Professor Mats Alvesson is a distinguished scholar and leading authority in organizational studies whose critical perspectives have reshaped understanding of leadership and organizational phenomena across multiple continents. He currently serves as Professor of Organization Studies at the University of Bath while maintaining significant affiliations with Lund University, Stockholm School of Economics, and City, University of London. With a career spanning over three decades, Professor Alvesson previously held full professorships at Gothenburg University (1991-1994) and Lund University (1994-present), along with distinguished appointments at the University of Queensland Business School (2008-present) and City University London (2013-present). His academic journey has established him as one of Europe's most influential voices in critical management studies and qualitative research methodology.
Professor Alvesson's groundbreaking conceptual work on 'functional stupidity' and organizational sludge has fundamentally transformed how scholars and practitioners understand unreflective practices within organizations, with his co-authored book 'The Stupidity Paradox' (2016) becoming a seminal text in critical management studies. His research has generated extensive scholarly impact, establishing him as the most cited European scholar in management and organization studies according to multiple academic assessments. The development of the 'reflexive leadership' framework and his critical analyses of organizational culture have catalyzed a paradigm shift toward more thoughtful, ethical approaches to management practice. His methodological innovations in qualitative research, particularly through works like 'Re-imagining the Research Process' (2021), have provided researchers with sophisticated tools for conducting creative, impactful organizational research.
Beyond his research achievements, Professor Alvesson has been instrumental in building the global community of critical management scholars through his editorial leadership of major journals and his founding role in methodological initiatives that promote imaginative research approaches. Recognized with numerous prestigious honors including election as a Fellow of the British Academy (2022), the Herbert Simon Award (2024), and the International Leadership Association Lifetime Achievement Award (2025), his influence continues to expand across disciplinary boundaries. He remains actively engaged in advancing his conceptual frameworks through upcoming works including 'The Art of Less' (2025) with André Spicer, which extends his critique of organizational excess. Professor Alvesson's enduring legacy lies in his unwavering commitment to challenging conventional wisdom and fostering more thoughtful, meaningful approaches to organizational life that prioritize human dignity over instrumental efficiency.
