Abstract
We have set out to position politics as a central dimension in management, and we have surfaced the influence of the deepseated rational mindset in undermining its legitimacy. As with governmental politics, the constructive value of organisational politics stems from the possibility of acting on personal agendas, which itself turns on the balance of self- and other-interest. The moment managers stray from the straight and narrow of the rational mindset, they are faced with the problem of finding that balance. Yet this is their day-to-day experience. It is the essence of organisation and it leads us to recast the managerial role as that of ‘politician’.
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© 2008 David Butcher and Martin Clarke
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Butcher, D., Clarke, M. (2008). Politics — The Essence of Organisation?. In: Smart Management. Palgrave Macmillan, London. https://doi.org/10.1057/9780230584112_6
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1057/9780230584112_6
Publisher Name: Palgrave Macmillan, London
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