An existential-systems approach to managing organizations

by Kelly, Joe

At a time of corporate downsizing and bone-crushing international competition, how can executives reconcile their individual personalities and human needs with the equally compelling needs of the hard-driving organizations? It is an existential dilemma, say Joe and Louise Kelly, The Kellys, take a hard look at this hard-edged problem by positing a three-pronged model for analysis based upon structure, process, and values. They synthesize these elements under an overarching concept of existentialism, in which the emphasis is on a search for meaning. And with that, they provide a clear-headed look at the field of organizational behavior - its contributions to our understanding of how organizations work but also its failures and, indeed, its frequent self-deceptions.