Understanding Emotion at Work

`Most folks in organizations dichotomize reason and emotion, often treating
emotion as an uncommon or marginal occurrence. Written in a clear and lively
style, Steve Fineman's book, Understanding Emotion at Work, dispels this
notion as he demonstrates how emotions infuse most practices in organizational
life, including leading, decision making, organizational change, gender
relations, stress, and downsizing. Sprinkled with vivid examples, Fineman
captures the positive benefits of emotions at work as well as the darker side
of feelings and despair. Scholars, students and practitioners alike will glean
important insights from the lens of emotion that Fineman brings to the
subtleties of organizational life' - Linda L Putnam, Texas A&M; University

`Stephen Fineman has written a wise and engaging text about emotions and how
they play out in and around organizations. He underscores, with a range of
fine examples, thoughtful commentary and careful scholarship, the essential
role of emotions in organizational life. He applies his lens to such issues as
recruitment, leadership, decision making and change. He extends the reach of
emotions into the virtual world of work and he makes apparent the heavy costs
to people and their organizations of toxic emotions that stem from
bullying,harassment and downsizing. A must-read in any curriculum dealing with
the study of organization' - Peter Frost, Edgar F. Kaiser Professor of
Organizational Behaviour, Faculty of Commerce and Business Administration,
University of British Columbia, Canada Author of Toxic Emotions at Work HBS
Press 2003

`Going to work can be a great joy, a great pain, or a mixture of the two. This
clearly written, engaging and authoritative book demonstrates the vital
necessity of understanding how emotions permeate work organisations at every
level and in every situation. No student of work and its organisation can
afford to neglect this important area of study. And no writer on work and
organisation is better placed to go to the heart of these matters than Stephen
Fineman' - Professor Tony J Watson, Professor of Organisational and Managerial
Behaviour, Nottingham Business School

`In this book, Professor Stephen Fineman has done more of what he does best
writing eloquently and perceptively about emotions in organizations. In this
case, he is writing directly for students, both undergraduates and
postgraduates, and uses a wide range of disciplinary insights to show how
emotions are inextricably embedded in organizational life. His book helps to
launch students on a voyage of self-discovery to learn for themselves how
emotions impact upon them and their colleagues. As someone who has long
challenged the "emotion-less" view of emotion that characterizes much of the
research on this phenomenon, he uses his considerable skills to convey the
importance, richness and nuance of emotion. Nor does he shrink away from
tackling the darker side of organizational emotional life challenging students
to reflect on the agony, as well as the ecstasy, that passionate emotions can
cause. This book is a valuable resource for teachers wanting to introduce
students to organizations, and a fascinating and astute aid for students
interested in learning about them - Professor Cynthia Hardy, Department of
Management, University of Melbourne

`Organizational life is shot through with emotions, spawning a growing
interest in topics ranging from emotional intelligence to violence at work.
Stephen Fineman provides a much-needed survey of these topics, capturing their
sprawling breadth without sacrificing depth. Moreover, he succeeds in
conveying the everyday feel of emotions in organizational life in a way that
is both engaging and informative' - Blake Ashforth, Jerry and Mary Ann Chapman
Professor of Business, W P Carey School of Business, Arizona State University

Understanding Emotion at Work gets to the heart of what binds and breaks
organizations: emotion. It explores beyond the surface of work to the rich
emotional life bubbling underneath, showing what employees and managers
constantly deal with but are often ill-equipped to do so.

This is the first introductory book on emotions and it's aimed specifically at
students of management and organization studies. Written accessibly, it avoids
pat prescriptions, but leaves the reader with challenging questions about the
intrisic nature of emotions to the design and management of organizations.

Drawing on a rich discipline-field, including psychology, sociology and
organizational theory, Stephen Fineman explores a number of familiar and not
so familiar work arenas. He examines the way emotion penetrates leadership,
decision-making and organizational change as well as newer topics like the
virtual side of organizations. Finally, he addresses the darker side of
emotion in the context of bullying, violence, sexual harassment and
downsizing.

Understanding Emotion at Work will shed light on this growing subject for
advanced undergraduates and postgraduates studying organizational behaviour,
HRM or organizational psychology.