Because we deem information and
communication technologies powerful and
revolutionary, with the potential to
shatter our concept of modernity, we
intended in this study to examine such
an eventual escape from modernity
offered by the growing virtuality
permitted by these technologies,
particularly in the administrative
field. The first part consists of three
chapters covering the basics of
virtuality, as follows: the etymological
thread tracing its philosophical
outlines; the macro-economic pattern
whose dominating discourse highlights
the emergence of a "new economy" linked
to growing virtualization; and finally
the administrative basis of
organizations enjoying improved
efficiency due to virtuality. The second
part deviates from conventional
discourse, particularly in reformulating
the study's focus to delve into the
conditions allowing its birth and
growth, in order to understand the
context of modernity. After a review of
the principal constituent elements of
modernity, we have constructed a hybrid
of this useful conceptual framework,
employing a typology of four possible
areas of organizational virtualization:
sales, product, structure and internal
management procedures. Next, in the
third section, we sought to test this
theoretical construction through
questioning actors with important roles
to play in the rapid development of
organizational virtuality, the
expert-advisors who are the virtualizers
par excellence. Asking them about their
vision of virtuality uncovered aspects
which they are developing and allowed us
to relate these to the constituent
dimensions of modernity. In the fourth
section we reached the conclusion that,
despite revolutionary labels referring
to breakdowns and postmodernity, there
was no escape from modernity. Instead we
are witnessing the emergence of a
virtual modernity, which virtualizes
itself and its own dimensions while
reversing the socio-political
transcendence that the twentieth century
experienced in favour of the immanence
of the techno-economic. After having set
forth the limits of our inquiry, we have
underlined its contributions on both the
theoretical and empirical fronts, as
well as its implications for the
discipline of management, to conclude by
suggesting that the modernization in
progress which we categorize as virtual,
is a rich and fruitful concept
especially in axiological terms for
managers in search of virtuality. Key
words: virtual, abstraction, management,
ITC, modernity, power.
Because we deem information and communication technologies powerful and revolutionary, with the potential to shatter our concept of modernity, we intended in this study to examine such an eventual escape from modernity offered by the growing virtuality permitted by these technologies, particularly in the administrative field. The first part consists of three chapters covering the basics of virtuality, as follows: the etymological thread tracing its philosophical outlines; the macro-economic pattern whose dominating discourse highlights the emergence of a "new economy" linked to growing virtualization; and finally the administrative basis of organizations enjoying improved efficiency due to virtuality. The second part deviates from conventional discourse, particularly in reformulating the study's focus to delve into the conditions allowing its birth and growth, in order to understand the context of modernity. After a review of the principal constituent elements of modernity, we have constructed a hybrid of this useful conceptual framework, employing a typology of four possible areas of organizational virtualization: sales, product, structure and internal management procedures. Next, in the third section, we sought to test this theoretical construction through questioning actors with important roles to play in the rapid development of organizational virtuality, the expert-advisors who are the virtualizers par excellence. Asking them about their vision of virtuality uncovered aspects which they are developing and allowed us to relate these to the constituent dimensions of modernity. In the fourth section we reached the conclusion that, despite revolutionary labels referring to breakdowns and postmodernity, there was no escape from modernity. Instead we are witnessing the emergence of a virtual modernity, which virtualizes itself and its own dimensions while reversing the socio-political transcendence that the twentieth century experienced in favour of the immanence of the techno-economic. After having set forth the limits of our inquiry, we have underlined its contributions on both the theoretical and empirical fronts, as well as its implications for the discipline of management, to conclude by suggesting that the modernization in progress which we categorize as virtual, is a rich and fruitful concept especially in axiological terms for managers in search of virtuality. Key words: virtual, abstraction, management, ITC, modernity, power.
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