1st Edition
The Psychoanalysis of Organizations A psychoanalytic approach to behaviour in groups and organizations
One of the most pressing needs of modern society is to understand and construct organizations that are not only effective in terms of carrying out work but that also allow and encourage people to develop their full human potential. Psychoanalytic theory describes those primary processes that lie at the heart of human activity and provides new insights for understanding group and organizational behaviour.
With a new introduction written by Vega Roberts, this Classic Edition of The Psychoanalysis of Organizations presents the theories of Sigmund Freud, Melanie Klein, Wilfred Bion, Elizabeth Lewin and Eric Menzies in plain language and shows their relevance to normal working life. First published in 1978, Robert De Board takes a wide-ranging overview of the major psychoanalytic theorists and organizational researchers, and analyses how the two groups can work together. Written in a very accessible style, it makes sophisticated psychoanalytic and management concepts comprehensible and usable for anyone.
Vega, Introduction. De Board, Introduction. Early Studies of Group Behaviour. The Leader - The Influence of Sigmund Freud. Transference and Projection - The Influence of Ferenczi. The Child's World of the Adult - The Contribution of Melanie Klein. Groups and Their Basic Assumptions - The Influence of Wilfred Bion. The Life and Work of Kurt Lewin. T-Groups and the Laboratory Method of Learning. Human Behaviour and General Systems Theory. Organizations as a Defence Against Anxiety. Mental Energy, Anxiety, and Effectiveness.
Biography
Robert De Board joined Henley Business School in 1971 and during his time there he wrote The Psychoanalysis of Organizations. Following this, he left the college to run his own management consultancy and became a visiting professor at the management college.
