Academics are knowledge workers who often teach other knowledge workers. Yet, we rarely consider how our knowledge can guide how we share and impart it. Pedagogical research provides valuable insights into teaching methods, student engagement, and learning outcomes. However, in this talk, I will explore how organization theory (OT) itself can offer insights into how we teach it. Organization theory is not merely a subject to be taught—it is a lens that can illuminate classroom dynamics, the structuring of learning environments, and the cultivation of intellectual communities.
I will reflect on this teaching approach while sharing my perspective on the purpose of teaching organizational theory: to form organizational citizens. These are a version of sociological citizens who understand both the mechanics of organizations and their broader societal roles. Organizational citizens are individuals equipped to critically engage with the structures they inhabit, challenge assumptions, and contribute to shaping organizations that are more inclusive, ethical, and responsive to societal needs.
In this context, teaching OT goes beyond imparting frameworks and models. If we acknowledge that organizations permeate and shape our world, it follows that training students in this discipline is equipping them to navigate their realities. Thus, learning OT becomes akin to acquiring a compass that supports thoughtful participation in social life.
About the presenter
Pedro Monteiro, an Assistant Professor at Copenhagen Business School and a Malmsten Early Career Scholar at Gothenburg University, will deliver the talk. His research focuses on how organizations develop, recognize, and integrate expertise. Pedro also explores how expertise in organizational theory connects to everyday understandings and theories about organizing.
Pedro was a finalist for the DSEB Education Award in 2023. He serves on the editorial boards of Organization Science and Organization Studies and is a representative-at-large for the Organization and Management Theory Division at AOM. He co-founded the Talking About Organizations Podcast, which has brought foundational insights on organization theory to over a million listeners. He is also part of the Ethnography Atelier, an online collective that aims to democratize access to expertise in ethnographic and other qualitative research methods.
