AN ESSAY ON AESTHETIZATION IN ORGANIZATIONAL LIFE

A Sociological Discourse of Daily Life in LECO

Subject: Organizational Behavior
Subject Lecturer: Dr. Dhamikka Jayawardena

By

1.

DILSHAN DE SILVA

5266FM2013012

2.

M.A.N. COORAY

5266FM2013008

3.

T.P.G.D. DE ALWIS

5266FM2013010

4.

S.P. DHARMAPALA

5266FM2013013

5.

T. KARTHIKA

5266FM2013033

MBA/ MPM/ M.Sc.

Year: 2014

Contents

1.

Introduction ............................................................................................................................. 2

2.

Organization Space as a Social Construct ............................................................................ 5

3.

Space and Power ...................................................................................................................... 7

4.

Spatio (Spatial)-Temporal of Space and Non-pedigree Architecture ...................................... 8

5.

Inside/ Outside and Order/ Disorder ........................................................................................ 9

6.

Aesthetics of Organization (Space) ....................................................................................... 10

7.

Aesthetic Life in LECO ......................................................................................................... 12

8.

Conclusion ............................................................................................................................. 18

References ..................................................................................................................................... 20

1. Introduction
Work is part of daily life of a human being in form of economy and socially. Fiona Wilson (2014)
finds, in fact, [it] occupies a substantial proportion of our [humans] lives. Therefore, it is natural
the human beings behavior within the confinement of the work place (space) matters
irrespective of whether it is a social or psychological discourse, or more even it is the construct of
organizational (or management) theory. As generic understanding1 on Organizational Behavior
(OB) goes on to imply it is a study of individuals and their behavior in context of organization as
a workplace setting, it is quite spontaneous to evoke the understanding of causality (mostly nonlinear) and consequences of behavior of the individuals (human beings) and the interrelationship
with the work place setting.
Now the question would be what is this work place setting? Is it merely a physical, material
environment, which is tangible and conspicuous, with a definite shape (obviously spatially
constraint by a boundary) and colour, or is it intangible, something of discreet, without definite
shape (confined by boundary) and colour, which could be something of much of social, a nexus of
interacting individuals (human beings)? or could it be both at concurrent interplay, which generates
a complex, chaotic, and abstract cognition or may be non-cognitive intelligence, a intrinsic
human awareness or awakening of human-material interface? Answer to this question (though
it may not sounds direct) sought by evoking the doctrines of Martin Kornberger and Stewart Clegg
(2003), where they have recognized the necessity of space for organizations to unfold, even
though if it [these entities] is [are] temporary. Thus, is it something of space? Ibid, continue to
describe that it is organizing of organization space. Zooming on space, they proceed to identify
it as a social construct while, it is being a material construct of architectural nature. Althusser,
1971, found that space as ways of filling up or denying an absence with meanings and
presences, which future generations might inherit. Rosen et al. (1990), articulate this construct
by recognizing space as simultaneity of both the medium and outcome of the action [action],
where it (the space) repeatedly (reclusively) arrange (organize). In addition, ibid, went on
to recognize space as experience and as limit and enabler of possibilities of further social
construction.

Ref: http://www.ilr.cornell.edu/library/research/subjectguides/organizationalbehavior.html

Thus, these discourses lead us to imply on understanding, the organization space is part of lives
of individuals of work-force, which could as a social construct that conspires as living (or life) in
organization space or organization life.

The next question comes to our curious minds when pondering into the notions of life in
organization and filling up meanings and presences in organization as a space (or work setting),
how the lives individuals (beings) as subjects (Witkin, 2009 p.63) of variables in physical space
would be affected? How they would react, interact, or even be passive in their behavior of the
work life? Roethilsberger and Dickson (1939) suggest that changing variables in physical
space alter social behavior of the subjects and create [a]new and unanticipated social space
[social behavior]. Louis (1981) finds that organizations are not only merely social structures,
which are governed by instrumental rationality (the notion of linear casualty between cause and
effect of problem and solution), but it is the social environment (milieu) of those who are presence
and the container of culture of those inhabitants. Becker (1982) and Hatch (1997), independently,
showed that office space influences human interaction and its symbolic functions (Korngberger
and Clegg, 2009). And Dandridge et al. (1980) implicated organizational symbolism to
organizational culture, which in generic term the collection of artifacts, believes, rituals, etc. of the
inhabitants. Alternatively, Cohen (1976) finds symbols as objects, acts, relationships or linguistic
formations that [,which] stand ambiguously for a multiplicity of meanings, evoke emotions, and
impel men [individuals] to action. Thus, these two notions, viz. the culture and symbols
intermingle and complement (metaphorically) to manifest in organization space. Gagliardi (xx,
p.7) cites that symbols exist (or manifest) in three forms, viz. verbal, actions, and artifacts and
aesthetic knowledge. The latter, artifacts and aesthetic knowledge comprise material artifacts.
According to Gagliardi (2009, p.10), the material artifacts, or intentional products of human
action which exist the organization independently of their creator and which can be perceived by
the senses: products, images, buildings, furnishings, arrangements of physical space. Given the
durability of physical matter, [the] artifacts are able [to] tenaciously [stubbornly] and
increasingly to transmit particular messages and cultural stimuli, thereby encouraging the
diffusion and sharing of special modes of feelings in ways that all are more efficient because they
evade intellectual control. Ibid further finds, the aesthetic nature of the material artifacts as
vehicles of sensory knowledge and defines as corporate pathos (a quality that evokes pity or

sadness) [or ethos, the characteristic spirit of a culture, era, or community as manifested in its
attitudes and aspirations]. In the modern symbolism thinking, material artifacts are of symbols and
alternatively, symbols are of signs. Witkin (2009, p.57) finds aesthetic symbolism, as signs, is
not arbitrary in relation to their referents. Signs of nature creating stimuli on their subject. Ibid,
finds the same property exists in aesthetic symbolism, but as a system, their stimulus properties
directly and qualitatively manifested with meaning of these symbols. Furthermore, ibid finds
aesthetic signs are subject-centric. Articulating this nature, ibid describes, they [aesthetic
symbols] find their reciprocals in the readiness, the subjects presence or I-sense. To have
presence is to form a being [individual], it is to be in a particular way. Aesthetic symboling works
through calling out this presence in the subject [individual].

Witkin (2009 p.58) further argues that a stimulus to become aesthetic, it must be capable of
evoking presence in subject, once it (stimulus) mingle with aesthetic system, meaning mingled
with and affected by other stimuli in the system. Ibid, finds codes in aesthetic symbols and suggests
that they are relatively consistent. Furthermore, ibid suggests that the subjects (individuals)
internalize and adapt these codes to form aesthetics of his/ her own through a process of responsive
relationship (attunement) with the surroundings of everyday life. Ibid (p.59), identifies aesthetics
as phenomena (an integral part) in organizational life, but cautioned of trivialization if considered
them as esthetic or sensuous experience of pleasure of pleasing senses. Rather, Dewey (1934),
Langer (1967), and Reid (1969) understood aesthetic as a mode of understanding, of knowing,
and as intelligence, while Witkin (1974, 1995, 2005) realized it as intelligence of feeling.
Witkin (2009, p.60) suggests that actions itself, even the actions through .., is an aesthetic
accomplishment.

Therefore, the purpose of this essay is to contemplate how the phenomena of aesthetics are taking
place in everyday organizational life and in what manner. We are doing so, compelled to invoke
propounding and profound discourses of space as a social construct and their implication to and
from material environment to be informed of the compelling arguments on labyrinth relationship
between space and aesthetics; and so to say, aesthetization in organizational life. However, our
work would not be complete, unless, a real world example (life) being examined (experienced) by
adapting visual methods.

2. Organization Space as a Social Construct

Kornberger and Clegg (2003) found the organizing of space is a prerequisite of evolvement and
development of organizations. Scholars like them argues quite contrary to the rational thinking
of scientific management that was originated in early 20th century, the discourse which doctrines
of Taylor and Weber dominant. Kornberger and Clegg (2003) found that such theories are
cognitive and invoke rationality and linearity in causes and their relations. Ibid, reflect this is a
fashion and dominates the management thinking to adapt as driving forces behind
organizations.
Cartesian rationality, the basis of scientific management thinking, implies the notion of strategy
determines structure or alternatively, form follows function (ibid), the discourse which trivial
the influence and power of architecture or material settings of organization space for organizations
and their functioning. However, Strati (1999) criticizes hierarchical relation between mind and
matter and suggests this is rather mutually constitutive interrelation (Kornberger and Clegg,
2003). The works Hetherington (1997) and Zukin (1993), had brought to light, anew perspective
of the importance of materiality of space as it is organized (Kornberger and Clegg, 2003) and
lead the discourse of reckoning importance of space and its powerful influence on organizational
process (ibid). Hiller and Hanson (1984: 2) realize this as the ordering of space in buildings is
really about the ordering of relations between people. Hiller and Hanson (1984:ix), articulate this
notion by stating:
By giving shape and form to our material world, architecture structures the system of space in which we
live and move. In that it does so, it has a direct relation rather than a merely symbolic one to social life,
since it provides the material preconditions for the patterns of movement, encounter and avoidance which
are the material realization as well as sometimes the generator of social relations.

What really imperative in this discourse is the relational aspect and the nature of its influence thus,
being precondition, direct, and affect the individuals of space on their moves or actions;
alternatively implying the active and live nature of spatial dimension on the human movements
or rather the behavior. The movements, as it is discussed in this discourse, how Kornberger and
Clegg (2003 p.77) define is as communications, interactions, and occupations of variety of the
inhabitants of space.

Lefebvre (1991: 94) suggests space as of what it contains, while Munro (2001a) identifies space
as social morphology (a study of forms, shapes, etc.). However, in this discourse there are two
distinctive schools of thoughts, stems from different paradigms of Cartesian rationality that is
the discourse advocates, complement the Taylor and Webers management theories (modernist
thinking), and other, the sociological, post-modernist, liberal thinking of human and material
interface and interaction of complexity and uncertainty.

The Cartesian rationality implies standardization of organization space. As Walter Gropius (1935:
24), an advocate of the modernist rational thinking, perceived success of architecture would be
through standardization of space (and he was in a prime stage of industrialization of the West).
Ibid, conceptualized the standardization as a criterion for polite and well-manned society aiming
at realizing standards of excellence, rather creating short-lived (transient) innovations (novelties).
Schools of thought alike Gropius found chaos (dis-order) and dis-organization is not acceptable,
something of evil. Le Corbusier (1923: 110) complementing the thoughts of Gropius realizes:
A standard is necessary for order in human effort. A standard is established on sure bases, not capriciously but
with the surety of something intentional and a logic controlled by analysis and experiment. All men have the same
organism, the same functions. All men have the same needs.

What strikes about Le Corbusiers notion was the emphasis on uniformity and homogeneity in
functionality and needs of all human being (individuals). As Clegg and Dunkerley (1980) founded
that, this notion was not surprising, since both the architectural designs and organizational designs
(based on modernist organizational theories) invoke the Cartesian rationality.
Challenging the modernists view on organization space, the modernists argue as considering the
organization space as architectural complexity, where the behavior of its inhabitants more than of
linear rationality, where invisible hands generating and leaving space for uncertainty and
sprouting of unexpected presence or absence. As Kornberger and Clegg (2003 p.77) sought:
Architecture of complexity, which is always, simultaneously, a politics of complexity, explores these fields
not in order to define them but to create openings that lead into an unknown future, full of ambiguity and
chance.

The scholars of liking of these found spatial dimension of organizations as powerful tools whereas,
to their contenders, the modernist-rationalists, who found the organizational space a trivial element
of managing organizations or as a vehicle of creating order. Peters (1992: 413), management of
space is imperative and has direct influence on communication, generating creativity, cultural
change speeding up innovation projects, and enhancing learning process. Kornberger and Clegg
(2003 p.77) suggest buildings should be reckoned as social objects of providing or preventing
opportunity for innovation, creativity, (dis)order, enhance or hinder communication and
movements, and so forth. Ibid, also found material organization setting accommodates complexity
of sociality of its inhabitants, their politics of complexity that challenge the spatial power relations
and finds way to alter or re-organizing of spatial arrangements for generating intrinsic creativity
and innovation.

Therefore, this provide us the point to emphasize the complexity and vivid nature of phenomena
of the consequent of the complexity, in the next sections of the article.

3. Space and Power

Markus (1993) and Hirst (1995) found space, consequent to managing and organizing of
communication flows, has direct influence to and from power. Girard (1995), space engages in
politics of complexity. Markus (1993) finds buildings as cultural objects of crating social space
and provider of answers to the questions of power, order, classification, control, and function,
while accommodating aesthetics, creativity, innovation, and freedom.

Michel Foucault (1995) explicitly explored this aspect of space on organization in his doctrine of
panoptical space, which in his thoughts is an architectural apparatus of creating and
indwelling power in organization space. Ibid, finds, panopticon as an analytical space for workers
of higher hierarchical order (managers) to observe the workers of relatively lower hierarchical
order (subordinates) however, as a corporate ethos (as a part of its culture) of being seeing at work.

Thinkers of linear rationality would find material space and its artifacts (partitions, ground floor
and upper-floor, cubical, signboards, etc.) are of creating order in management of organization.
Alternatively, this could also be controlling movements of people in organization space on their

movements where to go or not to go, communication whom to connected and whom are not be
connected, and so forth. Markus (1993: 96) finds, power through the material space defines
people as members (of different kinds) and strangers, and this implies that it is something to do
with communication and accessibility amongst people and information. For instance, as cited in
scholarly articles, the penthouses in large corporates and dedicated elevator for those who are of
higher management like directors and Chief Executive Officers or senior partners of large legal
companies and the need to know basis files of the nature, kept in a secluded, some remote place
of uneasy access symbolizes the space of power or space for power; which gives stimuli or
implicit (not necessarily, sometimes explicit) a message of you are out of the league. Thus,
material space by encouraging or discouraging accessibility, advocate application of power in
organizations.

Alternatively, power in organization could be seen as relational to boundaries of organization

space. As Markus (1993) suggested, buildings (as boundaries) separate members from strangers
the inside/ outside. On the other hand, power is control for organizational order from disorder.

4. Spatio (Spatial)-Temporal of Space and Non-pedigree Architecture

As Wieck (1979) quite explicitly informed, what might seems useful [strategy] today [to
organization] can become the obstacle to tomorrows [organizational] success, strategies and
plans of organizations are contingent to situations, which are of subjected to the change of time
(temporal variation). This notion challenges the rational thinking of structure follows strategy (or
form follows function as Davinsm suggest). Despite being logical and cognitive, if this is the
case there should not be structural changes encountered in real world organizational settings so
to speak of evoking the postmodernist scholarly thoughts. As Pawley (1998) informed, if structure
follows strategy and form follows function, then in architecture we could find what it is called
terminal-architecture. This notion implies us the domination of structural strategy over the
functional strategy.

The notion of function flows the form implies the unstable nature of organization space as a space
for filling in the actions (function), which is subjected to the variation of contingent of time
(spatial-temporal). In the modernist-rational thinking, time was found to be trivial and linear

process in changing management or change management (Masokowski and Earley, 2000).

Whereas, the postmodernists argue contradict the triviality and linearity of change by expressing
space as bearer of complexity and contradiction, while time forces these changes
(transformation) from one state to the next. However, Clark and Clegg (1998) found that change
in organization is not linear, meaning transformation of one state to the next in uninterrupted
manner. It is rather the change is already there, existing, lurking in the dark shadows of the one it
is already existing, constantly threatening the existing, for changing.
As Kornberger and Clegg (2003 p.78) pointed out the new comes into being when the figureground relation changed, once the inside/ outside or order/ disorder is challenged. Ibid, evoking
the thoughts of Foucault (1970, 1998) and Deleuze (1998, 1993, 1995), inform such changes are
taking place in pockets of folds, where order is dis-ordered and heterotopias, where dominant
culture being placed with anew. Alternatively, this is speaking of challenging the order or power
of control in organization space, which was legitimated or created by legitimate architecture or
pedigree architecture; whereas, the driver of change or challenge to order or control comes from
non-pedigree architecture architecture without architects (Kornberger and Clegg, 2003
p.78).

5. Inside/ Outside and Order/ Disorder

The notion of inside/ outside of organization of space cognized as structural demarcation or
boundary of what it should be filled (or included) or not to filled (or excluded) as expressed by
Kornberger and Clegg (2003 p.82). Watson (1994: 222) finds this as the way of control over the
inside of organization from uncertainty of the outside world. Chia (1996) finds organizations (their
boundaries) provide order, codes, mechanisms, etc. to provide sense of stability and certainty
against both the internal and external turbulences, uncertainties, and disorders. However, Foucault
(1998) points the dialogic nature of human rationality as to make sense or provide meaning to
phenomena or idea. For instance, ibid finds that rationality understood where there is madness,
civilized requires savage to discernment itself.

Kornberger and Clegg (2003 p.82) find that there is no connection between inside and outside and
the boundary exist between them to create the separation, blurs in the labyrinth of material

10

structures of space. Gilles Deleuze (1998) found fold, in organization space, is exactly a space inbetween, where the order of inside/ outside and its linear causality interrupted. Ibid, explains it is
absence of a center that determines periphery however, it by nor mean in absence of actions,
rather active play of forces can be found, while in fading separation between cause and effect. In
fact, fold is a space in-between and space with nor inside or outside (Le Corbusier, 1924). Folds
find themselves filled with members as well as strangers, use as well as ab-use, privacy as well as
common/ public, and order with disorder, creating anew space, a space of ambiguity (Kornberger
and Clegg, 2003 p.83).
While Deleuzes folds provide space of ambiguity, Foucaults heterotopias provide space of
anarchy and absence of logic (un-decidability) (Kornberger and Clegg, 2003 p.86). Foucault
(1998) found heterotopias as space that never being normal, rather they are ab-normal. He
thought they seek no unity or homogeneity, rather space of challenging the established order to
open up for new order or change identity. Kornberger and Clegg (2003 p.86) saw heterotopias
as space of creating new power relation by breaking the figure-ground relation. Alternatively, as a
social construct, heterotopia challenges hegemonic culture, practices, or order to create its own
identity or to form a new form.

6. Aesthetics of Organization (Space)

Earlier in this essay, in the introduction, we have discussed what it is meant to be aesthetic or
aesthetics of (organization) space. Gagliardi (2009) finds aesthetics in material artifacts, while
Witkin (1995) found it is as organization symbolism. Meanwhile, Witkin (2009), again found
organization aesthetic as readiness of subject for evoking ones presence or sense in his/ her
surrounding or artifacts, which surround him/ her. Aesthetics are not of arbitrary in stimulating
individual. There is distinct code to stimulate the subject in creating sense. Ibid (p.61), describes,
aesthetics of organization (space) and their influence on subjects (individuals), phenomenon what
we call aesthetization, as:
Insofar as organizations design situations of action for their members in a sensuously coherent
and consistent way, they call out in individuals a certain presence a structured tension, a
readiness for action, a preparedness for experience which corresponds to the sensuous values manifest
in the design of the action situation. Physical artifacts are integral to the design of action situations, and they
play an important part in calling out appropriate attitudes and responses in members. It is in and through

11

the design of action situations that organizations indicate, in the presence that they awaken in their
members, how they are to be navigated and lived .

Witkins discourse leads us to a notion of interrelation, interplay between subjects sense, feeling,
intelligence of feelings and his/ her physical setting, what ibid called it as the action setting. Ibid
challenges the linear, rational thinking of causality, which determine effective of being at work
or organizational effectiveness. He argues to compel the idea that the aesthetic character of
action, and its qualities are core to effectiveness of the action and yields what he calls as
demand characteristics, which he found as imperative to performing the action whilst, preserving
to its specific qualitative values. Physical artifacts sets off the action settings and thus, determining
demand characteristics for one to perform the action. The sense binding of individual to these
demand characteristics, which manifested in the physical space or artifacts, which filled it with,
appeal to the presence or awakening of the being to be prepared for the action. In Witkins
thoughts, such realization is aesthetic accomplishment and finds that organizations values
[destruct] are continuously recreated in work of organization members. Hence, one could visualize
aesthetization as dynamic, expressive, linguistic (not necessarily verbal), and vivid in
manifestation as a sensory outcome. Alternatively, it could be perceived as living or related to
being of subject.
Collating with the discourses of different spaces and differences of space in the thinking of
postmodernists, one could see a relation emerging between space and aesthetization or we could
say spatiality in aesthetics of organizational life. We could argue that per se the constructs of these
arguments, space is aesthetic and what filled or conspires in it, are aesthetic.

So to say, we could extend this argument as folds and heterotopias or power implications of
material boundaries and artifacts, panopticans are aesthetic as phenomena and in manifestation.
Of course this may differ in terms of reinforcing or hindering or even positive or negative in
stimulating the awareness, preparedness, and sense of feeling in the subject because the vivid
nature of aesthetics or its phenomenon the aesthetization.

12

Witkin was informed by Ryner Banham (1960, p.210) on geometric spectacle, an architectural
simplicity lineage to the industrialization in the West. Heskett (1980) and Sparke (1986) inform
which as consequence of the relentless progress of rationalization and standardization of products.
Witkin (2009, p.60, 61) find this phenomena, as a social construct, as aesthetic imperative or
machine aesthetic. Ibid furthering the argument implies this aesthetic nature as Cartesian
rationalism and modernists order of rational thinking. Witkin further informs us that this flatness
of architectural nature is not accidental or unintentional, it is in fact was conscious efforts of
corporate world to assure order of effectiveness and efficiency, separation of industrial world
(organizations) from private (domestic). Ibid sees rectilinear-flatness of architecture in work
surroundings informing or stimulating the inhabitant to sense that space as order, bureaucracy,
hierarchy, and disciplined management only legion to accomplishing organizational strategy.

7. Aesthetic Life in LECO

What more-better way to understand and convenience of discourse than actually experiencing it.
This was exactly the intention, when we decided to intrude the daily life of and in LECO to
experience the discourses, which pertain to spatiality of aesthetization and phenomena suggested
in organization space.

LECO, which stands for Lanka Electricity Company (Pvt.) Ltd., was established for the purpose
electricity distribution of Sri Lanka (Ref: www.lecko.lk/). It is vision and mission voice serving
customers as people, earning profit, caring for nature for its sustainability, and allow space for
innovation to address the customer needs and as service for society. Assuming the linearity of
vision, mission with corporate strategy, this what we could see as transpiring as strategy for the
organization. Ideally speaking, this strategy should be embedded, internalized, and in functional
in the all aspect of the organization as a harmonize system. We have selected one of the branch
offices of LECO, which is in Rathmalana, selected as the organization space for the experience.

On an ordinary office or working day, we visited this office. Once we reached the office or
organization space, we were greeted by a large gate made of intimidating, black iron bars with
spikes. Immediately, we were under the impression of not all are welcome, authorized people
only allowed through this gate! (an inside/ outside); although the security guard, who was guarding

13

the gate did not tell us as this, but that was how we felt. Later, politely, though with a subtle insist
guided us to the customer car park, which was virtually a bear ground with a boundary wall and
an interior-peripheral portioning, ivory white, picket fence, outlined by bright red flowery plants.
Although we felt bit like an outsiders, slightly offended of discrimination, once we saw this bright
red flower terrace against sparkling, pure white background of the picket fence, a feeling of
homely-ness warmth in on us.

The intimidating, ugly, black gate/ Warm and pretty, bright picket fence

We were guided to the front, main entrance to the office by the pretty picket fence and nicely,
orderly concrete paved walkway (passage), we were at a tall, not so bright, but neat, building of a
rectangular shapes and perfect, tall, cubical columns a symbol of order and authority (Cartesian
rationality in function). This site gave us sense of power and authority, wealth and command
over the wealth.

An image of authority, a symbol of order and power expressing though tall and stern in shape
the building, boundary of the inside, a sort of panoptican watching over the outside

14

Walk our way through to the front, main entrance, we were experiencing a complex of perfectly
rectangular shapes of windows and doors there to greet us. Again, we were witnessing the
Tailorism and Webers rationalization and standardization, a geometrical spectacle, the aesthetic
imperative of flatness. Later we would experience and learn more of this spectacle through seining
the interior walls, windows, passageways, doors at passageways, furniture (tables and filling
cabinets), and even the stationeries in the office.
Once we entered to the inside of the office, a ground floor, we were facing a lobby area of the
building, which is the area for customers, cashiers, technical officers, and receptionist (public
relation officer), which we would later realize as space for customers (the outsiders) and
operational and front line personnel (the members) to interact, communicate, meet together for

Aesthetic imperative/ mechanistic aesthetic in function and maintaining the order

daily business of bill payment, negotiating to prevent disconnections, lobbying for wavers, favors,
etc. a place fill with voices, discussions, chit-chats, constant movements. A space of movements
and vivid voices and actions. A space lived with busy bodies of people!

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Customer lobby area a fold, allowing space for insiders and outsiders to mix

Our curious minds were noticing the abrupt change of tone, the atmosphere, the sense, the
impression from seeing the inside outside separation blur in the midst of this busy space. We were
slowly started to see the change of material shapes, the pattern from flat, order geometrical flatness
to a place of vivid shapes, strange artifacts intruding and disturbing geometrical order by bringing
different in shapes of circles against rectangles, lurking in corners are vivid shapes of greenery
(plants), a water dispenser and a mounted flat-screen, 52inch colour television flicking in low
volume; a one or two bodies standing and watching, the almost silent image flickering on the
screen..,

A fold in ordered office space of neat cabinets, rectangular tables, files was competing with
intruders of greenery, the water dispenser, filled-emptied large, 20 liter water bottles, and were
creating sudden disturbance to what supposed to be an ordered, organizational, formal space with
space of domestic, personal, and informal. This was a fold that dis-ordered the order of insideoutside as well as formal and informal.

A fold fading boundary of inside-outside, from geometrical harmony to geometrical chaos, order
disorder, from synthetic to natural

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Even the fading boundary of inside-outside was vivid in the customer lobby area. What we would
observe later was the office space of the customer serving, busy space was unfolding
encapsulating a disordered fold of a middle-garden. This was a total contrast to what it is the inside.
In addition to the total change of geometry, shapes between these two spaces, the actions, which
take place in them also differ. The inside, the inhabitants, the personnel find formalities, work, the
desk-work, attending to customers. The outside, the inside garden, we could see occasions of
personnel walking outside to the garden to answer a private call, to have private, quick chat with
a colleague, etc. A space for misbehavior, abuse, informality. Momentarily, contrarily, the
members, the personnel become outsiders, intruders to the formal order - the management. At the
same time, while they are abusing the time and space, these inhabitants find serenity over
preoccupation of personal or formal issue, the change - leisure while working.

Once we were in the upper floor of the building and overlooking the surrounding outside, we
realized that the aesthetic of the inside and outside spread out from inside. The customer care park,
a randomness, disorder, lack of shape were contrasting on the members, personnels car park,
which we could observe of order in manner of physically separated space and roof covering these
separated spaces. This creates a sense of order to prevent customers intruding into the stable,
ordered space for parking office cars, informing customers, subtly, voicing, you are not an insider,
a member.

A boundary, separation of outsiders (customers) and insiders (personnel)

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The upper floor of the building was exclusively for the executives, the hierarchically up of the
management. Unlike, the ground floor, the space has filled with series of partition walls, glass
screens, and a connecting passage way. These artifacts were expressing authority and power in the
hierarchical ladder. What was striking for us is the panoptican, cubical the separation between
the managers and subordinates. While subordinates were stationed in a room of rows of tables and
chairs, sometimes connecting to each other, face-to-face, and clustered, the managers were seated
in solitary, overlooking the subordinates through half glass screen partition.

The panoptican

However, our experience was coloured by the realization of existence of heterotopias in the
pockets of this organization (action) setting. We found the work of art, the masterpieces of nonpedigree architects in this action setting. One of the heterotopias was the subordinates of accounts
department of the organization to seclude from the watching eye of the manger, the branch
accountant, had created space for their own for privacy, camouflage as a file storing area in their
legitimate office space. Non-pedigree architecture of janitor of the office was seen in corner of
entrance to male restroom (toilet). The janitor has (ab)use this secluded corner in the space and
created anew space by giving new identity of storage area for his cleaning materials. Another
heterotopia was the (ab)use of space in upper floor, in remote, unnoticed space, a room, without a
door, in status of decay, converted into storing bulky files and documents. Heterotopias were also
observed in bends of passages to stack, packet of documents. However, the most fascinating
(ab)use of space was seen in the backyard garden of the building. The non-pedigree architect of
this heterotopia is Prame, the office-aid. His aesthetization was so vivid and live, and challenging
the order, the normalcy, the very purpose of the organization and its strategy. What Prame has
done was convert the office backyard space, which supposed by the management to use as dump-

18

yard for broken equipment like air-conditioners, tables, chairs, into a home-garden. His
masterpiece has given new identity to that space, the backyard strip. Managers and subordinates
alike ab(use) this anew space as place for smokers to congregate in tea-break in morning or
relaxation and leisurely chat in afternoon, or for female members of the organization to share
domestic concerns, and so forth. This anew space has provided unexpected, uncertain, and unfound meaning to the whole action setting and diversity to their routine, controlled work actions.

Heterotopias

8. Conclusion
We started this essay, by attempting to understand the interrelation between work place setting and
behavior of human individuals at work. We understood, by evoking the thinking of Fiona Wilson,
the work life comprise major portion of human life. We went on by referring to the doctrines of
Kornberger and Clegg to define and establish arguments about discourses central to work place
setting and organization life. We were able to establish direct relationship between the two by
invoking both the modernists and postmodernists constructs. We found the profound arguments of

19

Witkin, unfolding and establishing sense about aesthetization and its manifestation of different
forms. Later we were to see that his discourses compliment and complimented by social construct
of space and central discourses of Korngberger and Clegg (generative space), Gagliardi (aesthetic
symbolism), Foucault (heterotopias), and Deleuze (folds).

All these theories and thinking lead us to construct the notion of aesthetization as a consequent
and an outcome of being intelligent about feelings or I-sense or coming to presence as an interplay
between action setting and subject. We learned that aesthetization is found in space in between
and it could be even in space of rationalization and standardization, spaces, which separate the
organizational and persona lives; and we realized those as aesthetic imperatives. All these were
informing us that any given organization space, there could be more than one type of spaces or
aesthetics could be found in a constant interplay to enhance or hinder their relative actions or
challenging the existing identities to give rise to anew.

Informed by the compelling, abstractive discourses and of cause fascinated by them, we were
excited to reflect on our experience at LECO, the selected action setting or organization space. The
visual evidences proved the fact of more than single form of space and aesthetics are in existence.
We were also informed by these observations that form does not follow the function, as in the case
of LECO, which supposed to be an action setting of encouraging innovation and creativity to serve
people and business is central to this notion. However, legacies of being a modern organization,
give rise to the inherent aesthetic imperatives to stimulate quite the opposite in functioning. So to
say, authority and power of symbols of LECO free movements, communications between
customers and organizations inhabitants, and sometimes, even within the inhabitants themselves.
We have witnessed the existence of folds and heterotopias in LECOs action settings, some of
which has provided anew, unique identity of use or abuse of the space in between. LECO could
capitalize on some of these unorthodox, uncertain, dis-ordered spaces to generate new ideas and
creating positive energy to drive forward the organization to be innovative and people (customer)
caring.

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