Travelling Theory/Nomadic Theorizing

The production of theories and the reception accorded to them are shaped by context. But under conditions of globalization both theories and theorists now travel. This paper explores the implications of this cultural situation for how the texts of organization might be understood. This is undertaken through a comparison between travelling theory and nomadic theorizing, a comparison which draws upon the writings of Geertz, Kondo, Said and Spivak, and which makes use of the contrast between differentiation and difference. The significance of this contrast for organization theory is illustrated via an analysis of the meaning of McDonald's hamburgers.