The Mary Parker Follett Network

Unity, not uniformity, must be our aim. - MPF

Wikipedia entry on Follett still needs work!

As recently as November of last year, the Wikipedia (wikipedia.org) entry on Follett was a mess. I made some basic corrections, and I see others have added additional good info. However, I think she deserves an even better entry--i.e. more accurate and comprehensive, with less unexplained/inexplicable jargon. It's easy to update wiki entries, so please bring your MPF knowledge and editing skills to bear (& be sure to make a note of why you made your revisions for the page history). Thanks!

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Good idea! I'm sure that the Wikipedia entry on Follett is a key starting place for many.
What I would propose is that we look at re-doing the entire article from a comprehensive standpoint. What is currently there, in my view, is just a brief summary. The section in there on Follett's role in the history of management theory could remain as one of many more sections: background on her life; her influences early on; her community work; summary of The New State and Creative Experience, and other works; her consulting work; questions on why so few have heard of her; potential impact today. I think it should really give equal (or plusqual) emphasis to social work, political theory, management theory / leadership, and conflict resolution. If we might settle on sections and have a volunteer address each, then share the passages for suggestions, then put it together as an integral whole.... We might use GoogleDocs for such editing and sharing, or set up a page at Wikispaces.com before transferring the final edits to Wikipedia. What do you think?
I agree.

I would add to the "plusequal" list Follett's credentials as an American philosopher, which are substantial but often have been overlooked (although has gotten more attention recently through Society for the Advancement of American Philosophy). She acknowledges Hegel & Royce as major influences (see e.g. Tonn 2003, 120-22, 293-94; _The New State_ 1918, 59, 266-67; Mattson intro in 1998 ed. of _TNS_, xlii-xliv)--but I believe objected in a letter that Dewey influenced her in any way (there's some evidence it might have been the other way around). Usually she's deemed a pragmatist (or proto feminist-pragmatist [see forward by Mansbridge in 1998 ed. of _TNS_, xvii-xxviii passim]). I'd be happy to take the lead on that section if needed.

I've also heard she's considered an important founder in the field of industrial and organizational psychology (aka organizational behavior). The results of a quick Google search seem to support my recollection. If so, should also be a org psych section, but outside of my area of expertise.

Since Follett was so dedicated to interdisciplinary theory & practice across professional boundaries--see e.g. _Creative Experience_, xi, xvii; _Dynamic Administration_ 1942, 314; Mattson's intro in 1998 ed. of _TNS_, liv; etc.)--additional sections in specific areas beyond the ones we've mentioned may well be needed.

I'd also be willing to volunteer to draft short sections on the interdisciplinary & theory-practice aspects of Follett's work, since her example has been a major influence on my own work.

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