Multiplicities of Time in Management and Organizational Research

This paper explores the multiplicity of time in organizational life through the lens of life-history interviews with business elites, conducted as part of a longitudinal Bourdieusian study of power dynamics within French and British business systems. Drawing on Braudel’s concept of the dialectic between the longue durée and l’histoire événementielle, we examine how the professional trajectories of three senior executives - a global asset management CEO, a multinational media CEO, and an energy sector managing director - reveal the interplay between sustained patience and transformative critical incidents. The findings highlight how temporal multiplicity shapes managerial agency and decision-making, demonstrating that organizational lives unfold in rhythms punctuated by pivotal moments requiring reflexive action. In emphasizing the value of patience amid turbulent conditions, we contribute to temporal theorizing in organizational studies by illuminating how historical reflexivity and temporal plurality inform leadership practices and organizational trajectories. This reflection enriches understanding of temporal dynamics that shape contemporary managerial realities.