Delinking legitimacy: a decolonial critique of Brazilian ethanol

Abstract

Purpose: By adopting a decolonial critical standpoint, the scope of this paper is to discuss the concept of legitimacy in the international management (IM) field and conduct a critique of its epistemological limitations. Design/methodology/approach: This paper presents the approach to legitimacy most commonly used in the IM field in order to understand its limitations in analyzing the historical development of Brazilian ethanol. Findings: The historical analysis of the Brazilian case shows that the narrow perspective underpinning the concept of legitimacy in the IM literature overlooks broader political and power relations since the focus of analysis is conducted from the standpoint of multinational corporations operating abroad. Thus, coloniality, international impositions of trends and fashions, illegitimacy and delegitimations, and dominant colonial designs are particular examples of forms of power and politics that are not visible in analysis using legitimacy in IM. Originality/value: IM has rarely used legitimacy in contrast with other areas of knowledge that work with the notion of international content. The paper generates insights that can foster other interpretations and uses for the concept of legitimacy and illegitimacy in IM. © Emerald Group Publishing Limited.