économique 18 (2): 59-101.
Dunne, s ephen. 2008. « Co po a e social Responsibili y and he Value o Co po a e Mo al P agma ism ». Cul u e and O ganiza ion 14 (2):
135-149.
F eund, James. 2015. « Re Billy s. he Ma ke : a sane man in a wo ld o omnipo en an asies ». Jou nal o Ma ke ing Managemen 31
(13-14): 1529-1551.
Hillman, a ya L. 2004. « nie zschean de elopmen ailu es ». Public Choice 119 (3/4): 263-280.
Hjo h, Daniel, e alexand a Dawson. 2016. « he Bu den o His o y in he Family Business o ganiza ion ». O ganiza ion S udies 37 (8):
1089-1111.
Köllen, homas. 2020. « Wo shipping equali y as o ganiza ional idola y? a nie zschean iew o he no ma i e ounda ions o he di e si y
managemen pa adigm ». Scandina ian Jou nal o Managemen 36 (2): 1-9.
Lapied, and é, e sophie swa on. 2013a. « sélec ion na u elle ou olon é de puissance : commen in e p é e le p ocessus de des uc ion
c éa ice ? » Re ue de philosophie économique 14 (2): 43-65.
Lapied, and é, e sophie swa on. 2013b. « L’en ep eneu schumpé é ien es -il su humain ? » Cahie s d’économie Poli ique 65 (2): 183-202.
Lapied, and é, e sophie swa on. 2014. « Le cycle de la conjonc u e chez schumpe e : é e nel e ou du même ? » Re ue de philosophie
économique 15 (1): 17-47.
Lapied, and é, e sophie swa on. 2016. « Que eu Homo œconomicus ? » Re ue de philosophie économique 17 (2): 147-178.
Mcelwee, ge a d, Da id Cu ie, e Pe e some ille. 2012. « Manage ialism and nihilism ». Tama a: Jou nal o C i ical O ganiza ion Inqui y
10 (4): 61-72.
Mo ell, Ke in. 2012. « e idence-based dialec ics ». O ganiza ion 19 (4): 461-479.
neilson, F ancis. 1953. « he nie zsche-Wagne Ri ». Ame ican Jou nal o Economics & Sociology 12 (2): 211-217.
o mann, gün he , e Jö g sydow. 2018. « Dancing in chains: C ea i e p ac ices in/o o ganiza ions ». O ganiza ion S udies 39 (7): 899-921.
Pain e -Mo land, Mollie, e Rosa slege s. 2018. « s eng hening “gi ing Voice o Values” in Business schools by Reconside ing he “in isible
Hand” Me apho ». Jou nal o Business E hics 147 (4): 807-819.
s anise ski, D agan. 2015. « agonis ic Mode a ion: adminis a ing Wi h he Wisdom o soph osyne ». Adminis a ion & socie y 47 (1): 5-23.
ajalli, Payman, e s e en segal. 2019. « a nie zschean e-e alua ion o alues as a way o e-imagining business e hics ». Business E hics: A
Eu opean Re iew 28 (2). Wiley-Blackwell: 234-242.
ownley, Ba ba a. 1999. « nie zsche, Compe encies and ube mensch: Re lec ions on Human and inhuman Resou ce Managemen ».
O ganiza ion 6 (2): 285-305.
ulusoy, em e. 2016. « subcul u al escapades ia music consump ion: iden i y ans o ma ions and ex ao dina y expe iences in Dionysian
music subcul u es ». Jou nal o Business Resea ch 69 (1): 244-254.
Wais ell, Je . 2007. « Me apho ical Pe spec i es o o ganisa ional Values ». Cul u e & O ganiza ion 13 (1): 83-97.
Wal e s, Melissa. 2004. « al e na i e accoun ing hough and he p ison-house o me apho ». Accoun ing, O ganiza ions & Socie y 29 (2):
157.
Wo den, skip. 2009. « a genealogy o Business e hics: a nie zschean Pe spec i e ». Jou nal o Business E hics 84 (3): 427-456.
Table 2. Pape s no using exclusi ely he nie zschean concep ual amewo k - sou ces: eBsCohos business sou ce com-
ple e and Cai n.
Bos, René. 2004. « he Fea o Wol es: an i-Hodological Rumina ions abou o ganiza ions and Laby in hs ». Cul u e & O ganiza ion 10 (1):
7-24.
Cos a Lima, Ma cos. 2014. « a Concep ion o he Wo ld in Celso Fu ado ». In e na ional Jou nal o Poli ical Economy 43 (4): 82-95.
C onin, James, e James Fi che . 2021. « Lunch o he las human: nu i ionally comple e ood and he an asies o ma ke -based p og ess
». Ma ke ing Theo y 21 (1): 3-24.
Cu le , ian. 2000. « he Cynical Manage ». Managemen Lea ning 31 (3): 295.
ellis on, F ede ick. 1985. « he Philosophe in he Wo kplace ». Jou nal o Business E hics 4 (4): 331-339.
F ancois, Yolande. 2015. « essay on he p oblem o powe in o ganiza ions: a nie zschean and Hegelian app oach o powe . Powe
managemen and powe led ». Re ue in e na ionale de psychosociologie e de ges ion des compo emen s o ganisa ionnels, no 52
(juin): 279-292.
Hacking, ian. 2002. « inaugu al lec u e: Chai o Philosophy and His o y o scien i ic Concep s a he Collège de F ance, 16 Janua y 2001 ».
Economy & Socie y 31 (1): 1-14.
Hicks, s e en V. 2009. « 5. he P ojec o Reconcilia ion and he Road o Redemp ion: Hegel’s social Philosophy and nie zsche’s C i ique ».
Ame ican Jou nal o Economics & Sociology 68 (1): 153-180.
Howe, Louis e. 2002. « Mou ning adminis a i e gene osi y in a Pos gene ous ime: Lessons F om Wallace shawn’s he Designa ed Mou ne
». Adminis a ion & Socie y 33 (6): 583.
Jø gensen, Kenne h, e Da id Boje. 2009. « genealogies o Becoming - an ena a i e inqui y in o ganiza ions ». Tama a: Jou nal o C i ical
O ganiza ion Inqui y 8 (1): 32-47.
Macin osh, noi nan B. 2004. « a commen on “Reco e ing accoun ing” ». C i ical Pe spec i es on Accoun ing 15 (4/5): 529-541.
Macin osh, no man B. 2009. « “e ec i e” genealogical His o y: Possibili ies o C i ical accoun ing His o y Resea ch ». Accoun ing His o ians
Jou nal 36 (1): 1-27.
Mcgoey, Linsey. 2007. « on he will o igno ance in bu eauc acy ». Economy & Socie y 36 (2): 212-235.
Roma , edwa d. 2009. « noble Ma ke s: he noble/sla e e hic in Hayek’s F ee Ma ke Capi alism ». Jou nal o Business E hics 85 (1): 57-66.
shionoya, Yuichi. 2009. « he his o y o economics as economics? ». Eu opean Jou nal o he His o y o Economic Though 16 (4): 575-597.
s e ens, simon. 2017. « Li e and Le ing Die: a s o y o he Homeless, au onomy, and an i-social Beha iou ». O ganiza ion S udies 38 (5):
669-690.
Vine, om. 2020. « B exi , umpism and pa adox: epis emological lessons o he c i ical consensus ». O ganiza ion 27 (3): 466-482.
Walle, al H. 2001. « Machia elli, humanis ic empi icism and ma ke ing esea ch ». Managemen Decision 39 (5): 403.
Wal on, Cla ence C. 1993. « Business e hics and Pos mode nism: a Dange ous Dalliance ». Business E hics Qua e ly 3 (3): 285-305.
W ay-Bliss, edwa d. 2019. « Redeeming o ganisa ional soul ». O ganiza ion 26 (1): 55-74.
cogen BUsIness & ManageMen 3
each o he and whe e none o hem can be unde s ood as he deciding p inciple o he unde s anding
o he o he s. In his e icula app oach o concep ual analysis, which is suppo ed by s ylis ic a ie y, he
in e p e a ion o he main nie zschean ‘concep s’ is ne e closed, which means ha he eade mus
always be on his gua d, as nie zsche cons an ly ies o lead him down alse in e p e a i e pa hs in o de
o mislead him, o e en o con on him wi h his own con adic ions. In eading nie zsche, I disco e ed
a hinke who was disconce ing because he was es ing me wi h a p ecise aim: he e is a s ylis ic wo k
in him which aims o selec his eade s on hei capaci y o o ien hemsel es in a hough whe e he
p inciples which command unde s anding a e o ganised acco ding o a e icula app oach which is bo h
decen alised and dis ibu ed.
his decen alised and dis ibu ed cha ac e o nie zschean hough o e s he eade ew s abilised
concep ual e e ence poin s, a leas a i s glance. he second eason o his weak mobilisa ion o
nie zsche lies, in my opinion, in he c i ical adicali y o nie zschean hough , which is conside ed dis-
conce ing. he c i ical adicali y o a hough ha leads many esea che s in managemen sciences o
app oach nie zsche only indi ec ly h ough his ilia ion wi h Deleuze, De ida o Foucaul , o name bu
a ew. howe e , I am con inced ha esea che s in managemen science wo king on issues ela ed o
alues o alue judgemen s would ha e a de ini e in e es in di ec ly in es ing he co pus o a hinke
whose philosophy has, by he e y admission o Deleuze, De ida and Foucaul , conside ably inspi ed
hei espec i e philosophies. Mo eo e , when I hink abou i , i seems o me igo ously impossible o
unde s and Deleuze’s, De ida’s and Foucaul ’s philosophies accu a ely and igo ously wi hou ‘ ubbing
shoulde s’ wi h nie zschean ex s in dep h. he lack o in es men in nie zsche’s wo k by esea ch in
managemen sciences is all he mo e damaging in ha he ew e e ences o nie zsche in hese same
wo ks some imes lead o misunde s andings o inaccu acies. hese misunde s andings and inaccu acies
o en esul om an unde s anding o nie zsche h ough he eading o ano he hinke - be i heidegge ,
Deleuze o Foucaul - o an academic exege e. In sho , nie zsche seems o me, w ongly, o be an
unlo ed hinke o ou belo ed managemen sciences, o a leas a hinke somewha los om iew.
CMS eluc an o ‘Nie zscheanise’ hemsel es
gi en his s a e o a ai s o a ma ginalised nie zsche, I ne e heless expec ed he c i ical Managemen
s udies s eam (al esson & Willmo , 1992) o make mo e p onounced and signi ican use o nie zschean
ex s (Mcelwee e al., 2012). Indeed, we know ha he c i ical Managemen s udies (cMs) ha e eme ged
o e he las h ee decades as a ield o managemen science ha aims o iden i y and explo e he
powe dynamics, inequali ies and p ocesses o domina ion ha lie behind manage ial discou ses and
p ac ices. In his sense, cMs can be seen as a c i ical mo emen seeking o decons uc dominan alues
in o ganisa ions and o p omo e a dialogue on possible al e na i es. such a p ojec led me o en e he
cMs mo emen wi h he spon aneous assump ion ha nie zschean ex s should ha e a p ominen place.
Bu his was no he case. he mo e I ead, he mo e i became clea o me ha nie zsche’s wo k was
s ill e y li le used in he cMs. his is e idenced by he ew e e ences o nie zsche in he e e ence
wo ks in he ield o cMs:
• In c i ical managemen s udies: a Reade (g ey & Willmo , 2005), 1 e e ence o nie zsche.
• In he ox o d handbook o c i ical managemen s udies (al esson e al., 2009), 4 e e ences o
nie zsche;
• In c i ical Managemen Resea ch: Re lec ions om he Field (Jeanes & huzza d, 2014), 1 e e ence o
nie zsche;
• In he Rou ledge companion o c i ical Managemen s udies (P asad e al., 2015), 3 e e ences o
nie zsche.
his is all he mo e su p ising gi en ha he nie zschean co pus p oposes, albei in an un o malised
and s uc u ed manne , an app oach o in es iga ing alues and powe ela ions ha is known as
nie zschean genealogy (Jø gensen & Boje, 2009). he nie zschean genealogy (Me ick, 2021), which is
basically a c i ical analysis app oach aiming essen ially a decons uc ing he dominan alues and a
highligh ing he powe ela ions unde lying hem (Rayman, 2022), seems o me o be mobilisable by he
4 n. LeBRUMen
cMs as a c i ical e alua ion app oach o he alues and ideologies p omo ed in he o ganisa ions and
inco po a ed by he indi iduals. Based as much on nie zschean ex s as on hei commen a ies by
Wo ling (2016) and Blondel (2006) as well as on he nie zsche Dic iona y (as o , 2017), he ollowing
able 3, which syn hesizes he p inciples and he main momen s o he nie zschean genealogical
app oach, hen cons i u es a me hodological app oach ha can be applied o he s udies o
o ganiza ions:
Finally, he ques ion emained and con inued o nag a me: wha could accoun o his lack o in e -
es in nie zschean hough and, abo e all, in i s genealogy in he cMs?
CMS a e c i ical, bu no adical enough om a Nie zschean poin o iew
how can his ma ginalisa ion o nie zsche and his genealogy wi hin he cMs be explained?
In he ollowing lines, I will en u e o p opose some possible answe s o his ques ion. once again,
I will ely on he adicali y o nie zschean hough o y o explain he li le mobilisa ion o nie zschean
ex s in he wo k o he cMs. Indeed, in my opinion, he adicali y o nie zschean hough can be con-
side ed as an explana o y elemen o his non-mobilisa ion o he nie zschean co pus. I should be
emembe ed ha wha migh be called he cMs p ojec aims o p opose, h ough a a ie y o s udies,
a c i ique o he alues embodied by managemen wi hin he app oaches, me hods, ools, p ac ices and
ela ionships o o he s ha s uc u e he e e yday li e o o ganisa ions. his c i ique is undamen ally
aimed a exposing he ensions, con adic ions and inequali ies ha he uni e salism o he alues
embodied by a globalised managemen is said o bea in he ace o he plu ali y o ou singula o gan-
isa ional eali ies. In so doing, he cMs mo emen pa icipa es in wha is now called he c i ique o
Table 3. Backg ound, p inciples and s ages o he applica ion o he nie zschean genealogy. sou ces: based on Blondel
(2006), Wo ling (2016) and as o (2017).
Backg ound and p inciples o Nie zschean genealogy
• genealogy is pa o he nie zschean p oblema iza ion o alues and cul u e, which eplaces he ques ion o u h: i is he e o e no a
new ins umen o iden i ying u hs, no is i a me hod o cons uc ing knowledge.
• i is no a his o ical app oach, as i aims o e alua e he alues embodied by psychological ypes ha make up cul u es.
• i does no seek o iden i y p inciples (on ological o heo e ical) a he o igin o he phenomena s udied: i is pa o a way o hinking
abou eali y in which any o ganisa ional o indi idual eali y, e en he mos elemen a y, is unde s ood as a p ocess o in e p e a ion,
i.e. o e alua ion.
• Being pa o a hough o in e p e a ion, i conside s any in e p e a ion as he esul o a p ocess ha akes place o e a long pe iod
o ime and is he esul o con lic ing o coope a i e ela ionships be ween di e en d i es (a ec s).
Fi s s age o he Nie zschean genealogy
• Resea ch he d i e o igins, i.e. he o igin o he alues (any alue being he exp ession o a d i e sys em) om which an in e p e a ion
o eali y ( heo y, belie , p ac ice, o ganiza ion…) eme ges.
• in his i s momen , genealogy does no aim o disco e a single ounda ion o cause o he phenomenon unde s udy: i seeks o iden i y he
mul iplici y o sou ces ( i al ies o d i e coali ions) a he o igin o he inco po a ion o an in e p e a ion, and he e o e o a alue.
• genealogical wo k hus ansla es in o he explo a ion o a complex ield whe e mul iple sou ces (d i es) ha e p oduced an
in e p e a ion: e e y phenomenon is he esul o a pa isan in e p e a ion o he bene i o a de e mined sys em o d i es.
• nie zsche gi es se e al illus a ions o his i s momen o genealogy in his ex s:
• in pa ag aph 92 o Human, All Too Human (Nie zsche 1988a), book 1: he o igin o jus ice is based on an ag eemen , a ba e ,
be ween i al equi alen o ces, a om any disin e es ed mo al posi ion.
• in pa ag aph 22 o Human, All Too Human (Nie zsche 1988b), book 2: ‘me can ile mo ali y’ is a e ined axiological elabo a ion o
‘p i a ee mo ali y’.
• in pa ag aph 344 o The Gay Science (Nie zsche 1992): science is he ui o asce ic alues ha ha e, wi h pa iali y, condemned
illusion and e o in he name o an unshakeable ai h in u h.
Second s age o he Nie zschean genealogy
• a e he iden i ica ion o he in a-conscious and in a- a ional impulse complexes a he o igin o an in e p e a ion, he aim o his
second momen is o ca y ou he e alua ion o hese same complexes.
• he second momen o he genealogy lies in he e alua ion o he sou ces a he o igin o ce ain in e p e a ions: he aim is o
e alua e he alue o hese in e p e a ions o human li e, i.e. o ule on hei ha m ul o bene icial cha ac e o he in ensi ica ion o
human li e.
• he ask o e alua ing he impulse sou ces o an in e p e a ion is made di icul by he ac ha impulses can mani es hemsel es in
a ious o ms (immedia e and spon aneous as well as in ellec ualised and spi i ual) which ac as masks hiding hei eal in en ion wi h
ega d o li e: " he unconscious disguise o physiological needs unde he masks o objec i i y, o he idea, o pu e in ellec uali y, is capable
o assuming igh ening p opo ions - and i ha e wonde ed o en enough whe he , all hings conside ed, philosophy up o ha poin
would no ha e been only an exegesis o he body and a misunde s anding abou he body" (The Gay Science (1992), P e ace, § 2).
• his wo k o e alua ing he sou ces a he o igin o in e p e a ions is also necessa y, because an in e p e a ion is only a symp om ha
can e e o e y di e en pulsional si ua ions: he illus a ion o his is gi en by nihilism, which can be jus as much he sign o a
despondency and discou agemen wi h ega d o li e (passi e nihilism) as, on he o he hand, he sign o a c ea i e exal a ion aiming a
an in ensi ica ion o human li e (ac i e nihilism).
cogen BUsIness & ManageMen 5
manage ial ideology wi h a iew o achie ing eal emancipa ion o indi iduals (al esson & spice , 2012)
and o e coming inequali ies wi hin o ganisa ions. I his cu en has a aison d’ê e ha can be judged
noble and scien i ically suppo ed, i is possible, on e lec ion, o iden i y se e al easons o he lack o
mobilisa ion o he nie zschean c i ical app oach. o be clea , he poin is no o say ha he cMs a e
no c i ical, bu o unde s and why hey a e no adically c i ical in he nie zschean sense.
he i s eason I iden i y is ha mos o he esea ch wo k o his cu en ocuses on a c i ique o
manage ial alues, p ac ices and de ices wi hin o ganisa ions, bu does no p oceed o a c i ical wo k in
he nie zschean sense on he meaning and he scope o alues con eyed by hese same manage ial
alues, p ac ices and de ices. I would be emp ed o say ha he cMs s op sho o a eal nie zschean
genealogical in es iga ion by no going beyond i s i s momen , which consis s o iden i ying he o igin
o he sou ces ha p oduce he dominan in e p e a ions ha ha e concei ed and a ou ed such and
such o ganisa ional phenomena and such and such manage ial p ac ices. In my opinion, hey ail o ca y
ou he second momen o any nie zschean genealogical app oach, which is o igo ously ques ion he
bene icial o ha m ul cha ac e o human li e o he alues embodied in he indi idual and o ganisa-
ional phenomena hey c i icise. I hink ha his is mo e deeply explained by he ac ha cMs ha e
om he ou se a c i ical app oach o ien ed by a sys em o alues (emancipa ion o indi iduals, equali y
o indi iduals, alo isa ion o indi idual di e ences…) which unc ions as a se o axioms e using any
hie a chy and any logic o domina ion. now, i he e is one hing ha eading nie zsche’s wo k has
augh me, i is ha nie zschean hough is deeply a hough o hie a chy and command. In o he wo ds,
o nie zsche, I hink ha cMs would be conside ed insu icien ly c i ical o he simple eason ha hey
do no examine, wi h all he in ellec ual p obi y equi ed, he bene icial o ha m ul cha ac e o he
de elopmen and in ensi ica ion o human li e in o ganisa ion o he alues hey p omo e. In o he
wo ds, in nie zschean egime, cMs do no examine hei own axiological sys em while a he same ime
examining he alues, p ac ices and manage ial a angemen s o o ganisa ions. o cou se, i is no a
ques ion o making a alue judgemen on hese s udies; i is simply a ques ion o ecognising, by pu -
ing ou sel es ‘in nie zsche’s shoes’, hei lack o c i ical adicalism which explains hei weak mobilisa ion
o nie zschean ex s.
Beyond he ac ha he cMs ca y wi hin hemsel es an axiological sys em ha is no e alua ed, no
c i icized, he second eason, in my opinion, explaining hei weak mobiliza ion o he nie zschean co -
pus esides again in hei lack o c i ical adicali y, bu his ime owa ds he concep ual ounda ions o
ce ain no ions on which hei analyses a e based. I do no mean, o cou se, ha hey do no o e
analyses ha allow us o unde s and, o example, how ela ions o domina ion de i ed om social al-
ues a e exp essed in ela ions o o he s in o ganisa ions. Bu , o a eade who is a li le amilia wi h
nie zschean ex s, I am o ced o no e ha hey mobilise, wi hou ques ioning o au hen ically in e o-
ga ing he sys ems o in e p e a ion ha hey inco po a e, ce ain no ions ha nie zsche p ecisely
wo ked o ‘dynami e’ in o de o b ing o ligh hei un ounded, subjec i e and alsi ying cha ac e ,
namely he concep s o ee will, o he iden i y o he indi idual and o language. Fa be i om me o
claim ha he e is no e lexi e wo k on hese concep s wi hin his esea ch, bu his e lexi e wo k is,
om a nie zschean pe spec i e, immedia ely hinde ed and biased by he alue sys em ha o ien a es
hem despi e hemsel es.
While I do no see he cMs as ha ing a nie zschean lineage o he easons ou lined abo e, how can
hey in eg a e he adicali y o nie zschean hough in o hei s udies? I belie e ha by u he in eg a -
ing nie zschean genealogy in o hei analyses, cMs esea che s could s eng hen he c i ical scope o
hei wo k and de elop mo e adical and inno a i e pe spec i es o unde s anding and ans o ming he
o ganisa ional alues and p ac ices hey s udy. I s ongly belie e ha cMs need he c i ical adicali y o
nie zsche and his genealogy o inspec he o ganisa ional basemen s.
Why CMS need Nie zsche o explo e o ganisa ional subsoils
Despi e he sho comings o he cMs ha I ha e highligh ed, i seems o me ha hey would bene i
om using nie zschean genealogy. Indeed, he la e can be used as an app oach o decons uc ing
o ganisa ional and manage ial alues in o de o unco e hei o igins and his o ical ounda ions. his
app oach o e s he possibili y o highligh he social cons uc ion p ocesses and powe dynamics ha
6 n. LeBRUMen
Table 4. aims and expec ed con ibu ions o using nie zschean genealogy in a ious ields o managemen .
Managemen ield aim o using nie zschean genealogy explana ions o he use o nie zschean genealogy
s a egy C i ical analysis o he e hical and his o ical
ounda ions o s a egies.
nie zschean genealogy can help decons uc he assump ions
unde lying business s a egies by examining how his o ical
alues and belie s in luence cu en s a egic decisions. his can
e eal con adic ions o hidden mo i a ions behind ce ain
s a egic p ac ices.
Human Resou ce
Managemen (HRM)
Ques ioning he no ms and alues guiding
HRM.
By mobilising nie zsche’s genealogy, i ’s possible o examine he
his o ical and cul u al e olu ion o HRM p ac ices, ques ioning
he basis o ec ui men , aining and e en ion policies. his can
lead o a e-e alua ion o p ac ices conside ed “s anda d” o
“e ec i e”.
Ma ke ing analysis o he e olu ion o consume alues
and hei impac on ma ke ing.
he nie zschean app oach can be used o ques ion he
ounda ions o ma ke ing s a egies, analysing how consume
p e e ences and beha iou s ha e been shaped by cul u al and
his o ical alues, and how hese in luence cu en ma ke ing
p ac ices.
Finance and
Managemen Con ol
explo a ion o he e olu ion o inancial
p ac ices and hei e hical ounda ions.
he nie zschean genealogy allows ques ioning he alues and
e hical no ms ha unde pin inancial decisions and con ol
managemen p ac ices. his can e eal ensions be ween
inancial objec i es and e hical impe a i es and encou age
e lec ion on esponsible inancial p ac ices.
ope a ions and Logis ics unde s anding he in luence o his o ical
alues on cu en me hods.
examining he his o y o ope a ions and logis ics p ac ices h ough
a nie zschean lens can iden i y how me hods and p ocesses
ha e been shaped by pas alues and belie s, and assess hei
ele ance in he cu en con ex o ope a ions managemen .
en ep eneu ship C i ique o en ep eneu ial ideologies and
unde lying alues.
in en ep eneu ship, using nie zsche’s genealogy can lead o a
c i ical analysis o he ideals and belie s ha mo i a e
en ep eneu s, ques ioning adi ional no ions o success,
inno a ion and isk- aking, and explo ing how hese ideas ha e
e ol ed o e ime.
echnology and
in o ma ion
Managemen
examina ion o he e olu ion o echnological
alues and hei in luence.
applying nie zschean genealogy in his ield can e eal how
his o ical and cul u al alues ha e shaped he de elopmen and
managemen o in o ma ion echnology. his can lead o a
e-e alua ion o cu en p ac ices and uses o echnology and
in o ma ion managemen wi hin o ganisa ions.
Table 5. Me hodological app oach o applying he nie zschean genealogy o inno a ech’s di e si y and inclusion
policy.
inno a ech and i s di e si y and inclusion policy
Con ex ualisa ion o he di e si y
and inclusion policy
inno a ech is a majo echnology company. Renowned o i s echnological inno a ions, inno a ech
has ecen ly in oduced a di e si y and inclusion policy aimed a p omo ing equal oppo uni ies
and he ep esen a ion o mino i ies wi hin he company.
S age Desc ip ion o ac ions o be aken
1. iden i ying he o igins o he
di e si y and inclusion policy
( i s momen in he nie zschean
genealogy)
• analyse how and why inno a ech de eloped his policy. examine he his o ical in luences,
including social change and equal igh s mo emen s, ha may ha e in luenced his decision.
• s udy he company’s speeches and publica ions o iden i y he main d i e s and jus i ica ions pu
o wa d o jus i y his policy.
2. analysis and e alua ion o he
alues unde lying he di e si y and
inclusion policy (second momen in
he nie zschean genealogy)
• Ques ion he na u e o inno a ech’s di e si y and inclusion alues: a e hey pu ely e hical o also
in luenced by ma ke and b and image conside a ions?
• examine whe he hese alues e lec a genuine desi e o equali y o whe he hey se e o mask
o legi imise exis ing powe dynamics wi hin he company.
3. s udy o he dynamics o powe
and domina ion
• s udy he e ec s o he di e si y and inclusion policy on powe ela ions wi hin inno a ech: who
eally bene i s? a e he e g oups o indi iduals who eel ma ginalised o exploi ed?
• analyse whe he his policy could be used o jus i y o mask o he less e hical p ac ices wi hin
he company.
4. impac on employees and
co po a e cul u e
• examine he p ac ical impac o his policy on employees om di e se backg ounds: has i led o
a eal imp o emen in inclusion and ep esen a i eness?
• e alua e he impac o his policy on co po a e cul u e and employee ela ions, pa icula ly in
e ms o g oup dynamics and communica ion.
5. C i ical summa y and p ospec s
o imp o emen
• Fo mula e a c i ique o inno a ech’s di e si y and inclusion policy in he ligh o nie zschean
p inciples: does his policy encou age a genuine in ensi ica ion o he li e and c ea i i y o
employees in he se ice o he common good?
• P opose ecommenda ions o a mo e au hen ic and e ec i e implemen a ion o di e si y and inclusion
ha is no jus symbolic, bu ha engende s eal and p o ound change wi hin he company.
Conclusion his ic ional case s udy shows how he applica ion o nie zschean genealogy can help e eal he eal
complexi ies, mo i a ions and consequences o co po a e di e si y and inclusion policies, pa ing
he way o mo e au hen ic and esponsible managemen p ac ices.
By adop ing he nie zschean genealogy, i is possible no only o be e unde s and co po a e policies
such as inno a ech’s, bu also o p opose imp o emen s based on a deepe , his o ical
unde s anding o he unde lying powe dynamics and alues.
cogen BUsIness & ManageMen 7
shape and jus i y hese alues. By mobilising genealogy, cMs esea che s can e eal how o ganisa ional
and manage ial alues a e embedded in axiological sys ems exp essed in speci ic social p ac ices, and
how hese sys ems may e ol e o e ime. his allows he pseudo-na u alisa ion and ic i ious uni e sali y
o hese alues o be delegi imised by iden i ying he p ocesses and powe ela ions ha unde pin hem.
I hus o e s a well- ounded c i ique o hese alues, opening up a space o c i ical deba e ha in i es
bo h a e hinking o he alue sys ems ha unde pin manage ial p ac ices and he in en ion o mo e
emancipa o y and jus o ms o managemen . In his sense, able 4 p oposes, o di e en ields o man-
agemen , he objec i es and expec ed con ibu ions o s udies ha would mobilise he nie zschean
genealogy.
o illus a e in a conc e e way how nie zschean genealogy could be used me hodologically o c i ique
ce ain co po a e policies o p ac ices, we p opose wo cases illus a ing how o p oceed me hodologi-
cally wi h nie zschean genealogy. hese wo ic i ious cases, which ela e o eal company policies, a e
p esen ed in ables 5 and 6 and show he ways in which nie zschean genealogy can be used. In his
way, we can see how nie zschean genealogy can p o ide a conc e e amewo k o he c i ical analysis
o ce ain co po a e policies, going beyond me e denuncia ion o open up p ospec s o ans o ma ion.
each me hodological case s udy - a company’s di e si y and inclusion policy o a elewo king policy -
aims o show how nie zschean genealogy can be mobilised o examine and analyse he o igins o he
phenomena s udied, he unde lying alues and he powe dynamics a play in each case. hese cases
unde line ha he aim o nie zsche’s p ojec is no o c i icise mo al alues o he sake o c i icising
hem and unde mining mo ali y; his aim is o ques ion hem in o de o ind ou whe he hey make i
possible o in ensi y human li e o he common good and, i no , o ans o m hem in o de o achie e
his aim. applied o business, nie zsche’s posi ion is o decons uc ce ain alues in o de o econs uc
hem in he se ice o he common good.
ha ’s why I belie e ha genealogy can be mobilised by cMs because i allows he iden i ica ion and
analysis o powe p ocesses wi hin o ganisa ions. By highligh ing he powe ela ions ha unde lie any
alue sys em and he manage ial p ac ices associa ed wi h i , genealogy can hen ‘unmask’ and b ing o
ligh he mechanisms o domina ion, exploi a ion and esis ance ha s uc u e all o ganisa ions.
complemen a y o o he heo e ical amewo ks om o ganisa ional heo y, his app oach o e s he pos-
sibili y o e ealing he powe s a egies deployed by indi iduals and g oups o indi iduals o es ablish,
Table 6. Me hodological app oach o applying he nie zschean genealogy o he case o FLCo p’s elewo king policy.
FLCo p and i s elewo king policy
Con ex ualisa ion o he
elewo king policy
FLCo p is a la ge inancial se ices company. a e he CoViD-19 pandemic, i adop ed a la ge-scale
elewo king policy p esen ed as a measu e o imp o e employees’ wo k-li e balance and inc ease
p oduc i i y.
S age Desc ip ion o ac ions o be aken
1. iden i ying he o igins o he
elewo k policy ( i s momen
o he nie zschean
genealogy)
• explo e he ini ial easons ha led FLCo p o adop elewo king. Conside ac o s such as he
esponse o he pandemic, ma ke ends and employee p essu e.
• analysing co po a e discou se on elewo king, examining how he concep s o lexibili y and
e iciency ha e been p omo ed and legi imised.
2. analysis and e alua ion o he
alues unde lying he elewo k
policy (second momen o he
nie zschean genealogy)
• Ques ion he na u e o he alues p omo ed by he elewo king policy. Find ou whe he hey se e
he company’s in e es s alone, such as cos educ ion, unde he guise o bene i s o employees.
• examine whe he elewo king eally does p omo e a be e wo k/li e balance, o whe he i leads o
an inc ease in wo kload and an in usion in o employees’ p i a e li es.
3. s udy o he dynamics o
powe and domina ion
• examine how he elewo king policy in luences powe ela ions wi hin FLCo p: who con ols he e ms
and expec a ions o elewo king? How does i a ec employees a di e en hie a chical le els?
• analyse whe he elewo king has c ea ed new o ms o su eillance and con ol o employees,
he eby al e ing exis ing powe dynamics.
4. impac on employees and
co po a e cul u e
• assess he eal impac o elewo king on employees in e ms o s ess, job sa is ac ion and pe o mance.
• examine changes in co po a e cul u e, pa icula ly wi h ega d o communica ion, collabo a ion and a
sense o belonging.
5. C i ical summa y and
p ospec s o imp o emen
• De elop a c i ical e lec ion on he adop ion o elewo king a FLCo p: does i eally con ibu e o
employee ul ilmen , o is i a s a egy o maximise p oduc i i y?
• P opose al e na i e app oaches o imp o emen s o ensu e ha elewo king is bene icial o bo h he
company and employees, aking in o accoun wo k-li e balance and well-being.
Conclusion his ic ional case s udy demons a es how he applica ion o nie zschean genealogy can p o ide c i ical
insigh s in o elewo king policies, e ealing unde lying mo i a ions and impac s on powe dynamics
and employee well-being. By applying nie zschean genealogy, i is hus possible o deepen
unde s anding o co po a e policies such as elewo king a FLCo p and explo e ways o making hem
ai e and mo e bene icial o all conce ned.
