Abstract
Like any other organization, orders also have to adjust their way of managing to cope with the changing environment. Although they live behind the walls of the monastery, these walls are becoming more and more permeable (e.g. the impact of the internet). Some are doing this by looking for ways to transfer management knowledge and tools from the corporate world. But such “managerialism” has clear limits. If they are not perceived and respected it puts the monastic community in danger. In this chapter the authors reflect on the possibilities and limitations of using knowledge of management science in the context of the church. They see a clear danger in doing too much of this managerialism; to find the right measure it takes a lot of sensibility towards the specific context.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution.
Buying options
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Learn about institutional subscriptionsNotes
- 1.
See for example the discussion on this at Kleymann and Malloch (2010).
- 2.
- 3.
Meyer and Maier (2017), p. 104.
- 4.
- 5.
Jacobs and Wilford (2010).
- 6.
Payer-Langthaler and Feldbauer-Durstmüller (2012).
- 7.
- 8.
See also Dent, Higgins and Wharff (2005).
- 9.
Radcliffe (2000a), pp. 148–149. In the German translation of his speech at the congress of abbots 2000 the text is a little bit different: “Es ist das Fehlen eines ausdrücklichen Zweckes, das Gott als geheimen, verborgenen Zweck ihres Lebens offenbart. Gott wird offenbart als unsichtbares Zentrum unseres Lebens, wenn wir nicht versuchen, irgendeine andere Rechtfertigung dafür zu geben, wer wir sind.” (Radcliffe 2000b).
- 10.
Casey and Tomlins (2006).
- 11.
See also Karakas (2010).
- 12.
Case Study “Long-term orientation in the Benedictine monastery of Admont”, Ivey Publishing 2016.
References
Casey, M., & Tomlins, D. (2006). Introducing the Benedict’s rule. St. Ottilien: EOS.
Dent, E. B., Higgins, M. E., & Wharff, D. M. (2005). Spirituality and leadership: An empirical review of definitions, distinctions, and embedded assumptions. The Leadership Quarterly, 16(5), 625–653.
Gundolf, K., & Filser, M. (2013). Management research and religion: A citation analysis. Journal of Business Ethics, 112(1), 177–185.
Jacobs, A., & Wilford, R. (2010). Listen first: A pilot system for managing downward accountability in NGOs. Development in Practice, 20, 797–811.
Karakas, F. (2010). Spirituality and performance in organizations: A literature review. Journal of Business Ethics, 94(1), 89–106.
Kieser, A. (1987). From asceticism to administration of wealth. Medieval monasteries and the pitfalls of rationalization. Organization Studies, 8, 103–123.
Kleymann, B., & Malloch, H. (2010). The rule of Saint Benedict and corporate management. Employing the whole person. Journal of Global Responsibility, 1(2), 207–224.
Meyer, M., & Maier, F. (2017). Managerialismus. Eine Herausforderung (nicht nur) für NPOs. Die Unternehmung, 71(2), 104–125.
Mitschke-Collande, T. (2012). Schafft sich die katholische Kirche ab? Analysen und Fakten eines Unternehmensberaters. München: Kösel-Verlag.
Payer-Langthaler, S., & Feldbauer-Durstmüller, B. (2012). Performance Management im Kloster. Das Beispiel der Benediktiner in Österreich. In M. Gmür, R. Schauer, & L. Theuvsen (Eds.), Performance management in nonprofit-organisationen. Theoretische Grundlagen, empirische Ergebnisse und Anwendungsbeispiele (pp. 98–108). Bern: Haupt Verlag.
Radcliffe, T. (2000a). Call you friends. London/New York: Continuum.
Radcliffe, T. (2000b). Der Thron Gottes. Ansprache auf dem Äbtekongress 2000. Monastische Informationen, 4, 24–32.
Rost, K., lnauen, E., Osterloh, M., & Frey, B. S. (2010). The corporate governance of Benedictine abbeys: What can stock corporations learn from monasteries? Journal of Management History, 16, 90–115.
Soegtrop, U. (2003). Nachhaltiger Wandel im Kloster. Organisationale Veränderungsprozesse in der Benediktinerabtei Burg Dinklage. Baden-Baden: Nomos.
Tracey, P. (2012). Religion and organization: A critical review of current trends and future directions. Academy of Management Annals, 6(1), 87–134.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2019 Springer Nature Switzerland AG
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Müller-Stewens, G., Gioia, L. (2019). Using Knowledge from Management Science in the Context of the Church: Possibilities and Limitations. In: Müller-Stewens, G., Wolf, N. (eds) Leadership in the Context of Religious Institutions. CSR, Sustainability, Ethics & Governance. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-13769-4_2
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-13769-4_2
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-030-13768-7
Online ISBN: 978-3-030-13769-4
eBook Packages: Business and ManagementBusiness and Management (R0)