The contribution of Thomas Kuhn for the scientific production in management

Abstract

This study aims to examine how the concepts developed by Kuhn in The structure of scientific revolutions work have and can contribute to studies of the administration area. Another objective is to verify if the administration area uses the term paradigm as the meaning assigned by Kuhn. A literature and bibliometric search was performed in the studies of the EnANPAD, from 1997 to 2007. It was found, in the 66 studies with quotes from Kuhn (1962), that the areas of EnANPAD that have more articles citing the author are from education and research and organizational studies. It was found that, the most revised studies employs the term paradigm as the meaning assigned by Kuhn (1962) and that the most cited concepts are scientific revolution, paradigm, pre-paradigmatic stage and normal sciences. It was identified as such concepts are contributing to the administration, especially as regards to the understanding of characteristics of this study area.