An aesthetic account of space: a report on recent developments in organizational research

Workspace affects organizational life and processes. The recent and growing academic interest in the topic shows its potential as a field of study. In particular, scholars have recognised the key role played by the aesthetic dimension of workspace in shaping organizational life; this has generated an extensive and diversified academic debate, which, however, remains highly fragmented, making the development of cumulative knowledge quite difficult. This article provides definitional clarity on the aesthetic debate on organizational space and an understanding of the current developments in the field, with the aim both of facilitating the development of cumulative knowledge, and of proposing an agenda for future research. I review the existing literature that analyses organisational space with an aesthetic lens and identify the main themes of research around which the debate has been developed, presenting the recent advances in these fields of research: (a) control, (b) workspace aestheticization, and (c) culture. With this work, I develop a comprehensive research framework and suggest possible directions for future research development.