The Organization Man (Paperback)

~ William H. Whyte (Author), Joseph Nocera (Foreword) "THIS BOOK IS ABOUT THE ORGANIZATION MAN..." (more)
Key Phrases: liberal arts men, organization transients, young suburbanites, Park Forest, Protestant Ethic, New York (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review

...remains a worthwhile read today, not just for the way we were, but for the way we are. -- Philadelphia Evening Bulletin, July 15, 2006

Review

"Recognized as a benchmark, Whyte's book reveals the dilemmas at the heart of the group ethos that emerged in the corporate and social world of the postwar era."—Nathan Glazer

"The Organization Man is one of the most influential books of the twentieth century. It established the categories Americans now use when thinking about the workplace, the suburbs, and their lives."—David Brooks, senior editor at the Weekly Standard and contributing editor at Newsweek

"The Organization Man remains a worthwhile read today."—Philadelphia Inquirer

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Product Details

• Paperback: 448 pages
• Publisher: University of Pennsylvania Press (May 30, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0812218191
• ISBN-13: 978-0812218190
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 6 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #44,834 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

35 of 36 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The 1950's Corporation: Friend or foe? , May 11, 2005

By	Christopher Hefele (Lawrenceville, NJ United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

William Whyte, who was an editor at Fortune magazine, argues in this 1956 bestseller that some people not only worked for an organization, but sold their psyches to them as well. These "organization men" willingly subordinated their personal goals and desires to conform to the demands of corporations and other organizations. This is different than modern-day workaholism -- the "organization men" of the 1950's hoped to gain loyalty, security and "belongingness" in exchange. In their view, the organization is a friend, not a foe; it's should be co-operated with, not questioned.

Whyte argues that the ideology behind the organization man is a "social ethic." Its core beliefs are that the group is superior to the individual, and individuals lack meaning and purpose outside of that group. "Belongingness" is assumed to be the ultimate emotional need of the individual, and to achieve it society should not hesitate to use a bit of social engineering. The result, however, is an ethos of over-conformity at any price.

As Whyte looked around the world in the mid-1950's, he saw the ethos of the Organization Man everywhere. He saw it in college graduates who joined big corporations, pledging their loyalty with visions of a safe stable life in exchange. He saw it in corporate executives who willingly pulled up their roots every time the company wanted to transfer him. He saw it when educators were asked to teach kids social skills so they could get along, rather than teaching academic subjects that forced kids to think for themselves. He saw it in engineering companies that said that there are "no geniuses here; just a bunch of average Americans working together" (although studies show that innovative engineers and scientists are fiercely independent, thus the direct antithesis of the company-oriented man).

So what to do? Whyte says we must realize that although we need the organization, we must know when and how to resist it. We must tread the fine line between self-interested cooperation and psychological surrender. We must realize that although the group can be a friend, it can also be a tyrant.

Even though this book was written about 50 years ago, many of Whyte's messages still ring true today. Yes, times have changed, and worker loyalty to corporations is passe'. Yet this book is worth reading, if only for its historical perspective on the mood in the 1950's. Also, it's well written - after all, Whyte was an editor at Fortune. Recommended.

41 of 47 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Mandatory reading for those interested in large corporations, November 21, 1997

By A Customer

This review is from: Organization Man (Paperback)

Wonderful book. Required reading in my sociology course in 1958. Explains how the culture of "robber barons" continued under a new guise after WWII and developed the ultimate corporate planned community and culture. In some places it worked too well and contributed to many social problems of the 60's and 70's. A wonderful companion to " The Stepford Wives", but done as a sociological treatise.Excellent!

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars "The Organisation Man" revisited, March 18, 2006

By	Ke Smith "Kenneth E. Smith" (Brisbane, Australia) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

The secondary title applied to this excellent work was " Moulding Team Players for Free Enterprise" The principal idea was how Big Business through the educational system and the prevailing culture indoctrinated a generation of aspiring corporate executives and middle managers into company men - similar to armed forces indoctrination of career officer cadets.
This excellent work is applicable today as it was 50 years ago, and is an invaluable work to all who wish to understand corporate culture. One only has to think of the many examples of Corporate interest over riding individual executives concience to see the relevance.