Resources and meaning in context and culture

¶ … Culture

Within organization frameworks, postmodernism tends to look at an organization more in light of contemporary views on diversity, job satiscation, teamwork, managers as leaders, and coordination of efforts. Hierarchies exist, but are not the primary form of organizational behavior -- teams are more of a flat design. This view holds that the success or failure of a contemporary business or organization is quite dependent upon the management of diversity. Public and private sector organizations, both are involved in numerous federally mandated programs that are designed to reduce cultural and communication barriers within the workplace. Multiculturalism is no longer a "nice-to," with the era of globalization upon us, and rapidly growing, diversity training and maximization of multicultural understanding, combined with management and leadership commitment to provide a diverse workplace, is now the norm. The same is true in accepting and managing a diverse workforce -- those over 55 perhaps vs. those under 25 (Ungar, 2004).

Postmodernism places the locus of power and control within the group dynamic rather than the therapist always being the center hub. Recent developments, for instance, in the use of an "absent but implicit" therapeutic paradigm show that in any experience individuals must make numerous connections with past experiences, provide past knowledge, and be able to contrast their own foundation with the social or psychological impetus of any type of intervention (Carey, et al., 2009).

Individual responses to both the idea of postmodernism and absent but implicit approaches would, as with most differing methods, be varied. However, in general the idea of separating and externalizing seems to be something that modern society does all the time. We deconstructionalize any number of events, activities, and tend to view the "other" and even other activities as outside. If contemporary individuals use this view, that our own individual identities are shaped by our stories and identities that exist from without moving to within, then by describing these stories, ways of living, and possibilities might help the individual investigate their own motivations and actions in a more robust manner. It seems that many people would respond to these ideas because the focus is on the problem or situational effect on the person's life rather than what they individual would perceive as part of them (inside), so some distance is created. This externalization of, as some call it within the articles, objectification, makes it easier for a person to talk about "it" rather than "themselves."

In addition, postmodernism and the narrative kind of therapy seems to allow the individual to reflect on their intentions, value systems, hopes and dreams, and even the commitments they have made within their lives as more external motivators. It seems that if individuals can talk about their issues more in the third person, then they are willing to see them more as actors on the stage, etc. And find ways to mitigate, change, or otherwise improve potential issues.