Theorizing the Intersection of Time and Control

The interconnection between time and control has long been a subject of research for management scholarship (e.g., Fredrick Taylor’s Time and Motion studies). In this symposium, we bring together a series of papers that theorize regarding the relationship between these two important concepts. First, the symposium considers differences between individual and manager perceptions of controlling the boundaries between work and non-work. Then, we examine the organizational conditions that may support (or undermine) this individual-level autonomy, including how organizational controls over time are leveraged by managers, as well as how employees might resist these controls. Finally, the symposium examines concerns regarding how time affect workers’ approaches to their day-to-day work, including individual (versus organizational) goals. The discussants highlight key themes and consider future research on the intersection of time and control. Ultimately, this symposium aims to further management scholars’ understanding of how these key concepts interweave, interlock, and interrelate, in order to further management theory.