Search results

Despite the advancement, it appears that much has to be done to clarify the understanding of the effects of the meaning of work (MOW) in the lives. Thus, the purpose of this paper is to explore such a theoretical stream by means of the Spiritism Doctrine (SD) tenets. In fact, the spiritual knowledge derived from this religion alludes to aspects worthy of investigation.

Religious lens serves as a robust frame to approach the MOW, given that people’s beliefs likely shape their view about work. Toward that end, it examines pivotal aspects of MOW literature and the SD revelations thereof.

The wise revelations and teachings from the spirits examined throughout this paper suggest that work embraces one of God’s laws. In this regard, the SD tenets deepen this by providing sound explanations, reflections and arguments about the MOW, as well as highlighting that we all must do the best in the work regardless of the profession or activity. In doing so, this paper is serving the neighbors by fulfilling or at least mitigating their needs and consequently engaging in something indefinitely greater than the own desires, that is, the celestial Father’s wish.

There is no denying that the knowledge brought by the SD, as a source of transcendental epistemology, has deep implications for workers and organizations likewise. Overall, such knowledge enriches the understanding of a very important theme to human beings through an understudied but also insightful lens.

Therefore, this essay contributes to the MOW through transcendental epistemology (Maslow, 1993). Rather, it focuses on a very sensitive issue (work) and its corresponding implications to mankind through the knowledge of a spiritual and religious framework. In addition, such endeavor also adds to the field of management, spirituality and religion Interest Group of Academy of Management.

The problem in recruiting foreign staff is their inability to understand English adequately. Recently in the East Surrey Health District we organised an induction course in Spanish for domestic staff in one of our largest hospitals. (See June issue of this journal). As a result of this course we discussed the practicability of teaching English to members of staff. It was agreed at the outset that we would not teach English in duty time and that members who wished to learn would have to do so in their own time. We tentatively approached Redhill Technical College. Their General Education and Liberal Studies Department agreed that they could provide a course in English as a Foreign Language (EFL). This would consist of twenty 90 minute sessions spread over ten weeks with tutor attending the hospital at a specially arranged fee. The next step was to see if the course was viable numerically and we again approached the Domestic Department. Twelve members of their staff (ten Spanish and two Portuguese) agreed to attend the course in their off‐duty time. We called them together for a talk by the deputy Domestic Superintendent who is a Spaniard and he explained that the course would be given to them free (with a free cup of tea and biscuits at each session!) only on condition that they would agree to attend the whole course.

What is my purpose in life? Why am I in this job, this organization, this industry? How did I get here in the first place? Am I working to live or living to work? How do I measure my success? Does my work serve any greater purpose? Many individuals ask these kinds of questions at some point in their lives. When faced with life and death situations, as many were during and after the September 11th attack, these questions move out of the shadows. For some of us, questioning our purpose in life and career are frequently forced to the forefront by the pressures and challenges – and sometimes boredom and emptiness – of our workplace. Still, these questions are a powerful way in which our human spirit manifests itself. Therefore, finding meaningful answers to them is one of the essential tasks we face when we attempt to integrate spirituality more fully in our lives.

To share a curriculum that can lead to successful re-entry for those transitioning from prison to freedom.

We support our argument with data drawn from the intersection of a case study, auto-ethnography and heuristic research.

Convicts, particularly African Americans and other ethnic minorities who are incarcerated experience initiatory rites of passage as enabling mechanisms when facing re-entry to society. These rites can lead to one of two results. One is positive, undergirded by the necessary internal changes of psychological desires to become a productive member in society and supported by complementary external social networks. The other is negative, driven by on-going states of anomie, supported by counterproductive engagements in activities that lead to maladaptive states in terms of qualities of life. Our research findings lead to multiple conclusions and combine to converge in support of a more productive re-entry process. In this chapter, we present three themes critically embedded within The Sacred Space Rite of Passage Transition to Freedom Curriculum that can be used to enhance the prospects for re-entry to society. (1) Value to self and others can be appropriated, if reconceptualized through the personal journey-to-success re-entry model, as seen by a once incarcerated African American drug offender, now turned university professor. (2) Value to community can potentially be greatly enhanced, when major dimensions of this journey are structurally used to inform the application of programmatic activities, particularly when undergirding the passage of others. (3) Value to society must be re-visited, conceptually if not paradigmatically, within an interdisciplinary framework that seriously includes the critical voice of the prior incarcerated.

The Sacred Space Rite of Passage Transition to Freedom Curriculum is the result of life lessons learned through pre-incarceration, incarceration, and postincarceration in the criminal justice system in America. These important life lessons experienced and learned are the foundation for the journey of re-integration and re-entry to family and community, from prisoner to professor.

Learning organizations are one of many current buzz words used by persons concerned with the demands faced by all for change ‐ both radical and transformative change and incremental change. At the heart of any change process is the individual. We know from extensive studies in many fields what some of the essential requirements are for creating the conditions for adult learning, and an adult’s subsequent ability to adapt and change. One of the most critical and often overlooked requirements for adult learning is a learning context which is safe and supportive for and of the learned. Trust is also critical along with other essential requirements. Ontogogy is another appeal to examine the context of any learning required related to quality improvement, or any other change of innovation.

This case study used the variables of both Patterson's and Winston's models of servant leadership and examined the attitudes of employees at Heritage Bible College toward their leader to determine if the leader was a servant leader and if the variables of the two models helped explain the process by which leaders and followers serve each other in the organization. Thirteen employees and the leader provided data triangulated by three methods of data collection: the researcher's observations over a two‐year period, the data from the Servant‐Shepherd Leadership Indicator, and responses to ten in‐depth interview questions. This case study supports the use of Patterson's and Winston's models of servant leadership, or at least confirms the specific variables examined by the interview question/topics: trust, empowerment, vision, altruism, intrinsic motivation, commitment, and service.

The purpose of this paper is to introduce a new type of ba, called “vocation ba” and to describe the main aspects of this type of ba as well as its methods.

The paper reviews the literature in the field of self‐transcending knowledge and the concept of ba and shows the main aspects for the design of a new methodology and framework. Additionally it analyzes experiences with the new method from several case studies.

First the concept of vocation ba describes a space on the individual level as well as on the collective level for the generation of self‐transcending knowledge. Second the method of Vocation‐coaching_WaVe is a helpful method within the vocation ba. The experiences with these two new concepts from several case studies are very encouraging.

The number of case studies at the collective level is still limited, as the authors have been working with the method of Vocation‐coaching_WaVe at the collective level for two years. At the moment further research is done in larger systems.

This study gives insight and information about the method of Vocation‐coaching_WaVe and the concept of vocation ba.

The paper presents one of the few studies, which theoretically and practically deals with the aspect of self‐transcending knowledge in the context of vision development processes and knowledge‐based management on the individual level as well as on the collective level. The method of Vocation‐coaching_WaVe at the collective level is a continuous approach of a bottom‐up vision development process.

The importance of employment for people who use mental health services has been highlighted with the release of the Mental Health and Social Exclusion report (SEU, 2004). However, what remains less clear is what this process actually involves for service users and vocational rehabilitation staff. This article describes the process from the perspectives of a person receiving mental health services (Shaun Williams) and someone working in a vocational support role (Mark Bertram). Both accounts highlight how crucial supportive relationships and time are in helping people on their vocational journeys.

The work approaches the concept of family from a legal perspective, starting from the idea of interest, which leads to the deployment of subjectivity and concrete ethical development, thus allowing to visualize the alluded concept. Once the particularities of the family interest are established, filiation is constituted, from the point of view of civil society, in a specific group that faces diversity, having as a reference the principle of force, moral elements, or the same ethic. According to the above, in the family, the political formation of the individual is presented, its right and recognition with which an ethical relationship is established. However, the cultural ties thus created are the foundation of any family business, understood as the life project, to such a degree that everyone fulfills a function within the group and seeks to contribute creatively to the solution of economic, social, and political problems. It is concluded that the family can be an organic space of motivation that develops a whole experience, liberates experimentation, seeks empowerment, improves participation and involvement, allows collaborative work, and encourages creativity.

The concept of “career” has become the dominant mode of thinking about the “lifespan” of one's working life in contemporary late capitalist society. The research literature on the concept of “vocation” and/or “calling” has grown in recent years, but has not yet received extensive treatment in the area of management career development. The purpose of this paper is to address this lacuna by outlining and describing the practice of vocational ideation (or considering one's work as calling, as opposed to a career or a job) in relation to its potential utilization in contemporary management and career development.

The paper is essentially conceptual and is informed by an extensive review of research literature and theory which examines how the concept of the “calling” has been integrated with learning, educational and developmental activities.

The paper discusses the implications of the return to the concept of “vocation” in HR and Management Development theory and demonstrates why “calling” is a small but significant nuance which can change the way in which managers engage with career development practices. The literature on introducing the concept of vocational ideation to career development activities has grown in research years. However, the literature review found that this body of work tends to focus on pre-experience college students, which indicates that it has not often been considered as a viable avenue for management development practice or research.

As the paper is purely conceptual, and most of the literature in this field tends to focus on pre-experience students, potential implications for practice and avenues for future research are outlined. One of the two main categories of research need which emerged from the conceptual work described in this paper in relation to vocationally oriented career ideation was concerned with developing an understanding the dynamics of introducing the concept of vocational calling into management career development interventions.

A template for “doing” for vocational ideation in a management career development or management development context was offered. This outline may be altered to assist management development practitioners to develop and augment vocational ideation initiatives as part of their work and professional practice.

Another area of research need emerging from this work was concerned with understanding changing perspectives on non-economic aspects of work as a social practice, the impact of culture on how vocations are understood, and the relationship between spirituality and meaningfulness and career behavior. In summary there appears to be a need for more studies which demonstrate how changed understandings of the vocation is reflective of broader social change.

The concept of vocational ideation is original and does not exist as a concept or a practice in the professional or research literature. It is discussed here in the context of the growth of interest in spirituality and religion in workplaces. Specific attention is given to how it can be applied in contemporary workplaces and organizations as part of management development practices.