Abstract
The concept of competition needs better definition in the field of Organizational Studies (OS). Originating in Economics, different conceptions are identified in the theorizations in OS. From a critical perspective, such an occurrence may be associated with the ideological practices of control and exercise of power, as well as anachronisms. Thus, considering the socio-historical character of social cognition and the construction of discursive meaning, in addition to the modern organizational reference to the US railway company from the Civil War, our objective was to analyze ideological approaches to dimensions associated with competition in the US rail environment between 1859 and 1869. Thus, supported by 128 journalistic documents, we use the Infinite Conceptual Puzzle method to propose meanings associated with competition in the railway environment by discursive agents of the press and railway managers. The analysis presented proposes the ideological use of the concept, guided by the changes caused by the conflict, as well as the interests of the actors involved.
Keywords:
Historiography; Ideology; Competition; American Civil War; US railways