Boundary work

Ann Langley

Chapter 2.7 in Elgar Encyclopedia of Strategy as Practice, 2025, pp 132-134 from Edward Elgar Publishing

Abstract: The notion of “boundary work” originated in the sociology of science and the professions literatures. It was developed by Thomas Gieryn to refer to the macro-level discursive practices through which scientists historically distinguished themselves from non-scientists with a view to establishing their superiority and legitimacy. In the 1990s and 2000s, however, scholars began to expand the application of the concept to macro-level discursive practices, and also to more micro-level activities through which distinctions between groups might be created and sustained in everyday interactions. The term “boundary work” is quite rarely used in strategy-as-practice research. However, the concept has considerable potential as we illustrate with some empirical examples.

Keywords: Boundary Work; Boundaries; Collaboration; Competition; SAP; Strategic Practices (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
ISBN: 9781035315956
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