Comments on: Why ‘Modern’ Work Culture Makes People So Miserable by Jeffrey Pfeffer

By: William Martin

William Martin — Thu, 27 Oct 2016 02:10:11 +0000

I remember explaining the concept of the “Social Contract” to the HR department of one global financial organisation who couldn’t understand why people were no longer “loyal” to the business. I suggested they look at how they described their function, i.e. “Human Resources”… They finally got it.

By: Alok Chakrabarti

Alok Chakrabarti — Sat, 23 Apr 2016 23:25:46 +0000

In reply to JC Spender.

As I have learned working in Finland, Anerican capitalist culture is dominated on principles that promote indidulalism, competitive relationship, exploitive relationships, and command and control systems based on hierarchy. Scandinavians on the other hand promote collegiality, cooperative relationships, collaboration as opposed to competition.

In recent years starting from the Reagan era, we have tilted overly towards the
dysfunctional aspect of hedonistic culture.

By: JC Spender

JC Spender — Sat, 23 Apr 2016 15:48:16 +0000

Alas, if Jeff’s assumption/s about business were tenable, a diagnosis for our situation’s ills would follow. But perhaps his post actually highlights that we have no reason – theoretical, ideological, or empirical – to presume ‘humanity’ is business’s central principle. Claiming so is a curiously American kind of anti-intellectualism since, as Coase reminded us in 1937, we have yet to uncover business’s real ‘nature’. Clearly business people can make no better sense of ‘humanity’ than our politicians can. How can we explain/justify our society’s practices if humanity’ is its central principle, e.g. that some 20% of American children live with only the most marginal ‘safety and security’, in poverty in the world’s richest economy.