Representations of Space, Spatial Practices and Spaces of Representation: An Application of Lefebvre’s Spatial Triad

Abstract

This paper introduces the work of the philosopher Henri Lefebvre into the field of organisational analysis. In particular it is intended to suggest that Lefebvre’s considerations of space have the potential to provide a rich and insightful exploration of organisational space, which is not afforded by many of the current approaches taken in this field. His development of a spatial triad suggests an approach to organisational analysis that facilitates the contemplation of social, physical and mental spaces to provide an integrated view of organisational space, an approach that is in contrast to many current discussions of organisational space in which the focus is often on only a singular aspect of space. It reveals some of the possibilities inherent in Lefebvre’s theories, through providing an analysis of a specific organisational event from a Lefebvrian perspective and exploring some of the implications of this type of approach for organisational analysis.