This study examines the rise of discourse on uncertainty in management duri
ng the period 1879-1932. It offers quantitative empirical analyses that are
based on primary data collected from the American Machinist and the Engine
ering Magazine, the central sources of documentation on management during t
his period. The research provides a critical interpretation of the emergenc
e of uncertainty discourse by linking it to professional, cultural and soci
al forces. The empirical findings lend strong empirical support for the 'pr
ofessionalization' and the 'labour unrest' arguments. The implications for
contemporary organization theory are discussed.