Do Organizations Have Feelings?

Citation

Albrow, M. (1998), "Do Organizations Have Feelings?", Leadership & Organization Development Journal, Vol. 19 No. 7, pp. 400-400. https://doi.org/10.1108/lodj.1998.19.7.400.1

If emotions and rationality are considered, as they are by many, to be opposite ends of a spectrum, then this book entitled Do Organizations Have Feelings? is surprisingly rational and analytical, almost devoid of any expected sentiment or warmth. This is because the book is in fact less to do with a discussion of emotional processes in organizations, and entirely to do with a thorough and challenging exploration of the informed social responsibility of which, the author argues, managers and leaders ought to be aware. An academic text, this book brings together a series of important papers compiled over a 30‐year period by one of the leading world authorities on the sociology of organizations.

The primary issue of Do Organizations Have Feelings? is a discussion of the interplay of organizations with society, drawing as it does on sociological and historical perspectives. The book is made up of four parts, although only the third part directly addresses the question of whether organizations do indeed have feelings. The first two parts set the background with a complex and interesting discussion of the roles of sociology and social science research in organizational life and the postmodern applications of Weber’s bureaucracy model to rationalization processes. Only then does the text begin its key investigation into how organizations ought to transcend the emotion/rationality divide. Here the author attempts to combine current sociological theory with research on emotion in organizations, whilst acknowledging the problem of overcoming the strong influence of Weber’s account of rational bureaucracy that faces every emotions/organizations researcher. There is a deep analysis of Weber’s intellectual interest in emotion that points to another “Weber” whose emancipation from the rational/emotive dichotomy was constrained by the climate of the time. Using other sources to support his view, the author draws the reader away from the rational/emotive polarisation to conclude that “the quality of feelings suffuses all organizational activity”. This is certainly not a new conclusion in modern discussions on emotion and organizations, but is, perhaps, reached in the most thorough way, drawing on range of research perspectives previously omitted from the organizational literature.

Do Organizations Have Feelings? is a seminal text addressing the issue from a sociological perspective that is rare in the organizational literature. However, this book will hold little appeal to those seeking practical answers or help with applied organization issues. It is a philosophical text that asks more questions than it answers and, although it never really gets round to addressing the issue of social responsibility adequately, it does provide a most thought‐provoking and stimulating read for those interested in sociological and historical perspectives on organizational structure and content.