A systems psychodynamic perspective on the organizational diagnosis of a family business

Systems psychodynamics, an intellectual and clinical approach to exploring the behavior of individuals and groups in organizations, is employed to develop hypotheses about the behavior of the managing partners and staff of a family business. Known in systems psychodynamics as organizational diagnoses, hypotheses are developed based on data gathered over the course of eighteen months' observation of the business. Special attention is given to the contribution of the process of projective identification in making sense of unconscious aspects of group behavior as they relate to the management of the business. The data are also used to illustrate the interactive role of systems and psychodynamics in the understanding of organizational behavior. Suggestions are offered to future student organizational diagnosticians on how to employ systems psychodynamics in their research.