Stress and Work: Perspectives on understanding and managing stress Edited by D. M. Pestonjee and Satish Pandey New Delhi: Sage Publications, 370 pp. ISBN 978‐8‐132‐11088‐0

• Author: Sanjay T. Menon
• Date: 01 June 2015
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.1002/cjas.1307
• Published date: 01 June 2015

Book Review/Recensions de livre

Reviewed by Sanjay T. Menon, Louisiana State University at

Shreveport

Stress and Work: Perspectives on understanding and managing stress

Edited by D. M. Pestonjee and Satish Pandey

New Delhi: Sage Publications, 370 pp.

ISBN 978-8-132-11088-0

Stress continues to be of enduring interest to organi-

zational researchers and practitioners alike. Although

Hans Selye f‌irst described the General Adaptation Syn-

drome and coined the word stress in the context of lab

studies with mice in the late 1930s (Selye, 1956), stress

has now become a ubiquitous and widely accepted char-

acteristic of modern life—a catch-all phrase evoked in

wide-ranging situations from test-taking anxiety to the

trauma of war. The inherently multidisciplinary nature of

stress has inspired research in diverse f‌ields including

medicine, psychology, psychiatry, military and security

studies, organizational behaviour, health and wellness,

and religion. In keeping with this diversity of interests,

the edited work by D. M. Pestonjee and Satish Pandey

offers readers a multifaceted understanding of stress and

stress research.

The two major strengths of this book are (a) the

diversity of perspectives brought to bear on the topic of

stress and (b) the uniquely Indian context and viewpoints.

While many books on stress highlight a particular facet of

the phenomenon, for example, work-family conf‌lict, Stress

and Work tries to include a multitude of topics and

perspectives from neuropsychology to spirituality.

Secondly, books on the topic, written mainly in the West,

typically tend to pay short shrift to the cultural context. In

contrast, Stress and Work brings to bear the Indian context

in stress research in terms of industry (e.g., the call

centers), culture (e.g., reciprocal family obligations

when living with your parents and in-laws), and religion

(e.g., research propositions based in Hinduism and

Buddhism). The book has 16 chapters organized into four

major sections: occupational stress and burnout, work-

family conf‌lict and stress, positive stress management,

and stress and spirituality.

The book opens with an overview by the editors.

They begin by noting the changing nature of work and

the dramatic changes brought about by modern informa-

tion and communication technologies. Organizations now

operate in an uncertain and volatile environment requiring

speedy responses. The complexity of the external environ-

ment will be ref‌lected in internally complex arrangements

characterized by ambiguity, multiplicity of roles, virtual

workspaces, cultural diversity, and complex hyperspecialized

jobs requiring a multiplicity of skills. Employees can no lon-

ger be assured of sustained employment but will have to

maintain their employability. In other words, society is prac-

tically assured of an increase in stress and unless organiza-

tions proactively take steps to deal with issues such as

work-life balance and support systems, individuals’quality

of life and well-being will be in jeopardy. The authors rec-

ommend fostering a collaborative culture emphasizing con-

tinuous learning. They call not for the elimination of

stress, but rather for a positive orientation that regards chal-

lenging work as positive stress. Collaboration would require

“effective role systems within organizations which allow

employees to craft and modify their work roles…” and

wouldleadtoan“innovation-focused work culture”(p. 6)

Chapter 2, The Neuropsychology of Stress, is a standalone

chapter discussing among other things, the physiological

changes that occur in response to a stressor and the role of

electroencephalography (EEG) neurofeedback as a potential

stress relieving technique. It serves as a reminder to organiza-

tional behaviour researchers that unlike many of the cognitive

variables that they normally deal with (e.g., task signif‌icance),

stress is a phenomenon that profoundly affects the functioning

of the body that could lead to real world consequences, such

as adverse health outcomes.

The section on Occupational Stress and Burnout

consists of four chapters dealing with stress in various

occupational settings. Chapter 3, Learned Helplessness and

Organizational Role Stress, describes a study involving a

managerial sample from the eastern Indian state of Odisha.

Personal helplessness was found to be related to role stress,

while universal helplessness was not. Chapter 4, Role Stress

Among Varied Occupational Groups, describes a compari-

son of role stress among four sectors in India –public,

Canadian Journal of Administrative Sciences

Revue canadienne des sciences de l’administration

32: 139–140 (2015)

Published online 9 March 2015 in Wiley Online Library (wileyonlinelibrary.com) DOI: 10.1002/CJAS.1307

Can J Adm Sci

32(2), 139–140 (2015)Copyright © 2015 ASAC. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. 139