Beyond Morgan’s eight metaphors: Adding to and developing organization theory

Abstract

This introduction examines the contributions of articles in this special issue to organization theory, especially efforts to rethink or add to Morgan’s metaphors and to generate new organizational images. In general, the articles in this issue offer new metaphors and sub-metaphors and enrich specifications for two of Morgan’s images. Moreover, they address ways of rethinking Morgan’s images through developing meta-metaphors and comparing his images with other sets of metaphors. In addition, the contributors to this special issue rely on a number of ways to generate new metaphors, namely through evaluation and critique, empirical and experiential observations, fantasy, and conceptual development. This introduction concludes with an appeal for scholars to increase their knowledge of Morgan’s metaphors, especially what they are and what they entail.