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Dörte Resch
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PublicationType: journal articleJournal: HR-TodayIssue: 6
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PublicationType: journal articleJournal: Zeitschrift für Arbeits- und Organisationspsychologie A & OVolume: 45Issue: 2
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PublicationType: conference paper
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PublicationType: conference paper
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PublicationTraining Soft Skills in Retail OrganizationsWithin the increasing fashion of “training soft skills” in organizations, the individualistic agency isn’t questioned. This study shows how the individualistic discourse hinders rather than facilitates change in organizations. The study is grounded in a social constructionist approach (Gergen, 1994), using discourse analysis as methodology (Grant et al., 2004). For gathering text, 21 problem-centred interviews (Witzel, 2000) and 13 group discussions (Steyaert and Bouwen, 2004) with altogether 106 participants were carried out in two large retail-organizations. The following analysis showed, that one of the main discourses constructing social relations is, that only one person renders responsible for the quality of the social relation, thus ignoring the feature of the ‘in between’ of the social situation. Here soft skills get constructed as part of a person’s ‘character’ rather than his or her ‘abilities’. This ‘character’ is seen as originating in upbringing and school. When the person enters the organizations (s)he is constructed as ‘finished’, thus the organization hardly gets any agency to train or change the social realities. Consequences of these results for organizations are to closely consider how they stage their training and education regarding ‘soft skills’ or ‘team building’. In a second step discourses from the study which de-focus from the individual and thus offer a more flexible approach for changing realities of social relations within organizations will be offered. Key words: Soft skills,Type: conference paperJournal: International Journal of Management Cases (IJMC)
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PublicationType: conference paper
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PublicationIn Search of Organization Consulting´s Other: Introducing Poststructural Organization Theory to Systemic Practices of Consulting(The Management Consultant Division - Academy of Management and IFF - Faculty for Interdisciplinary Studies, 2009-06-13)
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PublicationCounseling in High Performance Organizations : Individuel reenactment of todays universities performatiy discourseContext An intensive change process concerning the curricula in German speaking universities has been initialized through the Bologna Process. This process is accompanied with higher pressure for students to adjust their vita according to the demands of the labor market early in their studies. With the uncertain development of the labor market, fears of recession and out-sourcing of many traditional jobs, the pressure towards "performance biographies" has increased in almost all academic sectors. At the same time reports on the health of students are showing an alarming level of mental health problems, abuse of alcohol and drugs as well as high prescription rates of psychotropic drugs. In this context counseling approaches have gained importance at universities. The question arising here is, which type of counseling approach renders sustainable in the described climate of performativity. Diagnosis The University of St. Gallen was the first University in Switzerland to adapt the Bologna Reforms. Extensive data from the counseling center shows an increase of students who seek coaching in order to "optimizing their performance". At the same time these students report feeling a high level of pressure and show psychosomatic or depressive symptoms. In this regard counseling stands in the ethic dilemma of fulfilling the clients wish of "optimizing performance", thus standing in danger of pushing student over their boundaries and helping them genuinely cope with the workload associated stress. Solution Solution focused counseling has proven to be an excellent method to integrate both needs for students, often at the same time. This counseling method encourages students to look for new solutions by questioning their mindsets, offering a mental room for critical reflection and encouraging them to seek different perspectives on their situation. Outcome Experience has shown that escaping the logic of "more of the same behavior will lead to a better performance" is often the key to regaining mental functioning and at the same time regaining the ability to perform again. Even though symptoms are often severe at the beginning of counseling, average counseling duration lies between one and two sessions and only few student need additional psychotherapeutic support. Reflection A systematic evaluation is needed to undermine the reported effects. Further research should also concentrate on preventive aspects, encouraging students to actively seek room away from professional activities. As the rising pressure of performativity is not just an issue at universities, effects on organizations are to be discussed in the reflection.Type: conference paper
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PublicationOrganizational Discourse as Determination of Social Relations in OrganizationsIntroduction Social relations in organizations are predominantly discussed as either bonds between individuals or, alternatively as team-based matters. Moreover, social relations are often viewed as the objects to be improved by means of training and education, a view that is heavily influenced by the humanist ideal of personal development and growth. Neglected in these ideas on social relations are often the structures and discourses the organization itself produces. The co-dependence of the organizational and the social discourse is the main target of this study. Objective and Method To gain an understanding of the relation between organizational discourses and how those effectuate relations within the organization, an in-depth study encompassing two large organizations was carried out. The objective was to investigate both the organizational as well as the social discourses in the organization, whereby taking a special interest in the interrelation of the two. Based on problem-centred interviews and group discussions with over hundred participants within the organizations, a discourse analysis was carried out. Results This study shows how the level of organizational discourse interrelates with the social discourse of the organizations. Surprisingly, the results show that rather traditional discourse of the organizations such as Taylorism formed the pivotal reference point for the organizational discourse. This was posed in a sharp contrast with discourses of social relations, as those were very much inspired by humanist ideals. As the organizational discourse influencing the social was never discussed within the organizations, frictions between the two levels were carried out on individual level. Both the gap and the wider implications between constructions of organizational realities relying on pre-Human Relations concepts of organizations and claims on the social discourse very much based on just those humanist ideals became explicit through this study. Conclusion Inquiries of organizational discourses have a long tradition in the field of Organizational Psychology as is evident, in the debate on Taylorism or the Human Relations. Equally prominent in Organizational Psychology is the discussion of people's relational competencies in organizations. This study shows how organizational discourse en- and disables certain qualities of relations in organizations, thus bringing two traditionally separated fields of Organizational Psychology together. Implications for an integrative approach that focuses on both relational and organizational levels are discussed on the basis of empirical and theoretical arguments.Type: conference paper