The Implications of Postmodern Paradigm in Global Management and International Strategies

Much of what is discussed and learned in philosophy can be applied in virtually any endeavour. Since the decade of the nineties, philosophical considerations have been introduced throughout organization studies, as they have in most of the social sciences. In the philosophical field, our society has witnessed the transition from modernity to the post-modern era. Normally, then, the dichotomy is framed as one of postmodernism versus modernism. The key assumptions of postmodernism (suspension of space, compression of time, subjectivity, individualism, the orientation of scientific research towards the production of innovative outputs and interregional cultural diversity) may have implications on the way corporations are organized and compete worldwide. Thus, the application of philosophical concepts in the business setting may influence the organizational structure, the strategic imperatives and the technological environment of the contemporary globally-competing enterprise. The purpose of this paper is to provide some insights for the potential contribution of post-modern leitmotifs to a change of paradigm which is well observed in the wider international management and strategic field. In particular, we attempt to associate the core principles of postmodernism with the strategic and organizational evolution of multinational corporations.