Towards a More Nuanced Understanding of Communities: Definitions, Debates, and Dark Sides

Abstract

In this panel symposium, we collectively explore the nuanced nature of community dynamics and their consequences for individuals and organizations. Although the concept of community has longstanding presence in management literature, our understanding of the concept remains relatively vague. Many different definitions and types of communities have been discussed in various streams of literature, contributing to ambiguity around the term. Moreover, as studies about communities most often focus on their positive aspects, communities’ potential dark sides are understudied. The purpose of this panel symposium is to unpack the various definitions of communities, debate their ramifications, and rebalance our view of communities by bringing the potential dark sides of communities back into the academic fore. By considering different theoretical conceptualizations of community in organizational scholarship and in the empirical reality of communities, we hope to further the growing conversations about community and around the potential challenges of responsible engagement with the communities for organisations and scholars.