Knowledge that Transforms

Sometimes we agree to do something for a colleague, begin the project, and wonder why we said yes in the first place. As we press ahead, we end up pleasantly surprised and learn much through the process. This was my experience reading Strati’s Organizational Theory and Aesthetic Philosophies. After agreeing to read this book and write this review, I realized that I’m probably on the opposite end of most academic spectra from Strati. He’s a self-avowed interpretive sociologist, sprinkled with a heavy dose of post-modern, poststructuralist, post-human, post-humanist philosophy. I’m an economist, and my sociology leans functionalist and institutionalist; further, my philosophical journeys in the ‘‘post-’’ philosophies stopped at Wittgenstein. If I had a picture of any philosopher in my office, it would be Immanuel Kant. Though Strati and I view the world through different lenses, I pressed ahead and was indeed pleasantly surprised. The format of the book is the most unusual I’ve ever seen (and I’ve read over 400 books in my time in academia). Rather than center the book on organizational theory per se, Strati writes about his own journey to an ‘‘aesthetic view’’ of organizations, and he makes much of his case for the power of his perspective through a quasi-autobiographical and decidedly analytical treatment of six of his own photographs. From this perspective, Strati illustrates how organizations create aesthetic outcomes, but he also weaves a complex theory of how aesthetic elements affect and help define organizations. I appreciated his unique style, and the book became easier and more enjoyable to read over time and as the insights piled up. That’s not to say I converted to an interpretivist ‘‘post-’’ vision of organizations, but I gained a deeper appreciation of the aesthetic perspective and its power.