Abstract

This chapter identifies and explores the values and assumptions underpinning compassionate institutional cultures and practices. It presents, and further develops, a conceptual framework for creating conditions for compassion outlined in Waddington. Theoretically, the chapter is informed by insights and evidence from psychodynamic psychology, work and organizational psychology. It also draws lightly upon empirical material and findings from a small-scale mixed methods study exploring Human Resource Management strategies and academic engagement in six universities in the UK. A key finding from this study was that HRM strategies and practices were often viewed in a negative light, described in language that implied a sense of conflict