“I Used to Care but Things Have Changed”: A Genealogy of Compassion in Organizational Theory

Simpson, AV; Clegg, S; Pitsis, T

“I Used to Care but Things Have Changed”: A Genealogy of Compassion in Organizational Theory

Simpson, AV

Clegg, S

Pitsis, T

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Publication Type:: Journal Article
Citation:: Journal of Management Inquiry, 2014, 23 (4), pp. 347 - 359
Issue Date:: 2014-01-01

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Field	Value	Language
dc.contributor.author	Simpson, AV https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7768-328X	en_US
dc.contributor.author	Clegg, S https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6083-4283	en_US
dc.contributor.author	Pitsis, T https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9084-6373	en_US
dc.date.issued	2014-01-01	en_US
dc.identifier.citation	Journal of Management Inquiry, 2014, 23 (4), pp. 347 - 359	en_US
dc.identifier.issn	1056-4926	en_US
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/10453/33523
dc.description.abstract	© The Author(s) 2014. We explore the use of compassion as a technology of power and subjectivity within organizations. Using a genealogical method, we trace the history of concern with compassion in organizations as a mode of employee discipline. The article applies a perspective developed from Foucault, focused on power/knowledge relations and the role that they play in the formation of the subject in organizations. Organizational compassion has been constantly re-defined and re-evaluated according to changing organizational objectives for shaping employee subjectivity. While one may think of compassion as a “good” phenomenon, we counsel caution against doing so in all contexts as a generic endorsement of a “positive” agenda. As we show, compassion may be a mode of power.	en_US
dc.relation.ispartof	Journal of Management Inquiry	en_US
dc.relation.isbasedon	10.1177/1056492614521895	en_US
dc.subject.classification	Business & Management	en_US
dc.title	“I Used to Care but Things Have Changed”: A Genealogy of Compassion in Organizational Theory	en_US
dc.type	Journal Article
utslib.citation.volume	4	en_US
utslib.citation.volume	23	en_US
utslib.for	150311 Organisational Behaviour	en_US
utslib.for	150310 Organisation and Management Theory	en_US
utslib.for	1503 Business and Management	en_US
pubs.embargo.period	Not known	en_US
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Business
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Business/Management Discipline
utslib.copyright.status	open_access
pubs.issue	4	en_US
pubs.publication-status	Published	en_US
pubs.volume	23	en_US

Abstract:

© The Author(s) 2014. We explore the use of compassion as a technology of power and subjectivity within organizations. Using a genealogical method, we trace the history of concern with compassion in organizations as a mode of employee discipline. The article applies a perspective developed from Foucault, focused on power/knowledge relations and the role that they play in the formation of the subject in organizations. Organizational compassion has been constantly re-defined and re-evaluated according to changing organizational objectives for shaping employee subjectivity. While one may think of compassion as a “good” phenomenon, we counsel caution against doing so in all contexts as a generic endorsement of a “positive” agenda. As we show, compassion may be a mode of power.

Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item:

http://hdl.handle.net/10453/33523