Exit and Organization Studies: Escaping an Epistemic Trap

In spite of the volume of theoretical attention paid to concepts of leadership, there has been little work investigating how assumptions included in concepts of organization have influenced work in the organizational leadership field. Specifically, the concept of exit from organizations, and individual post-exit relations with former groups, in particular, has seen little theory or empirical investigation. This article employs a critical literature review to show that assumptions inherent in concepts of organization, such as prioritizing efficiency and profit production, preclude organizational leadership theories from expanding upon concepts of exit. These assumptions begin with the Weberian concepts of Bureaucracy and continue today in studies of market exit and employee turnover. This review shows that these assumptions have restricted organizational studies research from expanding into additional fields and organizational types, such as religious, separatist, and political organizations. Additionally, this review points towards fruitful new areas of research, through an analysis of New Religious Movements as they apply to organizational leadership studies and the development of an improved survey for measuring turnover in organizations.