Examining the role of inspiration in contemporary work organisations

Avramenko, A

Abstract

The research presented in this thesis examines the role of inspiration in contemporary
work organisations by exploring various meanings attributed to the term inspiration in
organisational settings.
This research is based on the interpretive philosophical paradigm concerned with
understanding of the social world as it is at the level of subjective experience and utilises
philosophical hermeneutics as a methodological approach of elucidating inspiration in
organisational contexts; whereas philosophical hermeneutics emphasises the importance
of conditions in which pre-understanding of inspiration evolves sufficiently to draw
technical conceptions of inspiration in organisational settings.
The material for developing a progressive understanding of inspiration has been provided
by hermeneutic interviews carried out with volunteers at different levels of organisational
hierarchy from three participating organisations to identify the various meanings of
inspiration and their use, as well as gain a richer understanding how inspiration affects
people at work. The findings stemming from participants' accounts were then used to
conceptualise inspiration in organisational settings.
The results of the study indicate that inspiration is significant to the context of
contemporary work organisations and is often intentionally sought out at all
organisational levels. The account on inspiration created in this study signifies that
currently use of inspiration in organisational contexts lacks theoretical underpinning,
wherein inspiration is often merely used in a flexible lexical way to add either clarity or
ambiguity to any communication, depending on its context.
Overall, having explored inspiration in organisational settings, this study has identified it
as an emerging concept, which fundamentally exists and is recognised in contemporary
work organisations. The developed conceptualisations of inspiration allow for the
rethinking of various aspects of organisational contexts and leadership and motivation
theory in particular. The theoretical underpinning for inspiration laid out in this study can
be used as a basis for future research.

Citation

Avramenko, A. Examining the role of inspiration in contemporary work organisations. (Thesis). Salford : University of Salford

• Thesis Type: Thesis
• Deposit Date: Oct 3, 2012
• Award Date: Jan 1, 2009