The Charon Response: A Needed Act in Dying Organizations

The Charon Response looks at how business firms should deal with the human and emotional consequences of a major work force reduction. Such reductions are a regular feature of the corporate landscape and can be handled in a caring manner if management so chooses. Due to the intense emotions evoked from job loss, the authors argue that the Charon Response is an appropriate and humane act by management. However, it will not be implemented unless management is willing to confront the emotional aspects of this issue. To understand the centrality of emotions, selected lines of poetry have been included in the text.