Exploring the Use of Visual Metaphors in Teaching Business and Management Subjects

Nuria Camps

doi:10.18646/2056.73.20-024

Abstract

The use of visual metaphors has received growing attention in recent years, but their widespread use is not without certain challenges. The most common critique of visual metaphors in teaching indicates that they can be misleading as the meaning attributed by the recipient can be far apart from the intended one. This can make learning less intuitive and even create confusion. This paper explores the merits and demerits of the use of visual metaphors in business education.

Highlights

The use of metaphor aids learning through the storytelling, rich imagery, and relatable fictional settings associated with it
The linguistic metaphors presented by Gareth Morgan in Images of Organization have been having a significant impact upon organisational studies and business education, inspiring thousands of students, practitioners and scholars over the decades since the book was published in 1986
This paper offers an overview of the current use of linguistic and visual metaphors in business education reflecting on the need for a more visualised, engaging approach to teaching and learning grounded in a focused use of visual representation of academic concepts

Summary

Introduction

The use of metaphor aids learning through the storytelling, rich imagery, and relatable fictional settings associated with it. The linguistic metaphors presented by Gareth Morgan in Images of Organization have been having a significant impact upon organisational studies and business education, inspiring thousands of students, practitioners and scholars over the decades since the book was published in 1986. This long-lasting appeal of the metaphors introduced lies in their simplicity and potential to evoke mental images which communicate complex theoretical concepts to a novice audience and guide further independent exploration of theory leading to a deeper understanding. In order to demonstrate this potential of metaphorical thinking the conceptual and perceptual metaphors are reviewed and the ways visual metaphors enhance cognitive processes are examined

Metaphors and sense-making

Conceptual Metaphors

Perceptual Metaphors

The Why Factor

Conclusion