A metaphysical investigation into the discipline of strategic management based on Wittgenstein's later philosophy

Abstract

Strategic management is a discipline that holds a significant promise for organisations. However, the discipline is fragmented, with a persistent stalemate of incompatible theories. Some researchers are beginning to use philosophical approaches to address these issues by interrogating the foundational questions of the discipline. The arguments in this thesis build on the philosophical approach by applying Wittgenstein’s later philosophy to strategic management. Wittgenstein sought to address problems in philosophy by dissolving them, meaning that he sought to show how, when seen in the right perspective, that which were thought to be problems are really misunderstandings of the way language functions. Similarly, this research attempts to dissolve some of the fundamental problems in strategic management using Wittgenstein’s later philosophical method.