Organizational consciousness

Abstract

If the paper can come to understand how consciousness operates in organizations, and learn how to apply it in organizational decisions, the pay-off could be big in terms of leading initiatives for change. The final goal is to use what is learned to improve organizational outcomes.

Female Representation on Corporate Boards in Europe: The Interplay of Organizational Social Consciousness and Institutions

“…Firms operate in a complex combination of legal and self-regulatory environments in an effort to satisfy a number of institutional demands. We contribute to existing institutional theory by showcasing the way firms respond to these pressures depends not only on the prescriptions present in the formal and informal institutions, but also on the firm's own receptivity of the need for change, reflected in their level of social consciousness (Dibrell et al, 2015;Meek et al, 2010;Pees et al, 2009); that is, the firm's awareness and regard for its place in and contribution to the broader social issues of concern. In this paper, organizational social consciousness, we suggest, is a central element of organizational change and firms possessing it are more likely to recognize and address diversity initiatives positively while others low on social consciousness are more likely to find excuses to avoid these demands.…”

“…When an organization's social consciousness is high, it offers the opportunity to build firm-level social norms because these firms are better able to readily identify and predict social problems as a result of being focused on aligning their interests with their constituents' (Meek et al, 2010). In this way, social consciousness has been offered as a vital element to firm decision-making and the ability to manage this type of organizational re-framing (Pees et al, 2009). Indeed, firms sufficiently threatened by a challenge to their legitimacy will tend to generate new frames which will alter the set of governance practices they perceive to be appropriate.…”

Organizational theory – a three-dimensional tool to analyze and enhance collaboration in healthcare systems

“…Organizational consciousness encompasses a wide spectrum of attributes, including survival, belonging, self-esteem, transformation, cohesion, inclusion and unity. Key attributes of organizational consciousness such as accountability of experience, a sense of knowing, the power of choice, interrelationships, meaning, reflection and self-awareness are deemed invaluable (Pees and Shoop, 2009).…”

“…From a broader perspective, organizational consciousness can be defined as the organization's mental alertness, encompassing its identity, purpose for existence and interactions with others. This consciousness serves as the unifying force that aligns organizational units, proving instrumental in making decisions and managing change (Pees and Shoop, 2009).…”

Critical Community Pratice: An Introduction to the Special Section

“…Thus, organizations are conscious when there exists a deep, shared understanding of themselves, their social identity, the surrounding community, and social reality. Bringing to the foreground organizational consciousness is a necessary component for effective community practice and highlights the importance of the organization's awareness of its position and responsibility to itself, its community, and to the world (Pees et al, 2009). As stated by David Bohm (1996), "We have to share our consciousness and be able to think together, in order to do intelligently whatever is necessary" (p. 15).…”