Management Aesthetics

Book excerpt: This edited collection presents the complex theory of kitsch from aesthetic and artistic points of view, transposed into managerial and organisational fields. In the spirit of management aesthetics, on the ground of humanistic management, the central aim of the volume is to show that kitsch is a common phenomenon not only in art and culture but also in management, and its conscious perception and mindful use may be beneficial for achieving organisational and managerial goals efficiently. Due to the diverse research problems covered by particular chapters, no unified methodology is applied in the book; every author applied an optimal method for the selected topic. However, due to the complex and metaphysical character of the kitsch phenomenon, the only common fundament of all chapters is using the kitsch experience theory (Szostak and Sułkowski, 2020). The dominant analytical approach is qualitative, with extensive use of case studies, comparative analyses, and ethnographic focus. Despite this, some chapters also include the application of the quantitative approach for the hypotheses’ verification. This book makes a giant step ahead of its competitors by implementing the kitsch theory, especially the kitsch experience theory in a broad spectrum of managerial and organisational fields like marketing, advertising, brand management, business communication, entrepreneurship, leadership, decision-making, human resource management, corporate social responsibility, city space management, management of technology and innovation, and organisational culture. It should be a must-read for researchers, academics, practitioners, and advanced students in these fields.