Assumptions Quote by Barbara Ehrenreich
““I expected, as I approached the corporate world, to enter a brisk, logical, nonsense-free zone, almost like the military - or a disciplined, up-to-date military anyway - in its focus on concrete results. How else would companies survive fierce competition? But what I encountered was a culture riven with assumptions unrelated to those that underlie the fact- and logic-based worlds of, say science and journalism - a culture addicted to untested habits, paralyzed by conformity, and shot through with magical thinking.””
About This Quote
Source Article: Corporate Culture Critique, 2005
The author expected a logical, disciplined corporate environment but found one driven by untested habits, conformity, and irrational thinking.
In simple terms: Corporate reality often contradicts expectations of rationality.
Key Takeaway
Question assumptions and seek evidence.
Themes
corporate culture
logic
conformity
irrationality
Mood
skeptical
analytical
Type
critical
observational
When to use this quote
- job interviews
- team meetings
- strategic planning
Key Concepts
systems thinking
organizational behavior
Questions to Reflect On
- What evidence supports your view?
- How can you influence change?
A Different Perspective
Changing corporate culture is difficult.
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