The guru's gusto: management fashion, performance and taste

Abstract

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to assess the role of management gurus in a contemporary society.Design/methodology/approachTo further understanding about the specific atmosphere favorable to the production and consumption of the guruesque ideas the paper draws on the work of Goffman and MacIntyre about the performance‐like quality of organizational life.FindingsIt is argued that the management guru is well at home in a social world in which presentation is a central theme. Hence, we portray the guru not as the messenger who brings indisputable truths to the managerial masses, but as a person who succeeds in presenting him or herself as a “tastemaker”.Research limitations/implicationsThe concept of tastemaker is still in need of more development and therefore this paper suggests three lines of further research.Practical implicationsThis paper may help managers, as important consumers of guruesque ideas, to better understand the management guru phenomenon and to reflect on their value in daily praxis.Originality/valueThe paper provides more insight into the, albeit contested, role of (dis)taste, an issue that received scant attention in discussions about management fashion and guruism.