To get published in academic journals academics follow detailed instructions on how to report on their results. Reviewers follow instructions on how to review manuscripts. A compliant attitude to format is a prerequisite for publication. Examples from the organization and management disciplines illustrate how isolation from society at large represent a distorted version of Taylorism. But although standardized research reports dull the interest of readers and affect the research content, standardization may be understood as an emancipatory device. It allows for an efficient production process and opportunities for many to make an academic career.