Presentation and Discussion of “A Multilevel Review of Critical Spirituality”

Abstract:

As spirituality provides people meaning in life and advises their sense of values and ethics, there is increasing interest among management scholars concerning this research area. Considering that people are characterized by an innate need to find meaning in their lives likewise at workplaces, management theory and practice is challenged to discuss such topics. One key controversy is the debate about what kind of spirituality we are referring to in management theory and practice. The majority of publications emphasizes the positive consequences thereby considering spirituality as a management tool improving performance of employees and organizations. In contrast, a critical spirituality focuses on a serious debate about the sense of life and work, including a critical analysis of organizations and managerial practices. Research on critical spirituality spans a wide range of disciplines, however, an interdisciplinary systematic analysis of this critical spirituality is still missing. This interdisciplinary systematic literature review contributes to the management discourse by providing a view beyond traditional management perspectives on spirituality with a synthesized overview of the most influential theoretical foundations, specific descriptions of critical spirituality as well as a first framework of implications for management theory and practice.