Ecologies of Memories: Memory Work Within and Between Organizations and Communities

In this paper we review and synthesize the growing sociology-informed literature on organizational memory studies (OMS). Sociological approaches have recently emerged in management and organization studies focused on the study of collective memory as a social construction of the past. To organize this literature, we develop an ecological view of collective memory. This perspective sees organizations as constituted by a variety of mnemonic communities and, simultaneously, part of a broader ecology of mnemonic communities. We use this framework to guide our review of the various forms of memory work within and between mnemonic communities. Our review shows that much of the sociologically-informed research has focused on memory work within communities. We also identify an emerging interest in the study of memory work between communities. In conclusion, we discuss possible future directions and outline a three-point agenda for future research that calls for a better understanding of the relational dynamics of memory with a focus on how it is collectively organized, how it is influenced by ethical and institutional standards, and how it is used for political and commercial purposes.