The Myth of Shared Values — Organisational Totalitarianism

Abstract

In the previous three chapters we have seen some of the difficulties surrounding the idea that a manager can and should get a clear understanding of people’s values. In this chapter, which concludes the first part of this book, I want to apply some of the ideas presented earlier to a key arena of modern management thinking and practice — the suggestion that managers should be trying to create a sense of shared value in their organisations. What we shall see is that, whilst the promotion of shared values can assist in creating an openness that contributes to corporate success, it can all too easily degenerate. Thus are created mechanisms for imposing totalitarian cultures in organisations — mechanisms that are harmful to corporate success. In contrast, we shall see that celebrating diversity, in values no less than in other areas, is a more solid foundation for managing an organisation’s workforce.