Psychoanalytic approach to organizational development

Psychoanalytic research of the organizations

Abstract

Despite the increasing number of studies on how emotions impact organisational behaviour in business and economics, still much efforts in diminishing emotional interference with rationality focuses on controlling or eliminating the "human factor".
The present study is an overview of the main concepts in psychodynamic approach to organisations which take a view on the organization as psycho-social system. Taking this approach allows to explore and make meaning of the irrational phenomena of organizational life, which otherwise can not be understood and changed.

Organisations being psycho-social systems inevitably provoke anxiety in its members, at the same time offering means to manage these anxieties (social defense mechanisms) often institutionalized in the form of organizational structures, practices, norms and culture. Thus all these key organizational variables are both the objects of management efforts and the symptoms of organizational emotional system. Without exploring the meaning of these symptoms effective organizational change is hindered and takes the form of the single learning loop. Negative capability of the leadership and reflective spaces in organisations become key to enable organizational development along the double and triple loop learning.