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Exploring how object relations theory can be used to understand the response of individuals to organisational change : three case studies
Bibliography : leaves 101-104.
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| Main Author: | |
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| Other Authors: | |
| Format: | Thesis |
| Language: | English |
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Department of Social Development
2014
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| _version_ | 1867614401481146368 |
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| access_status_str | Open Access |
| author | Grassow, Howard |
| author2 | Sturgeon, Shona |
| author_browse | Grassow, Howard Sturgeon, Shona |
| author_facet | Sturgeon, Shona Grassow, Howard |
| author_sort | Grassow, Howard |
| collection | Thesis |
| description | Bibliography : leaves 101-104. |
| format | Thesis |
| id | oai:open.uct.ac.za:11427/7674 |
| institution | University of Cape Town (South Africa) |
| language | eng |
| last_indexed | 2026-06-10T12:51:27.643Z |
| license_str | Not specified — see source repository |
| provenance_str_mv | Harvested via OAI-PMH from UCTD — University of Cape Town Open Access Repository |
| publishDate | 2014 |
| publishDateRange | 2014 |
| publishDateSort | 2014 |
| publisher | Department of Social Development |
| publisherStr | Department of Social Development |
| record_format | dspace |
| source_str | UCTD — University of Cape Town Open Access Repository |
| spelling | oai:open.uct.ac.za:11427/7674 Exploring how object relations theory can be used to understand the response of individuals to organisational change : three case studies Grassow, Howard Sturgeon, Shona Clinical Social Work Bibliography : leaves 101-104. The study set out to explore why people who were not at risk of being retrenched at the time of organisational change presented to the employee assistance program with signs of depression and anxiety. The study examined the, 'unconscious aspects' of the relationship between the individual and work colleagues; the importance of the individual's relationship with the organisation, and how early unresolved feelings of loss can be evoked during organisational change. The study was informed by psychoanalytic object relations theory. The study presents a theoretical examination of infant development that focuses on the sources of early anxieties, the way in which the infant defends against these anxieties, and the mother's role in helping the infant to contain them. This examination suggests that although many of these primitive anxieties are resolved during infancy and childhood, they remain present in adulthood and therefore people continue to seek out places that can contain their primitive anxieties. The theoretical constructs are then used to examine three areas, those being, the employees relationship with the organisation, relationships with colleagues, and the loss of the organisation. Three case studies are presented to illustrate the theoretical constructs. The three participants, all of whom were not at risk of being retrenched, presented to the employee assistance programme with signs of anxiety and depression. The data presented was collected during ten therapy sessions. This data was then analyzed using psychoanalytical object relations theory. The study seemed to Show that: early maternal relationships play an important role in how the employee will relate to the organisation and work colleagues; that the organisation plays an important role in providing a forum for reparation for employees; that the employee organisation relationship plays an important role in containing employee's anxieties; that changes within the organisation may be experienced by members as a loss of an important containing relationship. It is helpful for social workers working with employees to understand these so as to help both employees and management during organisational change. 2014-09-25T08:46:33Z 2014-09-25T08:46:33Z 2000 Master Thesis Masters MSocSc http://hdl.handle.net/11427/7674 eng application/pdf Department of Social Development Faculty of Humanities University of Cape Town |
| spellingShingle | Clinical Social Work Grassow, Howard Exploring how object relations theory can be used to understand the response of individuals to organisational change : three case studies |
| thesis_degree_str | Master's |
| title | Exploring how object relations theory can be used to understand the response of individuals to organisational change : three case studies |
| title_full | Exploring how object relations theory can be used to understand the response of individuals to organisational change : three case studies |
| title_fullStr | Exploring how object relations theory can be used to understand the response of individuals to organisational change : three case studies |
| title_full_unstemmed | Exploring how object relations theory can be used to understand the response of individuals to organisational change : three case studies |
| title_short | Exploring how object relations theory can be used to understand the response of individuals to organisational change : three case studies |
| title_sort | exploring how object relations theory can be used to understand the response of individuals to organisational change three case studies |
| topic | Clinical Social Work |
| url | http://hdl.handle.net/11427/7674 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT grassowhoward exploringhowobjectrelationstheorycanbeusedtounderstandtheresponseofindividualstoorganisationalchangethreecasestudies |