Management, Spirituality, and Religion (MSR) ways and means: a paper to encourage quality research (original) (raw)
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American managers show increasing interest in integrating spirituality and management[1] and this integration offers managers a source of enduring meaning in turbulent times . Their interest is important because for many, integrating spirituality and work brings profound meaning to their jobs as managers. It brings their deepest values to bear on their work and so offers a promise of equally deep fulfilment. Managers committed to spirituality share some similar concerns, despite their different religions and spiritual paths; this article examines the values, tasks and problems of managers that emerge as common themes in different spiritual paths.
Understanding Spirituality at Work, Organizations and in Management
Academy of Taiwan Business Management Review, 2014
Spirituality in the context of work is increasingly gaining an importance in business and management research (Doran and Natale, 2011; Kutcher et al., 2010). This requires questioning the meanings and practice of spirituality in organizations. We contribute to the understanding of spirituality at work and in organizations by answering three main questions. These are: (1) What is spirituality?; (2) What is workplace spirituality?; and (3) Is the spiritual compatible with work organizations? Our search for answers to these three questions has led us to a complex picture. Our chapter is structured to respond to these three questions in this same order. Our findings reveal three broad categories of spirituality. First, there are those authors whom we broadly put into the palliative category of spirituality. These include most religious mystics who wrote on spirituality (Merton, 1961; Keating, 1999; Nouwen, 1994b), as well as some current writers in the field (Carson, 1992; Gibbons, 2000; Runcorn, 2006; Fluker, 2003). Their views of spirituality tended to centre on the individual, and the individual’s longings or quest for self-actualization (Kellemen & Peltonen, 2005). In contrast to these palliative writers, there is a second group whose views can be said to be accommodationist in orientation (Nolan, 2006a; Wilber, 1998). These writers acknowledge that the phenomenon of spirituality lacks sufficient conceptuality, particularly as it relates to the workplace, pastoral care, and phenomenological and existential issues. They integrate an emphasis on a deity and palliative care with consideration of the communal context, thereby offering a continuum from the individual to the community, rather than an either/or model. The middle or “via media” authors view spirituality as a religious “accommodationist orientation” that places the individual’s search for interiority in a broader communal context (Thurman, 1984; Nolan, 2006a; Williams, 2004; Gibbons, 2000). Finally, writers the third category are suspicious of an inclusive, global spirituality (Carrette & King, 2004), especially when it seems to be religion repackaged. They reject the “accommodationist orientation” and argue for a spirituality that is devoid of any religious connections. It is important to note that this chapter is part of a larger study conducted by the first author. The larger study is on African workplace spirituality in South African mines. For the purpose of this paper, we decided to focus on offering a conceptual understanding of spirituality at work, organizations and in management.
The purpose of this study is to explore the individual perceptions about integrating spirituality in management and to assess the benefits of spirituality towards organizational performance. This paper focuses on the impact of spirituality in management for performance improvement. The methodology adopted involves descriptive field study using a structured questionnaire as the research instrument with statistical analysis to arrive at the results. The results of the study reveal that people are positive about integrating spirituality into management and it is viewed as a highly acceptable and beneficial concept in the workplace, especially in the current turbulent economic situation in the world. Also it is noted that several individuals and organizations are attempting to modify their way of working to include spirituality in the workplace as well as in business.
Global Business Review, 2008
This article presents a literature review and agenda for research in the field of spirituality in management. To understand the conceptual underpinning of spiritual aspects of the human self, this article covers the contemporary thoughts of humanistic psychology, human wellness and traditional thoughts from ancient Indian wisdom. In the later part, the mainstream 'spirituality at workplace' literature is reviewed and a conceptual convergence is identified in the form of three strands; harmony with self, harmony in work environment and experience or belief in transcendence. Potential contribution of the study is in conceptualizing spirituality in business organizations based on synthesis of both traditional and contemporary thoughts and a detailed agenda for research in this field.
Spirituality and Religion in the Workplace: History, Theory, and Research
Academy of Management Proceedings, 2013
The role of spirituality and religion in the workplace (SRW) is a relatively new area of inquiry that has emerged from scholarly fields not typically associated with the study of the psychology of religion and spirituality. This article explores the underlying assumptions and history as well as the state of current theory and empirical research regarding SRW. We first describe the history of the efforts to integrate spirituality and religion into the workplace, with their foundational roots in the Protestant Work Ethic and their emergence through the Faith at Work movement. Next we review the major theoretical developments in this area that have established a domain of relevant definitions, constructs, frameworks, and models. Then we review the empirical research on spirituality in the workplace and conclude that 2 major streams have emerged that have, to date, discovered similar findings in regard to their significant impact on relevant individual and organizational outcomes. Finally, we explore particular challenges associated with integrative work and future theory building and research.
WORKPLACE SPIRITUALITY – A PARADIGM SHIFT IN MANAGEMENT PRACTICES
In the contemporary business scenario majority of the individuals are in thirst to achieve their spiritual needs and on the other hand due to extreme competitive environment the leaders of the organisation require constructive and positive outcomes from the spiritually boosted employees. This makes it very clear that workplace spirituality is becoming an essential element for both job seekers and job providers. The organisational environment consists of people with diversified values, capabilities, cultures, age groups, nationalities, religions but at the same time it is observed that they have common goal to achieve organisational goals and spiritual needs. This paper deals with in workplace spirituality and corporate culture.
Workplace spirituality: A tool or a trend?
HTS Teologiese Studies / Theological Studies, 2016
Workplace spirituality is a construct widely discussed over the past few decades and it is a much-disputed inquiry field which is gaining the interest of practitioners and scholars. Some clarifications regarding concepts and definitions are necessary in order to structure and direct the current debate. The aim of this conceptual article is to gain a better understanding regarding the direction in which this field of study is progressing and to put the question on the table namely, whether workplace spirituality is only a new tool to be used in leadership development or is it a trend to be taken seriously? The results showed that this field has potential to further development. This article can be used as foundation for future studies within the knowledge area of practical theology.
Spirituality in the Workplace: Developing an Integral Model and a Comprehensive Definition
meaning, and a connection to something higher. There d opinions at work really entails, there appear to be a set of common themes that almost all on and an integral d some practical ew paradigm that is emerging in business-Spirituality in the common at almost all sources seem to agree upon. After surveying the current literature in search of these ing the spiritual mindset. ll tion is double than at surveyed four decades ago. (Cited in Barrett, 2004, p. 1) Indeed, the emerging paradigm called "spirituality in the workplace" is conveyed in multiple ways: While chrage (2000) finds that "A fundamental tension between rational goals and spiritual fulfillment now haunts orkplaces around the world," (p. 306), and that "Survey after management survey affirms that a majority want to nd 'meaning' in their work" (p.306), Oldenburg and Bandsuch (1997) state that for quite some time now, mething has been stirring in people's souls: a longing for deeper meaning, deeper connection, greater simplicity, a onnection to something higher. And as Bruce Jentner, president of Jentner Financial Group in Bath, Ohio nderscores the above-mentioned observations by saying, "I have a deep conviction that everybody has a need for mething bigger in life than just making money and going to work" (Goforth, 2001, p. k-2), Kahnweiler & Otte 7) affirm that "work is a spiritual journey for many of us, although we talk about it in different ways" (p.171). Ashmos & Duchon (2000) contribute to the awareness of this paradigm by claiming that there is increasing vidence that a major transformation is occurring in many organizations, and Stewart (2002) exclaims that a survey onducted last spring by the Torrance, California-based human resource strategists Act-1 found that "55 % of the ,000 workers polled consider spirituality to play a significant role in the workplace. In addition, more than a third f that number (34%) said that the role had increased since the September 11, 2001 terrorist acts" (p. 92). A 1999 issue of U.S. News & World Report reveals that "In the past decade, more than 300 titles on orkplace spirituality-from Jesus CEO to The Tao of Leadership-have flooded the bookstores…. Indeed, 30 BA programs now offer courses on this issue. It is also the focus of the current issue of the "Harvard School ulletin." Signs of this sudden concern for corporate soul are showing up everywhere: from boardrooms to company lunchrooms; from business conferences to management newsletters, from management consulting firms to A new awareness has been stirring in workers' souls for at least 10 years now: a longing for a more humanistic work environment, increased simplicity, more are many reasons for this mounting call, varying from the escalating downsizing and layoffs, reengineering, an corporate greed of the 1980s to the enhanced curiosity about eastern philosophies, the aging of the baby boomers, greater influx of women in the workplace, and the shrinking global work village. Straight through the varying about what spirituality sources seem to agree upon. This paper presents a list of these themes; a comprehensive definiti model of spirituality in the workplace, for consideration of future researchers in this field; an strategies for corporate leaders interested in nurturing the spiritual mindset. INTRODUCTION: A RESURGENCE IN AWARENESS This paper presents a brief exploration of a n Workplace. This new awareness has been stirring in workers' souls for at least 10 years now: a longing for a more humanistic work environment, increased simplicity, more meaning, and a connection to something higher. Although there is diversity in opinions about what spirituality at work really entails, there appear to be a set of themes th common themes, this paper presents a comprehensive definition and an integral model of spirituality in the workplace, as well as some practical strategies for corporate leaders interested in nurtur to Morris (1997, p. 7), "Overa Too many people feel unappreciated and insecure in their jobs. According job satisfaction and corporate morale in most places is all time low." Many re-engineering gurus have come to realize that, in their bid to make processes more efficient, they forgot the most essential element of the equation: the people. According to a recent survey of more than 800 mid-career executives, unhappiness and dissatisfaction with work is at a 40-year high. Four out of ten of those interviewed hated what they do. This propor th S w fi so c u so (199 e c 1 o w M B