Dreams and the Organization

Special Issue of Journal of Organizational Change Management

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“In every company there is an “unmanaged organization”, a critical terrain governed by subjectivity – in which organizational myths and fantasies emerge”

This special issue explores the intersection of psychoanalysis, dreams, and organizational studies, highlighting how unconscious processes shape management, leadership, and organizational identity.

It suggests that dreams, fantasies, and unconscious processes are not just individual experiences but are deeply embedded in organizations. Understanding these hidden dimensions may help leaders navigate resistance to change, improve creativity, and make more informed decisions.

The guest editor calls for more interdisciplinary research into how psychoanalytic insights can be applied to organizational change and leadership studies.

Summary

• Organizations Have an “Unmanaged” Unconscious
  Traditional management theory focuses on formal structures and processes, but psychoanalytic perspectives suggest that organizations also have hidden, unconscious dimensions. Myths, fantasies, and deep-seated psychological dynamics influence decision-making, communication, and resistance to change.

• Dreams as a Tool for Organizational Change
  Drawing from Freud’s concept of wish fulfillment and Jung’s idea of the collective unconscious, the editorial suggests that dreams can fuel creativity and problem-solving in organizations. Historical examples include Giuseppe Tartini’s musical inspiration, Robert Louis Stevenson’s literary ideas, and Friedrich Kekulé’s scientific discovery of benzene’s structure, all of which emerged from dreams.

• Social Dreaming as an Organizational Insight Method
  Gordon Lawrence’s social dreaming methodology is highlighted as a way to analyze shared unconscious themes in organizations. By exploring collective dreams, companies may gain insight into hidden anxieties, cultural narratives, and potential innovation paths.

Schiavone, F. (2013), "Dreams and the organization", Journal of Organizational Change Management, Vol. 26 No. 4. https://doi.org/10.1108/jocm.2013.02326daa.001