Turning a disadvantage into a resource: Working at the periphery

In this article, I contemplate the unique position of European management scholars in a world dominated by US management practices and theories. A European approach to management scholarship, I argue, is articulated only vis-a-vis its Other, the hegemonic US scientific discourse. While it comes with a price, an academic peripheral subject position creates a space for experimentation and flexibility, which I cherish. Thus, I argue that the disadvantage of academic periphery can and should be turned into valuable resources. I analyze three dimensions of working at the periphery – linguistic, social and cognitive, and try to demonstrate, through my own experience as an Israeli scholar, on the verge of Europe and facing the US, how these aspects can be used creatively to form opportunities for academic mobilization and advancement.