This Article Full Text (PDF) References Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in Web of Science Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to Saved Citations Download to citation manager Request Permissions Request Reprints Add to My Marked Citations Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Web of Science (12) Citing Articles via Google Scholar Citing Articles via Scopus Google Scholar Articles by Schwartz, H. S. Search for Related Content Social Bookmarking                         What's this?

On the Psychodynamics of Organizational Totalitarianism

Oakland University

A theory of organizational totalitarianism is developed, based on Freud's concept of narcissism and his theory of the "ego ideal" (1921/ 1955, 191411957) Klein's (1948) theory of "splitting" and Shorris' (1981) thinking concerning the totalitarian aspects of the corporation. The idea of a perfect organization, referred to here as the "organization ideal," is a symbol that represents the return to narcissism-to being the center of a loving world. Since the return to narcissism is impossible, committed participants in the totalitarian organization maintain a belief in the organization ideal by believing that its attainment is achieved by progress through the organization's hierarchy. This requires commitment to the belief that individuals more advanced in the hierarchy represent the organization ideal. This turns organizational process into the living out of the narcissistic fantasies of those in power. Consequences of this are passivity and slavishness, shamefulness, cynicism, loneliness and the loss of the psychological gains that could otherwise come from socially useful work. The problems of American industry may be partly due to totalitarian processes and present attempts at management through culture may be a further stage of the disease.

Journal of Management, Vol. 13, No. 1, 41-54 (1987)
DOI: 10.1177/014920638701300104


CiteULike    Complore    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    Twitter    What's this?

This article has been cited by other articles:

				R. Chun and G. Davies The Influence of Corporate Character on Customers and Employees: Exploring Similarities and Differences Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, April 1, 2006; 34(2): 138 - 146. [Abstract] [PDF]

				B. E. Ashforth and D. Vaidyanath Work Organizations as Secular Religions Journal of Management Inquiry, December 1, 2002; 11(4): 359 - 370. [Abstract] [PDF]

				S. Turnbull The Planned and Unintended Emotions Generated by a Corporate Change Program Advances in Developing Human Resources, February 1, 2002; 4(1): 22 - 38. [Abstract] [PDF]

				J. A. Raelin The Persean Ethic: Consistency of Belief and Action in Managerial Practice Human Relations, May 1, 1993; 46(5): 575 - 621. [Abstract] [PDF]

				H. S. Schwartz Organizational disaster and organizational decay: the case of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration Organization Environment, January 1, 1989; 3(4): 319 - 334. [Abstract]