Organizations and Archetypes

This book reflects on organizations through archetypical tales-stories particularly resonant with deep meanings present in culture and the soul.

Archetypes are common patterns containing hidden images of human motivations, offering inspiration and awakening imagination. This book is a collection of such tales, connected to twelve organizational archetypes, where each is illustrated by more general theoretical reflections, current management and organization theory literature, as well as practical examples. Monika Kostera proposes an imagery and language for self-management and self-organization for non-corporate use including entrepreneurs and multipurpose NGOs.

Stories and examples from and of, contemporary organizations in different contexts will prove insightful to students, academics and researchers of management, business, sociology and economics. Social entrepreneurs and NGO activists will also find plenty of invaluable information in this inspirational study.

Contents: Part I: Culture, Organizations, Inspiration 1. A Humanistic Manifesto for Sustainable Management 2. Culture and Organizational Stories 3. Archetypes in Organizations Part II: Organizational Archetypes 4. In Search of the Organization's Self 5. The Organizational Shadow 6. Anima and Animus 7. Persona: The Actor and the Mask 8. The Sage 9. The King 10. The Adventurer 11. The Trickster 12. The Eternal Child 13. Gaia 14. Cosmogony 15. Soteriology Part III: Methodological Notes 16. On the Studying of Organizational Myths and Archetypes: Methods References Index