The symbolic order of gender in organizations - how gender relations are culturally and discursively produced and reproduced, and how they might be done' differently, are explored in this book. Silvia Gherardi focuses on the relationship between gender, power and culture in organizations and on the need to come to grips with the pervasive, elusive and ambiguous nature of gender in work settings. She introduces two key metaphors. The first is of the sexual contract, which centres on the sexuality of organizations and static' gender difference. The second, of the alchemic wedding, highlights a plurality of cultural models of femaleness and of women/work relationships, and processes of dynamic difference, transformation and transcendence. Gherardi continues her examination of the construction of gender relations in the workplace through a series of rich and illuminating stories which also draw on various symbolic archetypes as powerful forms of cultural expression. The final section of the book looks at possibilities for change, developing in particular a concept of different forms of gender citizenship of organizations.

The symbolic order of gender in organizations - how gender relations are culturally and discursively produced and reproduced, and how they might be `done' differently, are explored in this book. Silvia Gherardi focuses on the relationship between gender, power and culture in organizations and on the need to come to grips with the pervasive, elusive and ambiguous nature of gender in work settings. She introduces two key metaphors. The first is of the sexual contract, which centres on the sexuality of organizations and `static' gender difference. The second, of the alchemic wedding, highlights a plurality of cultural models of femaleness and of women//work relationships, and processes of dynamic difference, transformation an

An engaging contribution to the increasing body of knowledge about gender and organizations, Gender, Culture and Organizational Change examines gender-based inequality in organizations and considers how sexual and social relations between women and men based on sexuality, power and control determine the cultures, structures and practices of organization and the experiences of men and women working in them. Gender, Culture and Organizational Change represents a decade of experience of managing change and implementing theory in public sector organizations during a period of major social, political and economic transition and analyses the progress that has been made. It expands to make wider connections with women and trade unions in Europe and management development for women in the "developing" countries of Africa and Asia. It will be valuable reading for students in social policy, gender studies and sociology and for professionals with an interest in understanding the dynamics of the workplace.

Gender, Identity and the Culture of Organizations considers how organizations operate as spaces in which minds are gendered and men and women constructed. This edited collection brings together four powerful themes that have developed within the field of organizational analysis over the past two decades: organizational culture; the gendering of organizations; post-modernism and organizational analysis; and critical approaches to management. A range of essays by distinguished writers from countries including the UK, USA, Canada, Denmark, Sweden, Finland, the Netherlands and Sweden, explore innovative methods for the critical theorizing of organizational cultures. In particular, the book reflects the growing interest in the impact of organizational identity formation and its implications for individuals and organizational outcomes in terms of gender. The book also introduces research designs, methods and methodologies by which can be used to explore the complex interrelationships between gender, identity and the culture of organizations.

Despite all the efforts to promote change, power and authority still seem to be permanently associated with the white, the straight and the masculine, both symbolically and in the everyday world of organizations. As the intricate relationship between the symbolic and the everyday remains under-researched, this anthology proposes a transdisciplinary feminist perspective drawing on the humanities in order to explore the complex nature of the gendered politics of organizations. Indeed, analyzing how images, narratives, symbols and bodies are all part of how power and gender are constructed in organizations through a broad and international range of empirical studies, Bodies, Symbols and Organizational Practice explores issues at the interstices of the humanities and social sciences, combining theoretical and analytical perspectives from both areas. Providing a radical analysis of the gendered dynamics of power as well as petitioning for radical intervention into those dynamics, this timely volume will appeal to postgraduate students and postdoctoral researchers interested in fields such as: Organization and Management Studies, Gender studies, Feminist theory and Sociology of Work & Industry.

The concept of culture is a key issue within management and organization studies. Understanding Organizational Culture provides a useful and comprehensive guide to understanding organizational culture, from a range of angles, contexts and sectors. The book answers questions of definition, explores alternative perspectives, and expands on substantive issues (such as leadership and change), before discussing key issues of research and providing a new framework for this topic. Mats Alvesson synthesizes for students the advances in the field of organizational culture, drawing upon the range of relevant literature within Organization Studies. The author also uses examples to develop and illustrate ideas on how cultural

`An unusually comprehensive and sophisticated analysis of how organizations and the men and women who work within them are affected by gendered processes and relations. Alvesson and Billing′s contribution is unique in its sensitivity to the wide range of processes affected by gender paired with its sensitivity to the pitfalls of inappropriately applying a gender lens. This book is a must-read for organizational researchers and gender scholars′ - Debra Meyerson, Stanford University `Students and scholars alike will find this at once a useful overview and a thought-provoking take on the complexity of gender-in-organizations and gendered organizations′ - Robin J. Ely, Warren Alpert Professor of Business Administration, Harvard Business School In the decade since the first edition of this critical and provocative text, many aspects of gender have changed, and many have stayed the same. While the gendered study of organizations is a growing field in its own right, in many real-life organizations gaps in gendered job roles and pay are as entrenched as they were. This Second Edition is a long-awaited update to an essential text in this dynamic and expanding field of inquiry, incorporating new, international perspectives that incorporate recent theory and debate, and a new chapter on gender and identity.