Management theory: jungle, myth or hoax?

Willmott, Hugh ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1321-7041 2025. Management theory: jungle, myth or hoax? Academy of Management Review 10.5465/amr.2023.0098

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Abstract

Two stories, revolving around the metaphors of jungle and myth, dominate accounts of mainstream management theory (MMT). An alternative metaphor, the hoax, is proposed as an alternative. Drawing parallels with the fable of the Emperor’s New Clothes, the analysis revives an explicit engagement of metaphors to theorize MMT as a phenomenon of interest. Four features of hoaxes relevant for theorizing MMT are proposed and explicated: mendacity; fantasies of control; stifling critical reflection; and normalized cynicism. The relevance of the hoax metaphor is further demonstrated by addressing its status as theory; its relevance to the study of “grand challenges”; the possibility of reconciling MMT and critical management studies (CMS); and the future of management education.

Item Type:	Article
Date Type:	Published Online
Status:	In Press
Schools:	Schools > Business (Including Economics)
Subjects:	H Social Sciences > HD Industries. Land use. Labor > HD28 Management. Industrial Management
Publisher:	Academy of Management
ISSN:	0363-7425
Date of First Compliant Deposit:	15 May 2026
Last Modified:	18 May 2026 12:45
URI:	https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/187017

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