The Imprint of Business Norms on American Education By Dameon V ...

Yet, some scholars argue that business involvement in educational processes helps to cultivate in students an appreciation for learning by adequately preparing them for the rapidly changing world of work as a result of accelerating technological advancement (Senge, 1990). This new paradigm shift has altered the concept of corporate structures beyond conditional modes of production into what are known as “learning organizations” (Senge, 1990). In effect, the key skill for professional success in the “new capitalism”—known as the knowledge economy or information economy by organizational sociologists—is astute “management thinking” (Bennis, 1994; Gee, Hull, & Lankshear, 1996; Sparrow, 2000).

Precisely, proactive innovation and problem-solving skills are highly valued in companies; employees are expected to act as entrepreneurs (owners) in their respective disciplines. Pinchot and Pellman (1999) conceived of the new work ethic as “intrapreneuring”—“short for intra-corporate entrepreneur” (ix). The intrapreneur is a person whose work ethic is similar to that of a business owner but who operates within an organization to turn new ideas into reality (Pinchot & Pellman, 1999). The point is that the future labor pool must be trained to adapt cognitively and pragmatically from subordinate to leadership styles of work.

I do not ignore the perspectives of executives and business scholars. It is important to understand how companies perceive education—and hence knowledge—which may lead to comprehending the reasons why businesses engage schools. But, why does the discourse of business intervene in the educational processes of schools? How do businesses do it? Plus, given the preeminence of business practices in education via charter schools, education management organizations (EMOs), and for-profit educational institutions, I wonder if the students in these schools have different conceptualizations of learning compared to students in private schools that might be less exposed to overt business practices, such as a school with a religious tradition.

In an attempt to address my curiosity, I researched three distinct components, and some neglected areas within the sociology of education are considered. First, Basil Bernstein (1971) systemically modeled the