Thinking holistically in management?

An essay from personal experience as a manager and on the risk of the spiritual materialism

Abstract

The essay provides a self-reflexive, phenomenological view of thinking in everyday management. Its focus is a multi-dimensional integration of thought processes such as planning, decision-making, assessment, and evaluation - which are typical managerial functions - bodily, linguistically and within cultural mores. The leading question in this context is the search for a connecting factor addressing a changed, multi-perspective style of thinking which may be induced through spiritual practices or “technologies of self” (Michel Foucault 1993). As a result it is reasonable to assume that spirituality may influence thinking and thus holistically shape daily management routines.