Title: Passion wanted! Socialisation of positive emotions in consulting firms

Authors: Stephan Kaiser, Gordon Muller-Seitz, Utho Creusen

Addresses: Catholic University of Eichstaett-Ingolstadt, Auf der Schanz 49, 85049 Ingolstadt, Germany. ' Technical University of Berlin, Sociology of Organization, Franklinstr. 28/29, 10587 Berlin, Germany. ' Media-Saturn Holding, Wankelstrasse 5, 85046 Ingolstadt, Germany

Abstract: Earlier works on organisational socialisation concentrated predominantly on cognitive conceptions or negative emotions. Against this background, this paper explores the socialisation of positive emotions in five European consulting firms. We show that positive emotions are socialised in different phases and by different agents, culminating in an expanded zone of emotional indifference by which we mean that reciprocally perceived positive emotions help manifest over time into a stable relationship. Our study adds to the literature by explicitly integrating positive emotions and rather commonly neglected socialisation agents. However, we are critical of perspectives that suggest that management can directly influence positive emotions.

Keywords: positive emotions; socialisation agents; socialisation phases; consulting firms; professional service firms; emotion; organisational socialisation.

DOI: 10.1504/IJWOE.2008.019428

International Journal of Work Organisation and Emotion, 2008 Vol.2 No.3, pp.305 - 320

Published online: 11 Jul 2008 *

Full-text access for editors Full-text access for subscribers Purchase this article Comment on this article