PODER, A ANALíTICA FOUCAULTIANA E POSSíVEIS (DES)CAMINHOS: UMA REFLEX O SOBRE AS RELA ES DE PODER EM ORGANIZA ES FAMILIARES

Despite its scope and relevance, the issue of power has been crafted in a diffuse manner, or even treated as a marginal element to other traditional subjects in the field of Administration. In this sense, the purpose of this essay is to shed light on some core elements of the analytical power of Michel Foucault and its possible contributions to examine the present organizational practices in family businesses. This essay is structured in three parts. At first, the power relations are discussed based on the Foucauldian concept, outlining the main ideas of this philosopher in order to build an alternative to orthodoxy represented by the functionalist design. Following, are briefly outlines the history of research on family business in Brazil, highlighting the emphasis that encompasses the area and its main epistemological implications. The last part presents some reflections and implications on the possibility of using a Foucauldian approach to examine the practices in family firms. In summary, it emphasizes the importance to deviate from this theoretical framework to reflect the bonds without traditional paradigms.