ABSTRACT
This chapter offers an introduction to and reflection on the changing context of organizing, meaning as a process and as a fundamental truth, and of art as a way of bridging the gap in empty times. A possible way of looking at organization and management, without resorting to reductionism, is one informed by art and the philosophy of aesthetics. Art can be treated as a kind of practical moral compass that helps with ethical and moral questions, and it can also be an inspiration for managers who seek new ideas in relation to internal problems of the organization as well as to market activities. Aesthetics offers a rich epistemological framework for research and description, thanks to which it is possible to study the phenomena of an organization without the radical simplification of their complexity. Finally, art produces tools to reflect on the presence of the aesthetic dimension, which is often overlooked in the rationalistic discourse on management. Nearly every human activity has or can have an aesthetic dimension; thus, an important aspect of the success of an organization’s functioning is its aesthetic value.
