Conceptual anachronism and social construction of knowledge in organization studies: an analysis based on conceptual history

Abstract With this study, we propose the use of Koselleck's Conceptual History theoretical and methodological assumptions as a basis for critical analysis of conceptual anachronism in the Social Sciences and Organization Studies. Illustratively, we describe an example of how scholars may incur in error by neglecting semantic changes related to a particular concept and, thereby, generate a kind of anachronism as an effect of the use of polysemic and historically determined concepts to define contemporary phenomena and contexts. Therefore, the original meanings assigned by Frederick Taylor to the concept of 'organization' were gathered using onomasiologic and semasiologic analysis. Then, they were compared to the interpretations of functionalist sociologists in the 1960s. We hope, through the discussion presented, to prevent further distortions caused by anachronism in the interpretation of scientific concepts, particularly in the fields of Social Sciences and Organization Studies.