Using Knowledge from Management Science in the Context of the Church: Possibilities and Limitations

Abstract

Like any other organization, orders also have to adjust their way of managing to cope with the changing environment. Although they live behind the walls of the monastery, these walls are becoming more and more permeable (e.g. the impact of the internet). Some are doing this by looking for ways to transfer management knowledge and tools from the corporate world. But such “managerialism” has clear limits. If they are not perceived and respected it puts the monastic community in danger. In this chapter the authors reflect on the possibilities and limitations of using knowledge of management science in the context of the church. They see a clear danger in doing too much of this managerialism; to find the right measure it takes a lot of sensibility towards the specific context.