Organisational Mindfulness as a Double-Edged Sword: Exploring the Future of Mindfulness: Fostering Self-Inquiry While Resisting Neoliberal Logics

Abstract

This thesis critically investigates the adaption of mindfulness within contemporary organisational settings in Denmark, with focus on how such implementations reflect or reproduce prevailing business management logics. It draws upon semi-structured interviews with mindfulness facilitators and academic experts to explore the nature of mindfulness when used in organisational settings. The paper identifies tensions between mindfulness as a commodified practice and the unused potential inherent in its philosophical foundations. These are examined through the theoretic framework of; Stoic philosophy, Michel Foucault, Sam Harris, and Jon Kabat-Zinn. While secular mindfulness is often promoted as a neutral tool for stress reduction and performance enhancement, this thesis positions it within broader sociopolitical structures, particularly neoliberalism. Drawing on Foucault’s concept of biopower and the technology of the self to critically examine its adaptation. Findings reveal that mindfulness is often instrumentalized to serve organizational goals, aligning with logics of individualization and biopolitical control. The findings further show that facilitators operate between ethical intention and organisational constraint. Central to this contribution is the development of the Mindfulness Implementation Spectrum (MIS), a theoretical figure that conceptualizes the continuum between secular, outcome-driven practices, and spiritually oriented, introspective implementations. By moving beyond the binary of "McMindfulness" versus spiritual integrity, this thesis offers a nuanced analysis that situates mindfulness as both a mirror and critique of corporate rationalities. It argues that mindfulness, when embedded with philosophical awareness, retains the potential to foster ethical leadership and organizational transformation.