Title: Emotional identity feelings as communicative artefacts in organisations

Authors: Niels Akerstrom Andersen, Asmund W. Born

Addresses: Department of Management, Politics and Philosophy, Porcelænshaven 18A, 2000 Frederiksberg, Denmark. ' Department of Management, Politics and Philosophy, Porcelænshaven 18A, 2000 Frederiksberg, Denmark

Abstract: The paper advances the hypothesis that the discursive introduction of |emotions| has profound effects on the constitutional level of organisations. Our reflections depart from Luhmann|s systems theory, where the concept of emotions refers to the communicatively inaccessible consciousness, whereas |organisation| refers to a communication system reproducing itself through decisions validated by membership. Our point is that the introduction of emotions as a criterion for membership transforms the functional organisation system. Our reasoning is developed through four propositions and summed up through reflections on the employment contract. Finally it is argued that the |emotional organisation|, where existence, membership and organisation co-emerge, gives rise to incessant inclusion and exclusion operations.

Keywords: Weber; Luhmann; passions; emotional membership; governmentality; self-technology; exclusion; inclusion; contractualism; emotional identity; communication; organisations.

DOI: 10.1504/IJWOE.2007.013614

International Journal of Work Organisation and Emotion, 2007 Vol.2 No.1, pp.35 - 48

Published online: 09 May 2007 *

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