Metaphor, cultural imagery, and the study of change in public organizations

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate how mechanistic and organic metaphors might be fused through the application of cultural imagery. Design/methodology/approach – This paper is a theoretical examination of metaphor and its application in public organizations. Specifically, this paper examines the possibility that images from popular culture might offer some insights. Selected metaphors linked by elective methodological affinities are examined in order to determine potential significance of the Robocop metaphor for guiding research in organizations. Findings – The popular culture image Robocop from 1980s films can help us detect what is not being included in most theoretical analyses of public organizations, while simultaneously helping us to purge the negative connotations of the Robocop image. Research limitations/implications – The popular culture image can help us to understand change in public organizations. Originality/value – It is one of the few, if any, papers using popular culture images to bridge metaphor and imagery in the study of organizational change.