European Group for Organizational Studies

The European Group for Organizational Studies (EGOS) is a scholarly, non-profit association dedicated to the theoretical and empirical advancement of knowledge about organizations, organizing and the contexts in which organizations operate. Founded in November 1973 by 13 European scientists from seven countries, EGOS began as an international network sustained through conferences, personal relationships and the dissemination of information, knowledge and dialogue. Its legal seat is in Brussels, Belgium, where it is registered under Belgian law as an association with a scientific and pedagogical objective. EGOS has its intellectual roots in the social sciences and embraces a pluralistic approach to understanding organizations, drawing on sociology, social history, political science, psychology and anthropology as well as the humanities, including philosophy, discourse analysis, literary criticism and rhetoric. One of its central aims is to maintain and provide a voice for the critical and analytical approaches of its members to the study of organization worldwide. The association is best known for its annual EGOS Colloquium, a major international gathering that has been held in cities such as Barcelona, Lisbon, Gothenburg, Helsinki, Montréal, Rotterdam, Athens, Naples, Copenhagen, Tallinn, Edinburgh and Hamburg. The Colloquium is organized around a general theme and numerous sub-themes, with pre-Colloquium workshops and plenary sessions. EGOS also supports Standing Working Groups (SWGs) that meet regularly and coordinate research across organizational studies. EGOS publishes the journal Organization Studies, which it launched in collaboration with the publisher Walter de Gruyter in 1975. David J. Hickson, a founding member, served as editor-in-chief from 1980 to 1990. In 2002 SAGE Publications took over publication of the journal, which is widely regarded as a leading and influential outlet in the field. The association also recognizes distinguished scholars through honorary membership and awards, including the EGOS Annual Award in Honour of Max Boisot. Governed by a Board and a chair, EGOS has evolved from a loosely knit network of personal and professional relationships into a formally registered international association. Its secretariat has been located in various places over the years and is currently in Berlin, Germany. Through its Colloquium, working groups, journal and awards, EGOS remains a central platform for organization studies in Europe and increasingly worldwide.

The European Group for Organizational Studies (EGOS) was founded in November 1973 by 13 European scientists from seven countries. The initiative is attributed to the American sociologist Michael Aiken, then at KU Leuven, who observed at a 1973 conference at the Netherlands Institute for Advanced Study (NIAS) in Wassenaar that European researchers were very familiar with even second-rate American research but had little knowledge of the work of their immediate neighbours. Aiken persuaded Michel Crozier, who contacted the Maison des Sciences de l'Homme (MSH) in Paris; that same year a meeting of leading sociologists was organized, including Aiken, Michel Crozier, Werner Ackermann, Jean-Claude Thoenig, Peter Atteslander, Franco Ferraresi, Erhard Friedberg, David J. Hickson and Cor Lammers. Cor Lammers (1998) described this meeting as the constituting assembly for the founding of EGOS. Royston Greenwood et al. (2010) confirm that EGOS was the result of an initiative by sociologists rather than management researchers, and also name Renate Mayntz as a significant influence. EGOS's initial structure was based on a Coordinating Committee of three members, national correspondents who implemented events in their own countries, a changing Organizing Committee for the then biennial Colloquia, and the initiation of Autonomous Working Groups. The first secretariat was set up in 1974 at the MSH in Paris; since its founding the secretariat has been located in ten different places and is currently in Berlin, Germany. The first EGOS Colloquium was held in 1975 in Bréau-sans-Nappe, a locality in Boinville-le-Gaillard in the Arrondissement of Rambouillet, southwest of Paris, with support from the MSH. Colloquia followed annually, including in Arresøhoi, Denmark (1974) and Speyer, Germany (1975). For about 25 years EGOS remained a loosely woven network of personal and professional relationships, Colloquia and working groups. Only in 1998 was this loose network transformed, with a foundation from Finland, into a formally registered association in Brussels under Belgian law. Closely linked to EGOS's development is the journal Organization Studies. In collaboration with the publisher Walter de Gruyter, EGOS began publishing the journal in 1975. From 1980 the founding member David J. Hickson served as editor-in-chief until 1990. In 2002 SAGE Publications took over publication of the highly regarded and influential journal (Impact Factor 2011: 2.382). According to Greenwood et al. (2010), the journal's development from a generically European approach to a global approach reflects EGOS's own development toward increasingly global approaches that incorporate other, especially North American, perspectives. As a registered association, EGOS must elect a supervisory body, the Board, headed by a chair. In 2014 the chair, succeeding Renate E. Meyer (Wirtschaftsuniversität Wien), was Silviya Svejenova (Copenhagen Business School), with Mike Geppert (Friedrich-Schiller-Universität Jena) as deputy. Renate E. Meyer took on the role of Treasurer in the 2014 Board. Other Board members included Ola Bergström (University of Gothenburg), Ann Langley (HEC Montréal), Yiannis Gabriel (University of Bath), David C. Wilson (Open University), Frank den Hond (Hanken School of Economics), Robin Holt (University of Liverpool), Paula Jarzabkowski (City University London) and the head of the secretariat. David Seidl (University of Zurich) left the Board in 2014; Eero Vaara (Hanken School of Economics) and David Courpasson (EM Lyon) left in 2013. EGOS activities include the annual Colloquium, which by 2012 had reached its 28th edition, held at Aalto University in Helsinki from 2 to 7 July 2012. The 29th Colloquium was to take place in Montréal, the 30th in Rotterdam in 2014, and the 2015 venue was to be Tallinn, Estonia. Lecturers from around the world give presentations at the Colloquia. Work is carried out in Standing Working Groups (SWGs) on topics from the organizational sciences, coordinated by specialists from around the world. SWGs must be formed according to fixed rules and meet at least four times a year, with a report on results submitted to the Board after the third meeting. In its founding period EGOS was strongly influenced by members of the Aston Group, whose multidisciplinary approach anticipated EGOS's own. Among the founding members was David J. Hickson, part of the first generation of Astonians. Besides Hickson, other people from the Aston milieu took on the editor-in-chief role at Organization Studies, for example David C. Wilson, John Child and Stewart Clegg. Since 1998 EGOS has recognized researchers who did pioneering work and whose research has proved to be sustainable contributions to the advancement of knowledge in the social sciences around organization and organizing. The recipients of this honorary membership are: 1998 David J. Hickson; 2000 James G. March; 2001 Cornelis J. Lammers; 2002 Renate Mayntz; 2003 Bob Hinings; 2004 Michael Aiken; 2005 Jean-Claude Thoenig; 2006 John Child; 2007 Johan P. Olsen; 2008 Silvia Gherardi; 2009 Nils Brunsson; 2010 Arndt Sorge; 2011 Barbara Czarniawska; 2012 Alfred Kieser; 2013 Royston Greenwood; 2014 Cynt... (list truncated in source).

• 2020

  EGOS Colloquium held in Hamburg.

• 2019

  EGOS Colloquium held in Edinburgh.

• 2018

  EGOS Colloquium held in Tallinn.

• 2017

  EGOS Colloquium held in Copenhagen.

• 2016

  EGOS Colloquium held in Naples.

• 2015

  EGOS Colloquium held in Tallinn, Estonia.

• 2014

  30th EGOS Colloquium planned for Rotterdam; Silviya Svejenova serves as Chair, Mike Geppert as Deputy Chair; David Seidl leaves the Board.

• 2013

  29th EGOS Colloquium held in Montréal; Board members Eero Vaara and David Courpasson leave the Board.

• 2012

  28th EGOS Colloquium held at Aalto University, Helsinki, 2–7 July.

• 2002

  SAGE Publications takes over publication of Organization Studies.

• 1998

  EGOS transformed from a loose network into a formally registered association in Brussels under Belgian law, with support from a Finnish foundation; honorary membership scheme begins.

• 1980

  Founding member David J. Hickson becomes editor-in-chief of Organization Studies, serving until 1990.

• 1975

  First EGOS Colloquium held in Bréau-sans-Nappe, France; journal Organization Studies launched with publisher Walter de Gruyter; Colloquium also held in Speyer, Germany.

• 1974

  First secretariat established at the Maison des Sciences de l'Homme (MSH) in Paris; Colloquium held in Arresøhoi, Denmark.

• 1973

  EGOS founded in November by 13 European scientists from seven countries; constituting meeting organized via the Maison des Sciences de l'Homme in Paris.

A leading European and increasingly global scholarly association for organization studies, known for its pluralistic, critical and analytical approach and its annual Colloquium.

• EGOS Colloquium

  Annual international conference organized around a general theme and numerous sub-themes, with pre-Colloquium workshops and plenary sessions.

• Organization Studies

  Scholarly journal launched in 1975 with Walter de Gruyter; published by SAGE Publications since 2002.

• Standing Working Groups (SWGs)

  Research groups on organizational science topics that meet at least four times a year and report to the Board.

• EGOS Annual Award in Honour of Max Boisot

  An award recognizing distinguished contributions in the field.

1. 1EGOS official websiteegosnet.org
2. 2EGOS History – Short Overviewegosnet.org
3. 3About EGOSegosnet.org
4. 4EGOS Statutesegosnet.org
5. 5Wikidata: European Group for Organizational Studieswikidata.org
6. 6Wikipedia (German): European Group for Organizational Studiesde.wikipedia.org