Boundaries and knowledge in a Sufi Dhikr Circle Ali Aslan Guemuesay Saı ¨d Business School, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK Abstract Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to infer, from the mystical Islamic tradition, practical wisdom for management development on knowledge transfer and storage as well as organizational boundaries. Design/methodology/approach – This exploratory research uses an ethnographic approach. Deep immersion was sought through participant observation in a Sufi Dhikr Circle. Findings – Knowledge transfer and storage in the Sufi Dhikr Circle is a relational and collective endeavor. The Circle has fluid boundaries between the organization and the outside, as well as between intra-organizational parts. Knowledge and boundary processes reflect that the human being is a complex actor of “body, mind and heart” with multiple senses. Practical implications – Management development theory and practice may benefit through reflecting on the practices of the Sufi Dhikr Circle with regard to its group-collective, sense-comprehensive and actor-complex approach to knowledge storage and transfer, as well as the spatial, temporal and content fluidity both of intra-organizational boundaries in the Circle and vis-a ` -vis its environment. Conceptualizing the human as a complex actor with various senses may improve knowledge storage and transfer processes, as well as fluid de facto boundaries. Originality/value – The observation of “different practice” which is shaped less by business discourse enables a critical reflection of “common practice” potentially leading to a new “best practice”. Reflecting on the practices of the Sufi Dhikr Circle and its conceptualization of human beings may contribute to the management development literature and practice on knowledge and boundary processes. Contemplating on what is different may help us to better comprehend what is common. Keywords Islam, Knowledge transfer, Archives, Organizational boundaries, Ethnography, Spirituality Paper type Research paper Introduction According to Bittner (1965, p. 239) an organization is a “stable association[s] of persons engaged in concerted activities directed to the attainment of specific objectives.” I have observed and participated in such an organization: a Sufi Dhikr Circle. The Circle is an Islamic organization, a research site which is particularly timely as “we know relatively little about the dynamics of religious organizational forms” (Tracey, 2012). The term Sufi, probably derived from suf ( ), means wool referring to the wool garment which was worn by practicing ascetics. Dhikr ( ) is a form of remembrance and a Circle a popular format of the gathering. Dhikr is understood as a response to the Koranic command in Surah 33 verse 41 to “remember God with much remembrance.” For Haeri (1999, pp. 1-2) “the term Sufism has come to mean those who are interested in inner knowledge, those who are interested in finding a way or practice toward inner awakening and enlightenment.” Scholars like Baldick (2000), Ernst (2011), The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available at www.emeraldinsight.com/0262-1711.htm Journal of Management Development Vol. 31 No. 10, 2012 pp. 1077-1089 r Emerald Group Publishing Limited 0262-1711 DOI 10.1108/02621711211281861 The author would like to thank Dr Talal Al-Azem, Dr Pegram Harrison, Dr Fahri Karakas, Dr Javier Lezaun, Professor Tim Morris, Professor Steve Woolgar and the reviewers and editors for their detailed comments and support. 1077 Knowledge in a Sufi Dhikr Circle