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Portrait of Mats Alvesson. Photo.

Mats Alvesson

Professor

Portrait of Mats Alvesson. Photo.

Excessive work regimes and functional stupidity

Author

  • Mats Alvesson
  • Katja Einola

Summary, in English

In order to understand why individuals accept and reproduce excessive time regimes, this paper addresses five key drivers: (1) intrinsic motivation, (2) extrinsic motivation, (3) organizational norms, (4) the principle of reciprocity, and (5) identity, including having the ‘true grit’ and belonging to the ‘elite’. It also points to how various elements in excessive work regimes – tendencies towards a closed occupational system, the combination of incentives and ego-boosting and limited time outside work – contribute to functional stupidity, making people disinclined to ask critical questions about work practices and norms, be self-reflective or imagine alternative forms of work organizations, careers or personal objectives.

Department/s

  • Department of Business Administration

Publishing year

2018-08-07

Language

English

Pages

283-296

Publication/Series

German Journal of Human Resource Management

Volume

32

Issue

3-4

Document type

Journal article

Publisher

SAGE Publications

Topic

  • Business Administration

Keywords

  • Functional stupidity
  • identity
  • motivation
  • professional services
  • work regimes
  • working hours

Status

Published

ISBN/ISSN/Other

  • ISSN: 2397-0022