Title:

Exploring the meaning of work in the context of organizational culture

Group publication title:

Management Forum

Title in english:

Znaczenie pracy w kontekście kultury organizacyjnej

Creator:

Stapley, Lionel F.

Subject and Keywords:

organizational culture ; meaning of work ; sentient groups ; social systems as a defence against anxiety ; kultura organizacyjna ; znaczenie pracy ; czująca grupa ; systemy społeczne jako obrona przed lękiem

Description:

Management Forum, 2016, vol. 4, no. 3, s. 23-28

Abstrakt:

The aim of this paper is to shed some light on the way that taking a group-as-a-whole approach; encompassing organizational culture; enables us to gain a different understanding of the meaning of work: one which is significantly different from an approach which takes the individual as the object of study. Most importantly; the paper will seek to answer the fundamental questions of how does culture develop; why do we develop a culture; and what is the purpose of a culture? An understanding of culture will serve as the point of departure to apply the hypothesis by showing how the processes of childhood can be linked to adult societal behaviour; and in doing so demonstrate the vital role that culture plays in our everyday lives. The theory will then be applied to two other highly valuable theories that take a group approach to the meaning of work. Namely; ‘social systems as a defence against anxiety’ [Menzies Lyth 1988; Jaques 1955]; and ‘sentient groups’ [Miller; Rice 1967]; where I shall suggest that they are more helpfully regarded as variations of organizational culture; and that when seen in this light they become more meaningful which opens up the possibility of working with these dynamics. The paper will conclude by applying the theory to a series of vignettes which will show that when the meaning of work is considered in the context of organizational culture; we are able to develop a different and deeper appreciation of the dynamics at play

Publisher:

Wydawnictwo Uniwersytetu Ekonomicznego we Wrocławiu

Place of publication:

Wrocław

Date:

2016

Resource Type:

artykuł

Format:

application/pdf

Resource Identifier:

doi:10.15611/mf.2016.3.04

Language:

eng

Relation:

Management Forum, 2016, vol. 4, no. 3

Rights:

Pewne prawa zastrzeżone na rzecz Autorów i Wydawcy

Access Rights:

Dla wszystkich zgodnie z licencją

License:

CC BY-NC-ND 3.0 PL

Location:

Uniwersytet Ekonomiczny we Wrocławiu