Purpose – The paper seeks to analyze the discourse of meaning and interpretation in the social sciences. It aims to provide a historical overview of the hermeneutics and the need for scientific as well as general understanding, and to emphasize the importance of the interpretive approach in management history.
Design/methodology/approach – The paper provides an in-depth literature review of interpretation.
Findings – Interpretative approach is a basic building block of all science and management praxis.
Research limitations/implications – Literature is limited to social science.
Practical implications – The paper highlights the importance of interpretation in management dialogue and praxis, vis-à-vis a sole reliance on rationalistic methods.
Originality/value – The originality of the paper lies in the scope of its literature review and the broad understanding it provides for management praxis