Leaving Productivism behind: Towards a Holistic and Processual Philosophy of Ecological Management

Abstract

This article examines parallels between the increasing mental burnout and environmental overshoot in the organisational context. The article argues that there is a particular philosophy of management that connects these two phenomena of overshoot and burnout, namely productivism. As there are boundaries in all ecological processes and systems, the productivist aim of having ever more output and growth is deemed absurd. It is proposed that productivity as a management philosophy not only leads to mental illhealth in organisations but also to overshoot in the environment. The article concludes that productivism, which denies the limits in utilisation of humans and other natural resources, fits poorly with circular economy and sustainability. Hence, ecological management should be complemented with a more holistic and processual view of organizations, as well as have an aim of peaceful coexistence between all earthbound objects. This signifies acknowledging and caring for human and non-human needs both now and in future by applying the idea of moderation to production of goods and services.

Ecological Management: a Research Agenda

“…They see the mainstream economic paradigm and the main explanatory factor for the environmental disruption we face today. Taking this critical stance as a starting point, all contributions subsequently propose an alternative approach which is inspired by concepts like cradle to cradle (Kopnina 2021), holism (Heikkurinen et al 2021) and ecological economics (Temesgen et al 2021). In this, all articles contribute to the seventh question of our research question, although from different directions.…”

“…In the second contribution, Pasi Heikkurinen and colleagues discuss the philosophy of management as it is associated with the paradigm of productivism. It argues against productivism as it is inconsistent with the ideal of a circular economy, and proposes a philosophy of management that is complemented with a more holistic and processual view of organizations (Heikkurinen et al 2021).…”

The Anthropocene exit: Reconciling discursive tensions on the new geological epoch

“…Accordingly, in addition to the need to dismantle the capitalistic and other forms of productivist economic organisations (Heikkurinen et al, 2019), there is a requirement to go beyond the faith in progress and rationalist techno-scientific solutions (Hamilton et al, 2015;Heidegger, [1952Heidegger, [ -1962Heidegger, [ ] 1977von Wright, 1978) in the Anthropocene discourses. Ultimately, this signifies that those assumptions that place confidence in human skills and capabilities to master the Earth or create a good Anthropocene epoch are questionable (cf.…”

“…To exit from the Anthropocene epoch, the organisation of the economy in line with the productivist assumption, which assumes that measurable productivity and growth are the desired purpose of human organisation, must be abandoned (see Heikkurinen et al, 2019). Finding a way to exit the Anthropocene epoch would be relatively simple if the problem were only about the wealthiest one percent of individual humans, or only about the recent developments in the Global North.…”

Circular Economy as Fictional Expectation to Overcome Societal Addictions. Where Do We Stand?

“…Temesgen et al (2019) have pointed that CE often neglects the 'deep ontological and epistemological questions we need to answer if we are to address the complex and interrelated environmental, economic and social problems we face today' (p. 1), and the CE 'must engage with the ontological, epistemological and axiological foundations of mainstream economics' (p. 1). Others, as Heikkurinen et al (2019) have claimed that a 'more holistic and processual view of organisations' (p. 1) is needed to overcome the diseases caused by productivism, which 'fits poorly with circular economy and sustainability' (p. 1).…”