The phenomenon of NGOs: a lateral reading from Latin America

Purpose ‐ The purpose of this paper is to ask what can be learned from contemporary resistance to neo-liberal policies in Latin America, in terms of broadening the disciplinary understanding of civil society actors. Design/methodology/approach ‐ Management, international management, and non-profit management studies are reviewed and assessed through a lateral reading. Findings ‐ The field of management studies and the sub-field of international management are identified as parochial in orientation, ignoring the diversity of local management knowledge and the organizational settings where practiced. Originality/value ‐ The paper demonstrates the narrow foci of the field of management, on Northern contexts, and large international business organizations. It calls for greater sensitivity to the diverse and significant efforts to resist and mitigate neo-liberal policies globally.