The incorporation of self-spirituality into Western organizations: A gender-based critique

Abstract

Based on a review of existing qualitative research, this study proposes a gender-based interpretation and critique of the incorporation of self-spirituality into mainstream organizations. The article’s findings show that the enactment of self-spirituality in organizations often evokes experiences of tension or objection. The basic premises of self-spirituality culture are concerned with the authentic self and the emphasis on the individual’s awareness of his or her body, thoughts, and feelings is, in fact, a manifesto of the legitimate sources of ‘knowing’ at work. This premise is radically different from rationality as a fundamental principle of knowing and organizing. Self-spirituality further proposes an alternative to workplace relationships, which is based on a radical equality. I argue that these perceptions are embodied in gendered power relations—the relationship between the feminine self-spirituality and the masculine secular organizations. Two main modes of incorporation of self-spirituality into organizations were identified: the ‘domesticated masculine mode of incorporation’, which is presented as a ‘joining force’ in achieving main organizational values, and the ‘feminine’ modes of the incorporation of self-spirituality, which presents a revolutionary alternative to organizations. As for the viability of these modes of incorporation for creating change, self-spirituality in its domesticated masculine mode of incorporation appears to align itself with organizations public domain. In contrast to this, the two ‘feminine’ modes of incorporation create the possibility for self-spirituality to be lived by individuals as an ‘individual wisdom’. The study contributes to organization research by identifying ways in which radical alternatives may be incorporated into organizations.

The Christian Body at Work

“…Studies on fsw discuss and draw on a wide range of methodological perspectives and discourses, such as positivist versus post-positivist approaches (Fornaciari & Lund Dean 2001), positive, critical, and existential approaches (Lips-Wiersma & Mills 2014), methodological agnosticism as an alternative to secular and theological perspectives (Bell & Taylor 2016, the integration of a social scientific perspective and a philosophical/theological perspective (Benefiel, Fry & Geigle 2014:183), a "gender-based" perspective (Zaidman 2019), a post-structuralist perspective (Tourish & Tourish 2010), a practical theological perspective (Miller 2015), discourse analysis (Bell & Taylor 2003, Elmes & Smith 2001, Long & Dricsoll 2015, Nadesan 1999, and a sensemaking methodology (McKee, Helms Mills & Driscoll 2008). Many have called for more empirical research (see, e.g.…”

Workplace spirituality and social enterprise. A review and research agenda

“…A more recent work on workplace spirituality, described as self-spirituality (Zaidman, 2019), proposes spirituality at work as a radical equality approach to workplace relations and an alternative to the masculine secular organizations, thereby providing a gender-based critique of workplace spirituality. Self-spirituality, according to Zaidman (2019), has the potential for developing relationships based on cooperation, in opposition to secular masculine organizations, thus causing objections and discomfort. This author criticizes masculine ways of knowing and organizing such as rationality, patriarchy and competition, arguing for the acceptance of a more feminine mode of feelings into organizations.…”

“…This author criticizes masculine ways of knowing and organizing such as rationality, patriarchy and competition, arguing for the acceptance of a more feminine mode of feelings into organizations. Zaidman (2019) suggests that 'feminine' modes of incorporating spirituality into organizations do not allow domestication for masculine, rational or utilitarian purposes of control and dominance and thus, these modes correct for the potential misuse of workplace spirituality.…”

“…Dacin et al (2011), for example, warn about the danger of privileging the achievement of economic goals (revenue) to the point of neglecting social value creation or making it symbolic solely to serve economic goals. Incorporating spirituality at work can support alternative ways of organizing based on cooperation and mutuality, rather than competition and utilitarianism (see Zaidman, 2019), which maintains a focus on value creation for self and others and, thus, helps sustain the social enterprise's purpose. For instance, Gamble and Beer (2017) show that not-for-profit social enterprises that integrate spiritual practices (individual/organizational awareness, connectedness and higher meaning) can mitigate the overemphasis on profit in performance management.…”

Reflections on Feminist Organizational Communication

“…Even now, gender equality and human resources policies still attend to cisgender, heterosexual, white women, thus minimizing the (sometimes overlapping) needs of LBGTQ+ and minoritized females (and males) (García Johnson & Otto, 2019; see also Carrillo Arciniega, 2020). Even now, white men’s experiences, disembodied ideal workers and norms, and hypercompetitive organizations that are not isomorphic with many workers’ experiences and organizing endeavors (e.g., Acker, 1990; Williams, 2000) are laid out in a contrastive argumentation strategy (e.g., Zaidman, 2019). Even now, we are reclaiming who and what is missing today in our field, but in an environment that is thirsty for such work (e.g., Manning et al, 2020; McDonald et al, 2020; Parker, 2020) and sees it as scholarship (when in 1994 I was accused of simply writing ‘advocacy essays’).…”