Ideology and Demystification: Tom Peters and the Managerial (Sub-) Text—An Experiential Exploration of Critique and Empowerment in the Management Classroom

Although critique has come to enjoy a well-recognized place in organizational research and scholarship, the typical business management classroom continues to be relatively underexposed to the critical program. This article represents an attempt to bring critical management scholarship closer to the business classroom. The article discusses issues such as the disciplinary status and relevance of criticism in management as well as the usefulness of the concept of ideology as a critical device. This is followed by the outlines of an experiential exercise (based on a Tom Peters video) followed by the outlines of an experiential exercise (based on a Tom Peters video) designed to engage business students in critical theorizing. Finally, some implications of the exercise are presented.