Creating the “Authentizotic” Organization

Abstract

This article is a rejoinder to the critique by Robert Golembiewski of the authors’ article “Transforming the Mind-Set of the Organization: A Clinical Perspective,” in which the processes of individual and organizational change and the resemblance between them were highlighted. Golembiewski’s major points of criticism suggested limitations to the authors’ approach to organizational transformation, possible negative ethical implications, and low estimates of success rates. He referred to quality of working life (QWL) and organizational development (OD) studies as more appropriate approaches. The authors respond by emphasizing the difference between small-scale change as represented by QWL and OD and major organizational transformation efforts they have engaged in, pointing out the dimension added by the clinical orientation to conventional approaches to organizational change as one that may be more appropriate for the shift in organizational paradigms. The authors clarify the definition of healthy organizations and introduce the concept of the “authentizotic” organization.

Organizational Transformation in Public Sector Organizations of Pakistan in the Quest of Change Management

“…There are a few researches other than public sector i.e., on private organizations, which demonstrates that, the employees working in these organizations, they can be easily convinced and influenced to change on the basis of the vision provided to them by their leaders to get release from pressure (De Vries and Balazs, 1999;Nadler and Nadler, 1998), yet propose by inserting displeasure in the day to day circumstances, so that employees could easily accept change.…”

Kets de Vries, Manfred F. R.: Playing the Morosoph

“…Most importantly, Kets de Vries' legacy is to have broken out of the old paradigm of "the man in the gray flannel suit," the machinelike worker completely devoid of any humanity, and the rational calculator of pleasure and pain. Kets de Vries has always argued that it is possible to create thriving organizations with healthy individuals, organizations that he calls authentizotic (Kets de Vries, 2001;Kets de Vries & Balazs, 1999). The term describes places where people are invigorated by their work and is derived from two Greek words: authenteekos, which means to behave authentically, and zoteekos, which means "vital to life."…”