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From “This job is killing me” to “I live in the life I love and I love the life I live”, or from Stakhanov to contemporary workaholics

Author

Listed:
  • Miguel Pina e Cunha
  • Carlos Cabral Cardoso
  • Armenio Rego
  • Stewart Clegg

Abstract

F. W. Taylor is often celebrated as a founding father of organization and management theory, one whose commitment to efficiency is legendary. If we define efficiency in terms of maximizing output from a given – or lesser – number of workers it can be considered that, in some cases, Taylor’s science has achieved a remarkable success. Contemporary organizations managed to create such a state of commitment (be it spontaneous or imposed), that people have adopted excessive working as lifestyle. Life is organized around work, with work occupying more and more territory from the former private life. We discuss the notion of excessive working, present several forms of excessive working, contest the idea that excessive working is necessarily noxious, suggest a dynamic understanding of the different forms of excessive working, and challenge researchers critically to discuss their practical success. As the saying goes, there can be too much of a good thing.

Suggested Citation

  • Miguel Pina e Cunha & Carlos Cabral Cardoso & Armenio Rego & Stewart Clegg, 2007. "From “This job is killing me” to “I live in the life I love and I love the life I live”, or from Stakhanov to contemporary workaholics," Nova SBE Working Paper Series wp519, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Nova School of Business and Economics.
    • Handle: RePEc:unl:unlfep:wp519
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Keywords

    Organizational behaviour; excessive work; Stakhanov; workaholism; motivation; busyness; lifestyles;
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