History in Management Learning: A Multi-temporal Reflexive Approach

This article explores the role of history in management learning. Our starting point is the notion of historical reflexivity, which promotes a non-linear analysis of what becomes taken-for-granted, acknowledging that past, present, and future are bound up with the historical development of management and organization. Our analysis recalibrates historical reflexivity to emphasize its multi-temporal character, examining how multi-temporal reflexivity impacts on the practice, performance, and future-directed vision of individual managers. We approach this from the perspective of three practising managers: entrepreneurs based in Northeast England, who built up a business which they later sold, before turning to philanthropy. All three had experienced in their personal history lingering painful episodes that exerted ongoing influence in the present and future. We show that multi-temporal reflexivity is intrinsically multi-level, as reflexive learning gleaned from formative personal experience is redirected towards the organization, community, and society; harnessed to build positive social futures for others.