Spiritualepisteme: sensemaking in the framework of organizational spirituality

Abstract

PurposeThe purpose of this research is to enable the examination of sensemaking mechanisms, inherent in the discourse of organizational spirituality (OS), which embed meanings this discourse creates. In order to achieve this goal the paper explores the pivotal notion of “spirituality” in OS, examines the conditions of emergence of its main characteristics, and inquires into OS participants' mental processes which help to sustain it. Thus, the conceptual space is critically explored in which organizational actors make their commitments to attain goals by spiritual means and in which the alleged causal mechanisms operate.Design/methodology/approachThe approach taken is a critical analysis of literature and empirical material.FindingsThe logic of OS conceptual framework is vastly inconsistent with rationalism, which underpins typical functionalist assertions of OS proponents. The central OS notion – spirituality – lacks concrete and independent characteristics. It can be perceived as a mere classification tool which groups together certain “positive” phenomena, perspectives or outcomes. The legitimacy of this operation within the discourse is guaranteed by its episteme – the set of rules, which makes certain moves possible and excludes some others. It may easily enforce or preclude the particular interpretations of organizational reality or validity of certain initiatives. The latter hints at the political dimension of OS.Research limitations/implicationsPotential researchers should be sensitive to the issues of logical circularity of OS discourse and its degree of incoherence with rationalist assumptions. The design of research on OS should attempt to delve into meanings created by OS discourse profiting from proximity to research subjects ensured by careful application of qualitative methods. Research could focus more on the political dimension: issues of power relations; methods of exerting influence; gaining support, etc., instead of contemplating more vague territories which OS studies seem inclined to explore. These results refer to a limited number of participants and organizations and are not fully generalizable, which is inevitable in qualitative research. The geographical concentration of the research sample might have affected the results to some extent, however this fact is innocuous to the overall validity of this study.Originality/valueBeyond the scope of many recent papers that emphasize the positive role of organizational spirituality as a means of attaining particular objectives, the paper offers an alternative approach in which OS makes such calculations very difficult, and yet creates conditions which are conducive to advancing OS participants' political agendas.

Impact of Workplace Spirituality on Organizational Commitment – A Study in an Emerging Economy

“…There is no single well-defined concept of spirituality as it is a broad concept encompassing several dimensions, including mental, material and spiritual. Research into workplace spirituality started catching pace in the 1990s, and Izak(2012) in his paper takes the concept of organizational spirituality back to the 1930s, when Max Weber suggested a relationship between a particular individual's religious beliefs and his social and economic activity. According to Ashmos and Duchon (2000), workplace spirituality is "the recognition that employees have an inner life that nourishes and is nourished by meaningful work that takes place in the context of community."…”

An Analysis of Workplace Spirituality Debates

“…The burgeoning research into spirituality workplace began in the 1990s [22,31,34]. Although definitions of WS came into prominence in the literature as of the 1990s, Izak [37] takes "the discourse of organizational spirituality" back to the 1930s, into the field of sociology when Max Weber openly mentioned a relationship between a particular individual's religious beliefs and his social and economic activity. Ashmos and Duchon [3] define workplace spirituality as "the recognition that employees have an inner life that nourishes and is nourished by meaningful work that takes place in the context of community.…”

Spirituality in organizations?

“…In reality, the vast majority of studies are reviews and theoretical studies on spirituality (e.g. DRIVER, 2005;DRIVER, 2007;JURKIEWICZ, GIACALONE, 2003;IZAK, 2012;MARQUES, 2008;BURACK, 1999;KARAKAS, 2010;MARQUES, 2010). Independent of the type of study and doubts related to the research methods used to develop studies on spirituality in organizations, they are carried out, measuring and relating spirituality to a wide range of areas, as demonstrated earlier in this article.…”