Dr Brigitte Biehl-Missal

Visiting Researcher  

Email: bbb@aber.ac.uk 

Research

Brigitte’s research interests focus on the aesthetic side of organizations, including the relationship of theatre and organizations and the cross-fertilization of the arts and leadership, arts-based methods and artistic interventions. Her work deals with issues of communication, including visual imagery of organizations and their leaders, and architecture. Research approaches are interdisciplinary in nature, informed by philosophical traditions and situated in the broader area of critical management studies.

Biography

Brigitte Biehl-Missal is a researcher, lecturer and author, and a consultant for creative processes and arts-in-business. She studied Theatre, Film and Media Studies with Business Studies in Frankfurt, Paris and Aberystwyth, and was awarded the German newcomer Public Relations Award by DPRG for her work about the presentations of top executives. Her perspective benefits from her own practical experience as a former PR, financial communications consultant and freelance business journalist, and her involvement in a number of socio-political artistic projects and performances.

Publications

Recent Papers

  • Biehl-Missal, B. &  Saren, M. (forthcoming 2012) ‘Atmospheres of Seduction: A Critique of Aesthetic Marketing Practices’. Journal of Macromarketing  
  • Biehl-Missal, B. (forthcoming 2012) ‘Using Artistic Form for Aesthetic Organizational Inquiry: Rimini Protokoll Constructs Daimler’s Annual General Meeting as a Theatre Play’. Culture and Organization  http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/14759551.2011.634194
  • - (forthcoming 2012/2013) ‘Atmosphere of the Image: An Aesthetic Approach to Visual Analysis’. Consumption, Markets & Culture
  • — (forthcoming) ‘Business is Show Business. Management Presentations as Performance’. Journal of Management Studies 48(3): 619 – 645  http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1467-6486.2010.00931.x/abstract
  • — (2010) ‘Hero takes a Fall: A Lesson from Theatre for Leadership’. Leadership (Special Issue: Leadership as an Art) 6(3): 279–294. http://lea.sagepub.com/content/6/3/279.short
  • — (2010) ‘Improvisational Theatre in Management Education: Exploring arts-based approaches to enhance student learning’, Aberystwyth University Journal of Academic Practice (AJAP) http://tinyurl.com/7qw3frm
  • Biehl-Missal, B. & Piwinger, M. (2009), ‘Ein Bild für die Götter. Gruppenfoto der Vorstandsmitglieder’. Harvard Businessmanager 31(6): 100–108.   http://wissen.harvardbusinessmanager.de/wissen/leseprobe/65363281/artikel.html
  • Biehl, B. ‘The performance of women and men in organisations: a theatre studies approach’ (2008). Gender in Management: An International Journal 23(7): 522–527. http://www.emeraldinsight.com/journals.htm?articleid=1747566&show=abstract
  • 'Aesthetics of Emptiness. Verena Landau’s pass_over reflects the cold atmosphere of shareholder meetings’ (2007), Aesthesis. International Journal of Art and Aesthetics in Management and Organization Life 1(2): 80-85. http://verenalandau.bplaced.net/texte/Aesthesis2_Biehl.pdf 
  • - ‘Der perfekte Auftritt’ (2007),  Harvard Businessmanager, 29(5): 18-27. 

Books

  • Biehl-Missal (forthcoming, 2011). Wirtschaftsästhetik. Wie Unternehmen die Kunst als Inspiration und Werkzeug nutzen. Wiesbaden: Gabler. http://www.gabler.de/Buch/978-3-8349-2429-2/Wirtschaftsaesthetik.html
  • Biehl, B. (2007). Business is Showbusiness. Wie Topmanager sich vor Publikum inszenieren. Frankfurt: Campus http://www.campus.de/wissenschaft/kulturwissenschaften/Business+is+Showbusiness.85493.html
  • Recent Conference Papers
  • Biehl-Missal, B. (forthcoming - March 2012) ‘Aesthetics and Organizations: Arts-Based Interventions as Temporary Organizational Phenomena’, Wissenschaftliche Kommission Organisation (WK ORG) im Verband der Hochschullehrer für Betriebswirtschaftslehre e. V. Annual Workshop ‘Organisation von Temporärem’, Free University, Berlin 29.Feb.-2.March.
  • Taylor, S. & N. N. & Biehl-Missal, B. (forthcoming - Sept. 2012) ‘Staged Reading of the Play “The Invisible Foot” by Steven Taylor’ Sixth Art of Management and Organization Conference, University of York, 4-7 Sept.
  • Biehl-Missal, B. (Sept. 2011). ‘What Organizing ‘Feels Like’: Developing Artistic Metaphors with an Aesthetic Approach’ British Academy of Management BAM Conference ‘Building and Sustaining High Performance Organisations in a Challenging Environment’, Aston University, Birmingham, UK, 13-15 Sept.
  • — (2011). ‘“And if I don’t want to work like an artist ...?” Contemporary work models reflected in the world of arts’, an ephemera conference, with Essex Business School, University of Essex ‘Free Work’, Berlin, Germany, 11-13 May.
  • — (2011) ‘Atmospheres’ and visual analysis of organizational artefacts. The aesthetic impact of Starbucks’ imagery.’ EIASM European Institute for Advanced Studies in Management ‘2nd Workshop on Imagining Business’. ie Business School, Segovia, Spain, 19-20 May.  
  • — (2010) ‘Improvisational Theatre in Management Education: Exploring arts-based approaches to enhance learning experience and creativity’ Eabis Congress on Experiential Learning, ESMT Berlin, Germany
  • Biehl, B. (2008). ‘Imagery and Aesthetics of Trading Floors in Stock Exchanges’, EIASM European Institute for Advanced Studies in Management ‘1st Workshop on Imagining Business: Reflecting on the visual power of management, organising and governing practices’, Saïd Business School, Oxford, UK

Recent Invited Presentations

  • Biehl-Missal, B. (2011) ‘The impact of arts-based initiatives on people and organizations. Research findings, challenges for evaluation and research, and some caveats’, Creative Partnerships – Culture in Business and Business in Culture, Narodowe Centrum Kultury, KEA – European Affairs, and British Council: Giełda Papierów Wartościowych, Warsaw, Poland, 5. Dec.
  • — (2011) ‘Theater Workshop and Role Play on the Mideast conflict’, Society and Politics in Israel, RLS: Neue Mälzerei, Berlin, Germany, 3. Dec.
  • — (2011) ‘Conceptualizing Staging, Mise en Scène, and Aesthetics’ University of Leipzig, Departments of Art Pedagogy, Germany, 8. Dec.

Book Chapters (selection)

  • Biehl-Missal, B. (2009). ‘Ausweichstrategien von Informanten erkennen’, in Müller-Dofel, M. (ed.) Interviews führen. Ein Handbuch für Ausbildung und Praxis (Reihe Journalistische Praxis), Berlin: Econ.
  • — (2008). ‘Vom Architekten zum Kriegsherrn. Metaphern der Top-Manager’, in Bazil, V. and Wöller, R. (Eds.), Rede als Führungsinstrument. Wirtschaftsrhetorik für Manager – ein Leitfaden. Wiesbaden: GWV Fachverlag, 189–202
  • Yurdagül, N. & Biehl, B. (2006).‘Selbstkritik versus Publikumskritik’, in Di Pasquale, V., Schuchmann, U., Stegemann, P., Thomas, S. (eds.), Grenzüberschreitungen – zwischen Realität und Utopie, Münster: Westfälisches Dampfboot, 161-164
  • —  (2003). ‘Zeittafel, Recherche’ ('Timetable Research') in Lehmann, H.-T., Primavesi, P. (eds.), Heiner Müller Handbuch (Heiner Müller Compendium) Berlin: Theater der Zeit, 399-402

 Recent Press Interviews about current research

  • Bialek, C. & Schumacher, C. (2011), ‘Mensch, Manager, Marke‘. Handelsblatt 25. Nov., pp. 53-54.
  • Becker, T. (2009) ‘Eine Berliner Bühnentruppe erklärt ein Aktionärstreffen zum Theaterstück’ Der Spiegel, Kulturspiegel, No.2, p.8
  • Schaake, M. (2008) ‘Anforderungen an die moderne Rede. Rhetorik à la USA’, Managerseminare, No. 124, p. 32–40
  • Müller-Dofel, M. (2008) ‘Große Bühnen – Miese Shows. Hauptversammlungen’ Euro Wirtschaftsmagazin, No.4., pp. 42–45
  • Teschler, D. (2008) ‘Theater auf der Hauptversammlung. Brigitte Biehl analysiert die Selbstinszenierung von Entscheidern’, Handelsblatt 25.1., p. 9

Further Articles, Newspapers and Trade Magazines (selection)

  • Biehl-Missal, B. & Berthoin Antal, A. (2012) ‘The impact of arts-based initiatives on people and organizations: research findings, challenges for evaluation and research, and caveats’, Creative Partnerships – Culture in Business and Business in Culture, Documentation & Brochure, ed. Narodowe Centrum Kultury, Warsaw, Poland.
  • Piwinger, M. & Biehl-Missal, B. (2011) ‘Managerporträts. Die Funktion und Wirkung von Vorstandsfotografien’. Kommunikationsmanagement (Losebl. Neuwied 2001 ff., Hrsg. v. Bentele, G./ Piwinger, M./ Schönborn, G.) 3.78, 1-38.
  • Biehl-Missal, B. (2011) ‘Architektur als Kommunikationsinstrument. Wie Unternehmen mit ästhetischen Mitteln Einstellung und Verhalten beeinflussen’. Kommunikationsmanagement (Losebl. Neuwied 2001 ff., Hrsg. v. Bentele, G./ Piwinger, M./ Schönborn, G.), 8.45, 1–22.
  • Biehl-Missal, B. (2010) ‘First steps for first-year students: using online databases and presenting research with Harvard-style literature lists’ in Haslett, S.K. (ed) Linking research and teaching in Wales. York: Higher Education Academy, 19–21.
  • — (2010) ‘Camau cyntaf i fyfyrwyr blwyddyn gyntaf: defnyddio cronfeydd data ar-lein a chyflwyno ymchwil gyda rhestrau llenyddiaeth yn unol ag arddull Harvard’ in Haslett, S. K. (ed) Cysylltu ymchwil ac addysgu yng Nghymru. York: Higher Education Academy, 19–21.