Sexuality in organizations : An approach based on Georges Bataille's theory of eroticism

Abstract

Purpose

This article aims to examine the theme of “sexuality in organizations” according to the theory of eroticism of Georges Bataille (1897-1962).

Design/methodology/approach

The author reviewed Bataille's essays in order to identify the salient points of his analysis of eroticism, before applying them to the organizations.

Findings

The anthropologic notions of prohibition and transgression (antagonistic yet complementary) facilitate a different view of the opposition formulated in critical management studies as between desexualization and resexualization. These notions also open up quite a number of lines of research in the analysis of the sexuality of organizations.

Research limitations/implications

These lines of research call for further work particularly in the basic ground work.

Originality/value

Georges Bataille's insights have been used very rarely in organizational analysis, even those of critical stream in management. The theme of sexuality in organizations has been largely ignored by mainstream.

Citation

De March, F. (2014), "Sexuality in organizations : An approach based on Georges Bataille's theory of eroticism", Society and Business Review, Vol. 9 No. 1, pp. 74-84. https://doi.org/10.1108/SBR-02-2013-0018