The Place of Spirituality in Organizational Theory

Abstract

Spirituality in the American workplace has been receiving increasing attention by the popular literature. However, the issue has received little consideration from management scholars. Although there are several definitions of spirituality, this paper discusses it as a cultural phenomenon that might influence organizational behavior. The investigation of spirituality in the workplace demands the examination of organization theory and some of its concepts. Open systems, institutional isomorphism, open fields, institutionalism, and neo-institutional theories are examined. Spirituality should not be neglected as a legitimate organizational topic of study, and more research on the impact of spirituality in the workplace should be conducted.