Tackling Grand Challenges : Insights and Contributions From Practice Theories

Anja Danner-Schroeder; Christian Mahringer; Kathrin Sele; Paula Jarzabkowski; Linda Rouleau; Martha Feldman; Brian Pentland; Marleen Huysman; Anastasia V. Sergeeva; Silvia Gherardi; Kathleen M. Sutcliffe; Joel Gehman

doi:10.1177/10564926241292262

Tackling Grand Challenges : Insights and Contributions From Practice Theories

Anja Danner-Schroeder
, Christian Mahringer
, Kathrin Sele^*
, Paula Jarzabkowski
, Linda Rouleau
, Martha Feldman
, Brian Pentland
, Marleen Huysman
, Anastasia V. Sergeeva
, Silvia Gherardi
, Kathleen M. Sutcliffe
, Joel Gehman

^*Corresponding author for this work

Department of Management Studies

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Scientific › peer-review

5 Citations (Web of Science)

2 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

This curated debate discusses the value of practice theories in studying, understanding and tackling grand challenges. Practice theories assume that social phenomena are constituted through everyday doings and sayings. Building on this premise, the different contributions in this curated debate go beyond the assumption that grand challenges are abstract phenomena. The authors argue that grand challenges are enacted through mundane, situated actions that are often hidden in plain sight. Building on their research, they suggest that understanding grand challenges requires scholars to approach phenomena as nondualistic. Accordingly, they reveal that situated actions are not self-contained but related across space and time, requiring scholars to adopt a relational perspective. The debate concludes with a call for action as we embrace our dual role as scholars and citizens.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	143-166
Number of pages	24
Journal	Journal of Management Inquiry
Volume	34
Issue number	2
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1177/10564926241292262
Publication status	Published - Apr 2025
MoE publication type	A1 Journal article-refereed

Funding

Kathrin Sele acknowledges funding from the Academy of Finland Research Fellow Grant #321362. Christian Mahringer acknowledges funding by the WIN program of the Heidelberg Academy of Sciences and Humanities, financed by the Ministry of Science, Research and the Arts of the State of Baden-Wurttemberg. Marleen Huysman and Anastasia Sergeeva acknowledge the funding under the Open Competition program by the Dutch Research Council (NWO), file number 406.18.EB.030.

Keywords

relationality
grand challenges
extreme contexts
routine dynamics
strategy-as-practice
situated actions
consequentiality
posthumanism
practice theories
technology-as-practice

Access to Document

10.1177/10564926241292262Licence: CC BY

Danner-Schroder-et-al_Tackling_grand_challenges_insights_and_contributions_from_practice_theories_2025Final published version, 2.94 MBLicence: CC BY

Cite this

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title = "Tackling Grand Challenges : Insights and Contributions From Practice Theories",

abstract = "This curated debate discusses the value of practice theories in studying, understanding and tackling grand challenges. Practice theories assume that social phenomena are constituted through everyday doings and sayings. Building on this premise, the different contributions in this curated debate go beyond the assumption that grand challenges are abstract phenomena. The authors argue that grand challenges are enacted through mundane, situated actions that are often hidden in plain sight. Building on their research, they suggest that understanding grand challenges requires scholars to approach phenomena as nondualistic. Accordingly, they reveal that situated actions are not self-contained but related across space and time, requiring scholars to adopt a relational perspective. The debate concludes with a call for action as we embrace our dual role as scholars and citizens.",

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doi = "10.1177/10564926241292262",

language = "English",

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AU - Jarzabkowski, Paula

AU - Rouleau, Linda

AU - Feldman, Martha

AU - Pentland, Brian

AU - Huysman, Marleen

AU - Sergeeva, Anastasia V.

AU - Gherardi, Silvia

AU - Sutcliffe, Kathleen M.

AU - Gehman, Joel

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AB - This curated debate discusses the value of practice theories in studying, understanding and tackling grand challenges. Practice theories assume that social phenomena are constituted through everyday doings and sayings. Building on this premise, the different contributions in this curated debate go beyond the assumption that grand challenges are abstract phenomena. The authors argue that grand challenges are enacted through mundane, situated actions that are often hidden in plain sight. Building on their research, they suggest that understanding grand challenges requires scholars to approach phenomena as nondualistic. Accordingly, they reveal that situated actions are not self-contained but related across space and time, requiring scholars to adopt a relational perspective. The debate concludes with a call for action as we embrace our dual role as scholars and citizens.

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KW - technology-as-practice

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Tackling Grand Challenges : Insights and Contributions From Practice Theories

Abstract

Funding

Keywords

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Tackling Grand Challenges : Insights and Contributions From Practice Theories

Abstract

Funding

Keywords

Access to Document

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Projects

SA/Algorithmic routines: Algoritmiset rutiinit - Organisoimisen sosiomateriaalisen ja ajallisen luonteen jäljittäminen digitalisoituvassa maailmassa

Cite this