When Fiction Meets Reality (or Vice Versa): A Dynamic-Relational Organizational Analysis Approach to “The Circle”

ABSTRACT

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This article applies the dynamic-relational organizational analysis approach to Dave Eggers’s novel The Circle, using the critical biography technique to explore the complex organizational dynamics depicted in the novel. Through a multidisciplinary and multidimensional lens integrating key concepts from influential thinkers in the fields of psychoanalysis and sociology into postmodern organizational studies, the analysis examines how individual behaviors, interpersonal relationships, and broader societal forces interact within the organization portrayed in the novel. At the micro level, the study delves into the protagonist Mae Holland’s psychological journey, revealing how unconscious desires for approval and recognition drive her deeper into the company’s culture of total transparency. At the meso level, the analysis explores the power dynamics and interpersonal relationships within The Circle, showing how organizational hierarchies and corporate norms shape social interactions and reinforce the company’s control over its employees. Finally, at the macro level, the article contextualizes The Circle within broader societal concerns regarding data surveillance, privacy, and the growing influence of technology companies in shaping modern life. By applying this theoretical framework, the study provides a comprehensive understanding of how personal, organizational, and societal forces converge in the narrative, offering insights into the psychological and structural challenges of contemporary organizational environments. The article also reflects on how Eggers’ biography and his critique of Silicon Valley culture influence the portrayal of these dynamics, highlighting the novel’s relevance in the discourse on corporate power, surveillance, and individual agency.

Keywords: Organizational Analysis, Postmodern Organizational Studies, Contemporary Organizational Studies, Organizational Behavior; Critical Biography Analysis.

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Introduction

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Dave Eggers’ novel The Circle offers a compelling narrative that explores the pervasive influence of contemporary technology and corporate culture on individual autonomy and societal norms. Set within the confines of a powerful tech company, the novel portrays the complexities of organizational life, where surveillance, transparency, and corporate ideals dominate the lives of employees (Zuboff, 2019; Brivot, Lam, & Gendron, 2017). Through the journey of Mae Holland, a young woman who becomes deeply entangled in The Circle’s ambitions, the story serves as a critique of modern organizational dynamics, specifically those driven by technological control and the erosion of privacy (Hanley, 2020).

This study delves into The Circle as a literary representation of contemporary organizational life, highlighting the novel’s portrayal of technology-driven work environments. The focus is on how The Circle mirrors the power structures, interpersonal relationships, and psychological conflicts that arise in modern corporate settings, making it an ideal subject for analyzing organizational behavior through a multidimensional lens (Fleming, 2017; Thomas, 2020). Its primary aim is to apply the dynamic-relational organizational analysis approach to the novel, drawing on a multidisciplinary and multidimensional framework that incorporates key concepts from influential thinkers in the fields of psychoanalysis and sociology into postmodern organizational studies (Fotaki, Long, & Schwartz, 2012; Parker, 2021). This framework allows for a deeper understanding of how individual behavior, interpersonal relationships, and societal forces interact within complex organizational systems, particularly those shaped by technological power and corporate dominance (Dale & Burrell, 2019).

The study employs a critical biography approach, examining not only the psychological and sociological aspects of organizational life depicted in the novel but also the broader societal implications of The Circle’s portrayal of a technology-driven future (Fotaki & Prasad, 2021). By analyzing the novel at the micro, meso, and macro levels, the study explores how individual agency is shaped and constrained by the corporate environment, offering insights into broader questions about power, identity, and institutional control in modern organizations (Foucault, 1977; Giddens, 1984).

Using a multidisciplinary and multidimensional framework is essential for capturing the multifaceted organizational dynamics portrayed in The Circle. Through psychoanalysis, one can explores Mae’s internal conflicts, unconscious desires, and the impact of corporate norms on her sense of self (Freud, 1923; Lacan, 1977). Sociology provides tools to understand the power relations and social capital within The Circle’s highly surveilled environment, while organizational studies allow for a detailed analysis of how technological systems shape behavior, adaptability, and resistance (Bourdieu, 1986; Zuboff, 2019; Giddens, 1984).

This approach is relevant not only for its literary analysis but also for its application to real-world organizational studies, as many of the themes in The Circle - such as surveillance, transparency, and data-driven control - are increasingly pertinent in today’s workplace (West, 2021; Fleming & Sturdy, 2020). By applying the dynamic-relational organizational analysis approach to The Circle, this study bridges literary critique with organizational theory, offering a comprehensive exploration of the societal, organizational, and psychological dimensions of contemporary corporate life (Uhl-Bien & Arena, 2018; Fotaki, Long, & Schwartz, 2012).

With this context established, the subsequent sections will draw on a multidisciplinary framework to dissect the organizational, psychological, and societal forces at play in The Circle. By exploring the novel through the lens of psychoanalysis, sociology, and organizational theory, one can gain a more nuanced understanding of the ways in which Eggers critiques contemporary corporate life and its technological influences.

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“The Circle” and Contemporary Organizational Studies

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Dave Eggers’ The Circle has garnered significant attention from scholars for its critical portrayal of contemporary organizational life, particularly within the context of the technology industry. The novel’s depiction of a powerful tech corporation provides a dystopian reflection of modern corporate environments, raising questions about surveillance, ethical boundaries, and the psychological effects of working within such systems (Zuboff, 2019; Cohen, 2017). This literature review synthesizes the existing scholarship on The Circle, highlighting the key themes and critiques that scholars have identified, and establishing the groundwork for a dynamic-relational analysis of the organizational dynamics depicted in the novel.

One of the most frequently discussed themes in The Circle is its exploration of surveillance and transparency, both of which are deeply embedded in the fictional corporation’s values and operations. Scholars have emphasized how the novel critiques the pervasive surveillance culture that increasingly defines real-world corporate environments (Lyon, 2014; West, 2021). Eggers presents a world where the boundaries between public and private life are obliterated through technology, with employees and users subjected to constant monitoring under the guise of transparency. This theme resonates with contemporary concerns about the extent to which corporations, particularly in the tech industry, track and analyze the behavior of both their workforce and consumers (Zuboff, 2019).

Studies have drawn parallels between The Circle and real-world companies that utilize surveillance technologies to monitor employee productivity and consumer activity. This focus on transparency as a corporate ideal raises critical questions about privacy, individual autonomy, and the ethical limits of data collection within organizations (Floridi, 2016; Hanley, 2020). The novel’s portrayal of an environment where privacy is no longer valued and where constant visibility is the norm challenges the reader to reflect on the implications of such practices for organizational culture and employee well-being.

The novel also engages with the broader issue of corporate dominance in society, particularly through its critique of large technology companies and their influence over social, political, and economic structures (Van Dijck, 2014). Scholars have noted the novel’s reflection of growing concerns about the monopolistic power of tech giants and their capacity to shape societal values, control information, and influence public behavior. The novel critiques not only the unchecked accumulation of power within such organizations but also the ethical dilemmas posed by their technological innovations, which often prioritize corporate interests over individual rights (Cohen, 2017).

Academic analyses often position The Circle within the broader discourse on corporate social responsibility (CSR) and the ethics of technological development (Floridi, 2016; Parker, 2021). The corporation in the novel symbolizes the dangers of technological determinism, where technological advancement is viewed as inherently positive, even when it leads to the erosion of personal freedoms and democratic values (Winner, 1986). Scholars argue that Eggers’ work reflects the risks associated with the centralization of power within corporations that have the technological capacity to control and manipulate vast amounts of data, thereby influencing both organizational and societal structures (Zuboff, 2019).

The ethical implications of technology within The Circle have been a focal point in much of the existing literature, with scholars examining how the novel critiques the use of technology to manage and control human behavior. The company’s drive for full transparency is depicted as a solution to societal problems but also as a means of corporate dominance, raising concerns about the moral and ethical responsibilities of technology firms (Hanley, 2020). Scholars have discussed how the novel questions the extent to which technological tools should be used to regulate behavior within organizations, particularly when such tools undermine personal autonomy and ethical decision-making (Van Dijck, 2014).

This theme connects to broader debates about the role of ethics in organizational governance, particularly in sectors driven by rapid technological innovation (Zuboff, 2019). The Circle’s use of technology to monitor, manipulate, and control individuals raises questions about the extent to which organizations should prioritize ethical considerations in their pursuit of innovation (Floridi, 2016). Scholars have pointed out that the novel serves as a cautionary tale, highlighting the potential consequences of failing to integrate ethical frameworks into organizational decision-making processes (Morozov, 2013).

A critical aspect of The Circle that has received scholarly attention is the psychological toll that the corporate culture imposes on individuals. Mae Holland’s character arc illustrates the psychological transformation from an enthusiastic employee to a complicit participant in the corporation’s oppressive systems. Scholars have analyzed Mae’s journey as emblematic of the ways in which corporate environments can erode personal identity and autonomy through processes of indoctrination and conformity (Petriglieri, Ashford, & Wrzesniewski, 2019; Gabriel, 1999).

Existing literature often connects Mae’s experience to the broader psychological dynamics of power, control, and subjugation within organizations. By situating her character within a highly surveilled, technologically saturated environment, Eggers underscores the psychological strain placed on individuals who must navigate the demands of corporate conformity while grappling with internal conflicts about identity and autonomy (Petriglieri, Ashford, & Wrzesniewski, 2019; Hanley, 2020). Scholars argue that this depiction provides a valuable lens through which to examine the psychological impact of modern corporate practices, particularly in organizations where technology is used to regulate behavior and performance (Gabriel, 1999).

While The Circle has been extensively studied for its social, ethical, and technological critiques, there is a lack of integrated analysis that examines the interplay between psychological, social, and institutional factors within the organizational context of the novel. Most analyses tend to focus on either the technological critique or the social implications, without fully exploring how individual psychology interacts with the broader corporate structures depicted in the novel. This gap in the literature presents an opportunity to apply the dynamic-relational organizational analysis approach, which incorporates psychoanalytic, sociological, and organizational perspectives to provide a more holistic understanding of the organizational dynamics at play in the novel (Fotaki, Long, & Schwartz, 2012; Uhl-Bien & Arena, 2018).

By addressing this gap, the current study seeks to expand the existing body of knowledge on The Circle by offering a multidisciplinary analysis that captures the psychological, social, and structural complexities of the novel’s corporate environment. The application of the dynamic-relational organizational analysis approach illuminates the deeper organizational dynamics at work within the novel, providing a comprehensive framework for understanding how individuals and organizations adapt to and resist the pressures of modern corporate life (Cohen, 2017).

This literature review thus sets the stage for the application of the dynamic-relational framework, linking the critical themes identified in previous studies to the broader theoretical foundations of psychoanalysis, sociology, and organizational studies (Zuboff, 2019; Fotaki & Prasad, 2021).

Building upon this literature review, one now turns to the application of the dynamic-relational organizational analysis approach. By employing this theoretical framework, the following section will delve into the intricacies of The Circle’s corporate environment, investigating the psychological, social, and structural elements that shape individual and organizational behavior.

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The Dynamic-Relational Organizational Analysis Approach

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The dynamic-relational organizational analysis approach provides a multidisciplinary and multidimensional framework for examining the interactions between individual psychology, social structures, and organizational dynamics. By integrating key insights from psychoanalysis, sociology, and organizational studies, this approach offers a comprehensive lens through which to analyze the complexities of organizational environments as depicted in literary and real-world settings. In the case of The Circle, this approach is particularly relevant for exploring how individual behaviors, interpersonal relationships, and external institutional pressures shape the overall corporate culture.

Psychoanalytic theory plays an important role in the dynamic-relational organizational analysis approach by delving into the unconscious motivations that drive individual behavior within organizational contexts. Freud’s foundational work on the unconscious, repression, and the ego serves as a basis for understanding how personal desires and fears influence actions in the workplace. In the context of The Circle, Freud’s concept of repression helps explain how employees, particularly Mae Holland, suppress their concerns about privacy and autonomy to conform to the company’s demands for transparency and surveillance (Freud, 1923). Studies have shown that employees often repress personal anxieties to conform to organizational demands, especially in highly controlled environments (Fotaki & Prasad, 2021).

Lacan expands on Freud’s ideas by introducing the notion of the “symbolic order”, a framework that captures how individuals navigate the external social and organizational norms that define their roles and identities. Lacan’s “mirror stage” is particularly useful in understanding Mae’s transformation throughout the novel, as she shifts from a skeptical newcomer to a devoted advocate of the company’s values. Lacan’s theory illustrates how Mae internalizes the organization’s ideals, reflecting her desire to belong and be recognized within the corporate hierarchy, even at the cost of her personal freedom (Lacan, 1977). Scholars have explored how the internalization of corporate values leads to a gradual loss of individual autonomy, as seen in Mae’s character arc (Gabriel, 1999; Petriglieri, Ashford, & Wrzesniewski, 2019).

Winnicott’s concept of the “holding environment” adds a further dimension to the psychoanalytic analysis by exploring how organizations create or fail to create supportive environments for their members. A holding environment provides psychological safety, allowing individuals to express creativity, manage stress, and navigate change. However, The Circle portrays an organization that suppresses these supportive structures, forcing employees to conform to rigid expectations of transparency and performance. This lack of emotional security contributes to the psychological distress and eventual compliance seen in characters like Mae, who find it increasingly difficult to resist the corporate system (Winnicott, 1965; Edmondson, 1999).

Sociological perspectives, particularly those of Bourdieu and Foucault, are instrumental in analyzing how organizational structures and power dynamics shape individual behaviors and relationships within The Circle. Bourdieu’s concept of habitus - the internalized dispositions and socialized norms that guide behavior - explains how individuals within The Circle adapt to the company’s culture of surveillance and constant monitoring. Employees’ behaviors are not solely the result of personal choice but are influenced by the broader corporate environment that encourages conformity, ambition, and compliance with the technological ideals of the organization (Bourdieu, 1986). Research in organizational sociology has shown that habitus plays a crucial role in shaping employee behavior in tech-driven corporate cultures (Van Dijck, 2014).

Bourdieu’s sociology also helps analyze how The Circle reinforces social hierarchies through its reward systems, career advancement opportunities, and the symbolic capital that employees accumulate by aligning themselves with the organization’s goals. Mae’s rise within the company can be viewed as an accumulation of symbolic capital, where her public embrace of the company’s values earns her status, power, and recognition within the corporate hierarchy, further entrenching her loyalty to the system. This dynamic of symbolic capital accumulation is critical to understanding how organizations foster compliance and ambition (Bourdieu, 1986; Zuboff, 2019).

Foucault’s exploration of power and discipline is equally relevant in understanding The Circle’s organizational dynamics. The novel vividly illustrates Foucault’s concept of panopticism, where surveillance becomes a tool of control. Employees are not only observed by their supervisors but also by each other and the larger technological systems that track every action. Foucault’s notion of subjectivation - the process by which individuals internalize power structures and conform to societal norms - can be seen in how Mae gradually accepts and even advocates for the very systems of surveillance that initially made her uncomfortable. Foucault’s work underscores the way in which The Circle uses disciplinary mechanisms to shape employee behavior, making them complicit in their own subjugation (Foucault, 1980; Hanley, 2020).

In addition, Giddens’ theory of structuration offers a useful framework for understanding the reciprocal relationship between individual agency and organizational structures. Giddens (1984) emphasizes that while organizations impose certain rules and norms, individuals have the capacity to influence and reshape these structures through their actions and decisions. In The Circle, this dynamic is seen in how employees, particularly those in leadership roles, enforce and perpetuate the company’s culture of surveillance. However, it also illustrates how employees, like Mae, navigate these structures, sometimes reshaping them to align with personal goals of advancement or recognition (Uhl-Bien & Arena, 2018).

Giddens’ duality of structure is particularly relevant in The Circle, where employees are simultaneously constrained by the company’s rigid expectations but also play a role in reinforcing and legitimizing those structures. The novel highlights how individuals, even when operating within highly controlled environments, exercise agency in subtle ways, whether through complicity, resistance, or adaptation. Scholars have explored how Giddens’ theory helps illuminate the tension between organizational control and individual agency in tech corporations (Cohen, 2017).

Uhl-Bien’s work on complexity leadership and adaptive systems further enhances this understanding of organizational behavior. Uhl-Bien and Arena (2018) posit that organizations must be viewed as dynamic systems where interactions between individuals and structures lead to emergent outcomes that are often unpredictable. In the novel, the company operates as a complex system where technological innovations and employee behaviors co-evolve, driving the organization towards new, often dystopian, directions. Uhl-Bien’s emphasis on adaptability and resilience in leadership highlights the tension within The Circle between fostering innovation and maintaining control over its employees and users (Uhl-Bien, Marion, & McKelvey, 2007).

By integrating psychoanalytic, sociological, and organizational studies perspectives, the dynamic-relational organizational analysis approach (Figure 1) provides a comprehensive framework for understanding the complex organizational dynamics depicted in The Circle. This interdisciplinary method allows for a nuanced exploration of how individual psychology, power structures, and institutional pressures interact to shape behavior within the fictional world of The Circle, offering valuable insights into the broader implications for contemporary corporate environments.

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In Figure 1, the topologies adopted reflect a Borromean knot structure, a useful framework to conceptualize the interconnection between theoretical constructs and analytical levels within the dynamic-relational organizational analysis approach (Lacan, 1977). The Borromean knot, derived from topology, represents a configuration where three or more interlocking rings are connected in such a way that removing any one ring causes the others to become disconnected. This serves as a powerful metaphor for the dynamic interrelations between psychological, sociological, and organizational dimensions, each necessary to sustain the overall coherence of The Circle organizational dynamics (Lacan, 1977; Foucault, 1980; Bourdieu, 1986).

Furthermore, Table 2 provides a structured framework with guiding questions for analyzing organizational dynamics at the macro, meso, and micro levels, using the dynamic-relational organizational analysis approach. This table draws on key psychoanalytic and sociological concepts to offer a comprehensive understanding of the forces shaping individual and collective behavior within the company.

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?This theoretical foundation sets the stage for the application of the dynamic-relational organizational analysis approach to The Circle, as it allows for a detailed investigation into how the novel portrays organizational life as a complex adaptive system shaped by psychological, organizational, and societal fields.

Having laid out the theoretical foundations of this approach, one is now positioned to apply these concepts directly to the analysis of The Circle. The next section will explore how the psychological, organizational, and societal forces within the novel’s corporate structure can be examined through the lens of critical biography and interdisciplinary theory.

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Critical Biography Technique

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The critical biography technique, as employed in this analysis, provides an essential method for understanding how The Circle reflects and critiques the broader socio-economic and technological trends associated with Silicon Valley. This approach contextualizes the novel within the life and experiences of its author, Dave Eggers, drawing connections between Eggers’ personal background, his observations of the technology industry, and the themes explored in The Circle. By considering the author’s biography, one gains insights into how Eggers’ life experiences and values shape the novel’s portrayal of corporate culture, surveillance, and the ethical dilemmas surrounding technological innovation.

Eggers, an American writer and publisher, has long engaged with contemporary social issues through his literary work. His experiences, particularly his proximity to the rise of Silicon Valley as a global technology hub, deeply inform the thematic concerns of The Circle. Eggers has expressed skepticism towards the growing dominance of technology companies and their increasing influence over personal privacy, social interactions, and democratic institutions (Kakutani, 2013). His critique of Silicon Valley, as evident in The Circle, can be traced to his broader concerns about the unchecked power of technology giants and the erosion of individual autonomy in the face of corporate surveillance (Zuboff, 2019).

In the novel, Eggers portrays a dystopian corporate environment that mirrors the real-world dynamics of companies like Google, Facebook, and Apple, which are often criticized for their data collection practices and monopolization of information (Lanier, 2018). Through the critical biography technique, this analysis draws attention to how Eggers’ personal views on privacy, freedom, and the societal impact of technology are reflected in the novel’s depiction of The Circle’s totalitarian control over its employees and users. Eggers’ engagement with these issues in his other works, such as A Hologram for the King (2012), further demonstrates his ongoing interest in the effects of globalization and technological advancement on individual agency and societal structures (Thrift, 2014).

Eggers’ proximity to Silicon Valley, both geographically and culturally, provides him with a unique vantage point from which to critique the region’s corporate ethos. While not directly involved in the technology industry, Eggers’ work in publishing and media has allowed him to observe firsthand the intersection between technology, business, and privacy. His founding of McSweeney’s, a publishing house that embraces both traditional and digital media, places him in a position to critically engage with the ethical questions surrounding the digital revolution (Bissell, 2013). This dual perspective - both as an innovator within the media industry and as a critic of Silicon Valley’s impact on society - enriches his portrayal of the fictional Circle company in the novel.

Eggers’ critique of Silicon Valley, as presented through The Circle, is rooted in his broader concerns about the concentration of power in the hands of a few dominant technology firms. By using the critical biography technique, one can trace how Eggers’ awareness of the social and ethical consequences of technological expansion informs his narrative. This is particularly evident in the novel’s exploration of transparency and the erosion of privacy, themes that Eggers has discussed in public interviews and essays (Cohen, 2017). His personal reflections on the importance of maintaining a balance between technological progress and ethical responsibility resonate throughout the novel, where the company’s pursuit of total transparency ultimately leads to the dehumanization of its employees and users (Floridi, 2016).

In applying the critical biography technique to The Circle, it is also essential to consider Eggers’ role as a cultural critic and public intellectual. His literary works often blend social commentary with fictional storytelling, using satire and dystopian themes to explore contemporary issues. The Circle can be understood as part of a broader tradition of dystopian literature, where authors use speculative settings to critique present-day realities. In this case, Eggers draws upon his understanding of Silicon Valley’s corporate practices to craft a narrative that warns against the unchecked power of technology and the dangers of a surveillance-driven society (Brouillette, 2014).

Furthermore, Eggers’ philanthropic endeavors, such as his involvement in educational initiatives and advocacy for social justice, highlight his commitment to issues of equity and individual rights. These values are reflected in The Circle’s exploration of how corporate monopolies can undermine democratic principles and erode personal freedoms (Bissell, 2013). By examining Eggers’ biography through this critical lens, one can better understand how his personal and professional experiences inform the novel’s critique of the modern tech landscape and its consequences for privacy, autonomy, and ethics (Zuboff, 2019).

By grounding the analysis in Eggers’ own experiences and perspectives, the critical biography technique provides a richer context for understanding The Circle. With this background, the following sections will apply the dynamic-relational organizational framework to dissect how these themes unfold at the micro, meso, and macro levels.

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Structuring the Analysis

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To effectively apply the dynamic-relational organizational analysis framework to The Circle, one integrates the guiding questions from Table 1 at three analytical levels - individual (micro), organizational (meso), and societal (macro). These levels provide a comprehensive method to dissect the characters, interpersonal dynamics, and the broader organizational and societal forces depicted in the novel.

At the societal level, the analysis focuses on the broader socio-economic and institutional influences on the organization and its role in shaping societal norms. The Circle acts as a critique of how tech corporations influence not just organizational culture, but also societal values concerning privacy, freedom, and power. The company’s pervasive surveillance model mirrors real-world concerns about the power of large tech firms like Google and Facebook, whose data-driven business models have sparked debates about privacy and corporate ethics (Zuboff, 2019). Giddens’ theory of structuration offers insights into how The Circle’s technological dominance restructures societal norms, making surveillance a social expectation rather than an imposition (Giddens, 1984). Moreover, Bourdieu’s analysis of social capital and power dynamics helps explain how The Circle wields cultural and economic capital to exert influence over political institutions, further blurring the lines between corporate and societal governance.

At the organizational level, one examines the power dynamics, social interactions, and organizational culture within The Circle. This analysis uncovers how relationships between employees, leaders, and the organization’s structures shape behavior and drive compliance. Foucault’s concept of disciplinary power is critical here, as the novel illustrates how surveillance not only monitors employees but also disciplines them into self-regulation (Foucault, 1977). Mae’s interactions with her colleagues reflect how organizational hierarchies are reinforced through peer pressure, social capital, and corporate incentives, which create a culture of conformity and competition. Bourdieu’s notion of habitus further elucidates how Mae and her peers internalize the norms of The Circle, aligning their behaviors with the expectations of the corporate culture in exchange for career advancement and symbolic capital (Bourdieu, 1986).

Lastly, at the individual level, the focus is on the internal motivations, emotional conflicts, and unconscious desires of individual characters in The Circle. Mae Holland, the protagonist, serves as the focal point for this analysis, reflecting the internal struggles of navigating a hyper-connected digital world and the pressures of conformity within a corporate system. Mae’s unconscious desires for recognition, belonging, and approval drive her increasingly submissive behavior as she internalizes the company’s values. Drawing on Freudian psychoanalysis, Mae’s repression of doubts about surveillance and privacy reflects a psychological conflict where her need for social validation outweighs her concerns about personal freedom (Freud, 1923). Lacan’s concept of the “mirror stage” also explains how Mae’s identity is reshaped by the gaze of others, leading her to embrace a corporate identity defined by transparency and compliance (Lacan, 1977).

By incorporating the guiding questions from Table 3 into the analysis of The Circle, one can systematically explore the individual, organizational, and societal dimensions of the novel. This structured approach provides a comprehensive understanding of how individual behaviors, organizational culture, and broader societal forces interact to shape the complex dynamics within the novel’s corporate environment. Through the dynamic-relational organizational analysis framework, one uncovers how The Circle serves as both a critique and reflection of contemporary organizational life and the far-reaching influence of technology on society.

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“The Circle”

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Dave Eggers’ The Circle (2013) is a dystopian novel that delves into the intersection of technology, privacy, and corporate power, set in a near-future dominated by an omnipotent tech corporation known as “The Circle”. The narrative follows Mae Holland, a young woman who is hired by the company and quickly becomes enmeshed in its culture, reflecting the novel’s critique of contemporary technological obsession, corporate control, and the erosion of privacy.

Mae Holland represents the everyperson seduced by the allure of modern technological innovation. At the beginning of the novel, Mae is idealistic and eager to escape her dead-end job and join The Circle, a prestigious and progressive tech company. As she ascends within the corporation, Mae undergoes a profound transformation, moving from a somewhat skeptical newcomer to a willing participant in the company’s extreme transparency agenda. Her internal journey mirrors the broader thematic concerns of the novel, particularly the tension between individual freedom and corporate conformity.

Mae’s character arc is defined by her increasing complicity in The Circle’s invasive practices, which she initially questions but eventually embraces. Her desire for acceptance, recognition, and success leads her to internalize the company’s ethos that “secrets are lies” and “privacy is theft”. Mae becomes a spokesperson for total transparency, convinced that her participation in this surveillance society is morally righteous and beneficial to the world. Her character thus embodies the dangers of unchecked technological power and the loss of personal autonomy in the face of overwhelming corporate influence.

Through Mae’s psychological transformation, Eggers illustrates the seductive nature of technology and how it can lead individuals to sacrifice their privacy and personal values for the sake of convenience, connection, and approval. Mae’s journey also reflects the broader societal critique of how people can become unwitting participants in systems of control and surveillance, seduced by the promise of being seen and valued within a corporate structure.

Among her colleagues, Eamon Bailey, one of the co-founders of The Circle, is depicted as a benevolent and visionary leader who champions the idea of radical transparency. He is charismatic, persuasive, and portrays himself as a moral figure who believes that complete openness will eliminate corruption, improve governance, and create a better, more honest world. However, beneath his charm lies a dangerous ideology that equates surveillance with progress and conflates transparency with freedom.

Bailey represents the face of modern technological evangelism - a figure who believes in the inherent goodness of technology but fails to acknowledge the potential for abuse or the ethical dilemmas posed by total surveillance. His philosophy is driven by the belief that when everyone is constantly observed, they will behave more ethically. However, Bailey’s vision disregards the complexities of human nature and the fundamental need for privacy and autonomy. He serves as a critique of the unchecked power held by tech leaders in the real world, who often justify their control over data and surveillance as a force for societal good.

Tom Stenton, another co-founder of The Circle, contrasts sharply with Bailey. While Bailey is driven by a utopian vision of transparency, Stenton represents the unbridled pursuit of profit and power. He is pragmatic, calculating, and unapologetically capitalistic, embodying the corporate greed that underpins The Circle’s operations. Stenton’s character reflects the darker side of technological monopolies, where the accumulation of wealth and control is prioritized over ethical considerations.

Stenton’s role in the novel highlights the complicity of large corporations in shaping societal values and governmental policies, often to the detriment of individual rights and freedoms. His character serves as a critique of the corporate interests that drive technological development, emphasizing that behind the rhetoric of transparency and innovation lies a desire for dominance and profit.

Kalden, later revealed to be Ty Gospodinov, the third co-founder of The Circle, represents the voice of dissent within the company. Unlike Bailey and Stenton, Ty is disillusioned with what The Circle has become. He initially created the company with the hope of fostering connection and improving communication, but he becomes increasingly alarmed by its trajectory toward totalitarianism. Ty’s character reflects the internal conflict many technologists face when their creations evolve beyond their original intentions and are used for purposes they find morally reprehensible.

Ty attempts to warn Mae and others about the dangers of The Circle’s growing power, but his warnings largely go unheeded. His character is a metaphor for the ethical dilemmas faced by those in the tech industry who recognize the potential harm their innovations can cause but are powerless to stop the momentum of corporate and societal pressures.

Annie Allerton, Mae’s best friend and a high-ranking employee at The Circle, represents the personal costs of corporate ambition. Throughout the novel, Annie is portrayed as someone who has fully embraced the company’s culture and ideology, but her deep involvement with the company ultimately leads to her emotional and psychological breakdown. Annie’s collapse serves as a warning about the toll that corporate environments can take on individuals, especially those who sacrifice their personal relationships and well-being in pursuit of professional success.

Annie’s character arc also highlights the dangers of internalizing corporate values so fully that one loses sight of personal boundaries and ethical concerns. Her eventual downfall underscores the novel’s critique of corporate environments that demand total loyalty and consume the personal lives of their employees.

The Circle itself is as much a character in the novel as the people who work there. It represents the archetype of a modern tech giant - an all-encompassing, omnipresent force that shapes every aspect of its employees’ lives and has a far-reaching influence on society. The company’s idyllic campus and progressive rhetoric about transparency, community, and global betterment disguise its true nature as a monopolistic entity that seeks control over information and behavior.

Through The Circle, Eggers critiques the real-world tech corporations that increasingly dominate global markets and public discourse. The novel reflects growing concerns about the role of big data, surveillance, and the erosion of privacy in the digital age. The company’s vision of a world without secrets, where every action and thought is monitored and recorded, presents a chilling vision of a future where corporate power goes unchecked.

The Circle offers a deep and unsettling exploration of how corporate and technological power can infiltrate every facet of life, influencing not only the behavior of individuals but also the fabric of society. Through its characters - Mae, Bailey, Stenton, Ty, and Annie - the novel explores the psychological, social, and ethical consequences of living in a world dominated by surveillance and corporate control. Each character represents a different facet of this new reality, from the eager participant to the disillusioned critic, providing a comprehensive critique of modern organizational life in the age of technology.

With a clear structure for analysis in place, one now moves on to applying the dynamic-relational organizational framework to The Circle. This will involve a detailed examination of the individual, organizational, and societal dimensions that shape the characters, in particular the protagonist, Mae, and the corporate environment depicted in the novel.

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“The Circle” Under Analysis

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In this section one provides a comprehensive examination of the novel The Circle through a dynamic-relational organizational lens, focusing on three distinct analytical levels: macro, meso, and micro. The analysis begins by exploring the societal and institutional forces shaping the corporation’s role in eroding privacy and influencing governance. It then delves into the interpersonal dynamics and organizational structures that govern employee behavior, before concluding with an in-depth psychological analysis of the characters’ internal conflicts and unconscious motivations. Each level offers insights into how corporate power, surveillance, and individual agency interact within The Circle’s fictional but eerily realistic world.

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?Macro-Level Analysis: Societal and Institutional Forces

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At the macro level, The Circle, as a corporation, transcends the boundaries of a typical business and becomes a key player in shaping societal values and governmental operations, controlling not just employees but the broader public as well. Its members experience the erosion of privacy under the guise of transparency and progress. The company promotes the idea that “secrets are lies” and that total visibility leads to accountability, ultimately resulting in a more ethical and efficient society. However, this corporate narrative disguises the immense power that The Circle accrues through its ability to gather, analyze, and exploit vast amounts of personal data. By normalizing constant surveillance and data sharing, The Circle effectively reshapes societal norms around privacy, making individuals complicit in their own surveillance (Zuboff, 2019).

The novel also critiques the symbiotic relationship between corporations and government. The Circle begins to take over functions traditionally held by public institutions, such as voting systems and national security, blurring the lines between corporate interests and public governance. This reflects a broader trend in contemporary society, where tech giants exert significant influence over policy-making and public discourse, often without sufficient oversight or accountability (Cohen, 2017). The company demonstrates how unchecked corporate power can distort democratic processes, as public policies begin to reflect corporate priorities rather than the needs and rights of citizens (Pasquale, 2015).

In addition, Foucault’s concept of disciplinary power is central to understanding how The Circle maintains control over its employees. In Discipline and Punish, Foucault (1977) argues that modern institutions exert control not through overt violence or repression but through surveillance and normalization. Within The Circle, the constant monitoring of employees, both professionally and personally, reflects this form of power. Surveillance is not just technological but also social, as employees are under continuous observation through monitoring systems and are expected to monitor and report on each other.

Foucault’s idea of the “panopticon” is realized in The Circle, where the mere possibility of being watched enforces self-regulation among employees (Foucault, 1977). The corporate motto of “transparency” becomes a tool of control, as it normalizes the idea that privacy is an obstacle to full participation in the company’s vision. Surveillance thus functions as a disciplinary mechanism that shapes not just behavior but also identity.

The transparency ideology aligns with Foucault’s notion of subjectivation, where individuals internalize institutional norms and begin to police themselves. Employees at The Circle, like Mae, internalize the expectation that sharing all aspects of their life is not just a requirement but a moral obligation. As a result, they adjust their behavior to conform to these expectations, reinforcing the disciplinary mechanisms of the organization without the need for direct coercion (Foucault, 1980).

Mae’s eventual acceptance of total transparency represents her full subjugation to the company’s disciplinary power. The omnipresence of surveillance at The Circle shapes not only behavior but also identity, as employees come to see themselves primarily as subjects of the corporate system, constantly monitored and judged based on their level of compliance with organizational norms (Han, 2017). This self-surveillance creates an environment where employees like Mae lose their sense of autonomy, as every action is subject to corporate scrutiny and evaluation.

The societal impact of The Circle can also be examined through the lens of Lacan’s concept of the “Other” plays a crucial role in understanding how The Circle influences societal culture and individual identities. In Lacanian theory, the “Other” represents the external forces, norms, and structures that shape one’s identity and sense of self. The Circle, as a dominant corporate entity, functions as a powerful “Other” that imposes its values of transparency and surveillance onto both employees and the public. Individuals within the company, like Mae, come to define their identities not through personal agency, but in relation to how they are perceived by this corporate “Other”.

The company’s insistence on total visibility and its narrative that “secrets are lies” force individuals to conform to a constructed ideal where their value is measured by how much of their lives they expose to the system. In this way, The Circle’s cultural influence reshapes societal norms, positioning the corporation as the ultimate arbiter of truth and ethical behavior, thus eroding personal privacy and autonomy. This process of subjectivation reflects Lacan’s notion of how the “Other” structures identity, as individuals internalize corporate expectations and lose their sense of individuality in favor of corporate-defined roles and norms.

Bourdieu’s sociology, in particular his notions of habitus and capital, also helps explain how The Circle amasses not just economic but also symbolic power, shaping collective behavior and societal values (habitus) through the accumulation of cultural capital (Bourdieu, 1986). In the company, cultural capital is represented by technological expertise, innovation, and the corporation’s control over information flow. The Circle’s growing influence derives from its ability to control the dominant narratives about technology, progress, and transparency, positioning itself as a benevolent force for societal good (Zuboff, 2019).

Through its cultural capital, the firm shapes societal behavior, encouraging individuals to value participation in the company’s ecosystem over autonomy and discretion. The corporation’s ability to dominate public discourse around technology and surveillance illustrates Bourdieu’s concept of symbolic power, where those who control cultural capital also shape what is considered normal, ethical, or desirable in society (Couldry & Mejias, 2019). The company creates a system where individuals believe that total transparency and constant data sharing are beneficial, despite the loss of personal privacy and freedom.

Giddens’ structuration theory further illuminates how The Circle reflects and shapes broader societal structures. According to Giddens, social systems are both shaped by and shape the actions of individuals and institutions through the continuous interplay between structure and agency (Giddens, 1984). In the novel, the company not only reflects existing societal power dynamics but actively reshapes them by redefining norms around technology and privacy. Employees and the public at large become both agents and subjects within this structure, influencing and being influenced by The Circle’s technological and ideological framework (Uhl-Bien & Arena, 2018).

The Circle’s expansion into areas traditionally governed by the state - such as voting and surveillance - illustrates the erosion of public institutions in favor of corporate control. Giddens’ theory helps us understand how this process occurs, as the company’s control over data and surveillance technology restructures social institutions, creating a new reality where corporate interests dictate public life. The company’s influence over government policies, media, and societal norms exemplifies the process of structuration, where individual behavior and institutional forces interact to create new forms of social order (Zuboff, 2019; Couldry & Mejias, 2019).

Table 2 highlights the importance of macro-level analysis in understanding how broader societal norms and institutional power structures shape organizational policies and behaviors in The Circle. It provides an analysis of the main characters, examining how their identities and actions are influenced by these social norms and power dynamics. The table illustrates how macro-level forces affect each character’s attitudes, particularly the novel’s protagonist, Mae Holland, revealing the role corporate culture and societal pressures play in shaping their behaviors.

Having explored the societal and institutional forces at play, one now turns our focus to the meso-level analysis. This will involve an in-depth look at the interpersonal dynamics and organizational norms within The Circle, further illuminating how power and social structures shape the behavior of individuals within the company.

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Meso-Level Analysis: Interpersonal and Organizational Environment

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At the meso level, The Circle exemplifies how organizational norms, hierarchies, and peer pressure govern interactions among employees and between employees and management. The company fosters a culture of surveillance and conformity, where non-compliance with corporate ideals is met with both overt and subtle social consequences. Mae Holland’s interactions with her coworkers and superiors highlight how power dynamics operate within this corporate structure, emphasizing the social mechanisms that reinforce control.

The organizational hierarchy at The Circle is not only enforced by traditional authority figures but is also maintained through peer pressure and social monitoring. Employees are constantly encouraged to “share” more of their lives and thoughts, creating a self-regulating community where transparency is equated with trustworthiness and loyalty to the company (Zuboff, 2019). This environment fosters competition for visibility and validation, where employees gauge their value based on how much they conform to the company’s transparency doctrine.

Mae’s relationships with her peers become increasingly transactional, shaped by the pressure to align with corporate expectations. Friendships and alliances within The Circle are contingent on an individual’s adherence to the company’s norms, with personal boundaries eroded by the need to remain constantly available and open. Peer pressure, in this context, functions as a tool for reinforcing corporate control, as employees themselves become enforcers of the organization’s rules and expectations (Han, 2017).

At the meso level, The Circle exemplifies how organizational norms, hierarchies, and peer pressure govern interactions among employees and management. The company fosters a culture of surveillance and conformity, where non-compliance with corporate ideals is met with both overt and subtle social consequences. This dynamic is explored through the lens of key theorists like Winnicott, Giddens, and Freud, revealing how social structures and interpersonal dynamics operate within the corporate environment.

From a Winnicottian perspective, the concept of the “holding environment” is critical in understanding how The Circle fails to provide the emotional support necessary for employees’ psychological well-being. Winnicott (1965) argues that a holding environment is essential for individuals to feel secure and supported as they navigate challenges. However, The Circle offers only a superficial sense of community, where constant surveillance and peer pressure replace genuine emotional support. Mae Holland, for example, finds herself increasingly isolated despite the company’s outwardly communal ethos. The lack of an authentic holding environment creates a culture of stress and anxiety, as employees like Mae and Annie struggle to cope with the pressure to conform and perform.

Giddens’ structuration theory (1984) further explains how The Circle’s organizational structure is both shaped by and shapes individual actions. Giddens emphasizes the duality of structure - where individuals influence and are influenced by social systems. At The Circle, employees are caught in a self-reinforcing system of transparency, where their behavior conforms to the company’s norms because those norms are deeply embedded in the organizational culture. Mae’s relationships with her peers, for instance, become increasingly transactional, driven by the need to align with corporate expectations. The constant pressure to share and be visible creates a self-regulating community where employees not only conform to but also reinforce the company’s surveillance culture, reflecting Giddens’ theory that individuals both shape and are shaped by institutional structures.

Freud’s theory of repression offers insights into how psychological mechanisms support this organizational control. Mae’s internal conflicts - her initial discomfort with transparency and surveillance - are gradually repressed as she becomes more deeply enmeshed in The Circle’s culture. Freud’s concept of repression (1923) helps explain how Mae suppresses her doubts and moral concerns to conform to the expectations placed upon her by the company. This repression leads to her eventual full acceptance of the transparency ideology, mirroring how employees in high-pressure environments may subjugate their personal values to fit within a dominant organizational culture.

The integration of Winnicott, Giddens, and Freud at the meso level highlights how The Circle’s organizational environment erodes individuality and emotional well-being through surveillance and peer pressure, while simultaneously reinforcing these dynamics through self-regulation and internalized corporate norms. This interplay between structure and individual psychology illustrates the complex power dynamics at play within The Circle, where compliance is achieved not through coercion but through the manipulation of social and psychological mechanisms.

Table 3 focuses on meso-level analysis, exploring how social and cultural capital, power dynamics, and interpersonal relationships shape the behavior of key characters within The Circle. It examines how individuals navigate organizational hierarchies, psychological support systems, and peer pressure, revealing how these factors influence collaboration, conflict resolution, and role negotiation. The table emphasizes how the organization’s hierarchical structures and expectations impact each character’s interactions, with particular attention to Mae Holland’s adaptation to the corporate culture at the cost of her personal integrity.

?With the meso-level dynamics of The Circle thoroughly examined, one now shifts to a micro-level analysis. This next section will explore the psychological forces driving individual behavior within the organization, focusing on the internal conflicts and unconscious desires that influence key characters’ actions.

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Micro-Level Analysis: Psychological Dynamics

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At the micro-level, The Circle provides a profound exploration of Mae Holland’s internal psychological dynamics, particularly her unconscious desires for acceptance, belonging, and validation. Mae’s entry into The Circle triggers a series of internal conflicts as she navigates the tension between her personal values and the overwhelming influence of the company’s culture. Her growing compliance with The Circle’s demands for transparency and control over her life reflects a deeper, unconscious yearning for recognition and approval from her peers and the organization itself (Zuboff, 2019).

Mae’s desire to be fully accepted by the company drives her increasing willingness to compromise her personal boundaries, privacy, and moral hesitations. Although her internal struggle is not always overt, the psychological pressure to conform and align with The Circle’s ideals exacerbates her anxiety about exclusion or failure within the corporate hierarchy (Han, 2017). Over time, this manifests in Mae’s surrender to the company’s mantra of “transparency”, where her personal identity becomes indistinguishable from the corporate persona she is forced to adopt.

From a psychoanalytic perspective, Mae’s journey through The Circle can be interpreted through the lens of Freud’s theories of repression and the unconscious, as well as Lacan’s concepts of the “symbolic order” and the role of the “Other”. Freud’s theory of repression explains how Mae suppresses her early doubts and personal discomfort, pushing these thoughts into her unconscious to function within The Circle’s culture (Freud, 1923). Mae’s unconscious desires for approval and acceptance from her superiors and coworkers reflect the driving force behind her behavior. The corporate environment demands not just productivity, but complete emotional and psychological alignment with its values, which leads Mae to repress her moral uncertainties. The eventual result is a psychological transformation where she increasingly aligns her personal identity with that of The Circle (Gabriel, 1999).

At the micro-level, the psychological dynamics in The Circle reveal how Mae Holland’s internal conflicts are shaped by her unconscious desires for acceptance, validation, and belonging within a highly controlled corporate environment. Her initial reservations about the company’s pervasive surveillance culture give way to a gradual psychological transformation, driven by a deeper need to be recognized and valued within the corporate hierarchy. As Mae navigates the pressures of conformity, her internal conflicts reflect the broader struggle between personal autonomy and the organizational demands for transparency and control.

Giddens’ theory of agency (1984) also offers a lens to understand how Mae navigates her internal conflicts in response to The Circle’s external structures. Giddens emphasizes the dual nature of agency, where individuals act within the constraints of social systems but also possess the capacity to shape their environment through their choices. Mae’s early actions, such as her hesitation to embrace complete transparency, reflect an assertion of her agency. However, as the organizational pressure mounts, her agency becomes increasingly constrained by the company’s pervasive culture of surveillance. Giddens’ framework reveals how Mae’s choices, although seemingly her own, are increasingly shaped by the broader corporate structures that define acceptable behavior within The Circle.

As Mae internalizes The Circle’s values, Foucault’s concept of subjectivation (1980) becomes central to understanding her psychological transformation. Foucault argues that modern institutions, through mechanisms of surveillance and control, produce subjects who internalize societal norms and self-regulate their behavior. In Mae’s case, The Circle’s constant monitoring creates a powerful system of subjectivation, where employees like Mae begin to align their identities with the company’s values. Mae’s increasing willingness to sacrifice her privacy and autonomy is not simply coerced by external forces but is also the result of her internalization of the company’s ideals. The company’s mantra, "secrets are lies," becomes Mae’s guiding principle as she adopts the organization’s vision of transparency, ultimately losing her sense of personal agency as she becomes a product of the corporate system.

By combining Giddens’ agency, Foucault’s subjectivation, and Freud’s metapsychology, this micro-level analysis reveals how Mae’s psychological transformation is shaped by both internal desires and external pressures. Her eventual submission to The Circle’s totalitarian transparency doctrine exemplifies the complex interplay between individual agency and the institutional structures that govern behavior. Mae’s loss of autonomy and increasing identification with the company’s values illustrate how modern organizations can shape not only behavior but also identity, leading individuals to internalize corporate norms and ultimately surrender their personal agency in favor of compliance.

In this context, Mae’s repression of doubts about privacy and morality can be viewed as a defense mechanism to cope with the intense psychological pressure from The Circle (Fotaki, Long, & Schwartz, 2012). As the novel progresses, her internal conflicts are sublimated into compliance, leading to an identity transformation where Mae becomes a product of the corporate system she once privately questioned. By the end of the novel, Mae’s complete immersion in The Circle’s ideology represents the ultimate triumph of corporate culture over individual agency, a transformation achieved through both unconscious desire and external pressure (Han, 2017).

Table 4 delves into the micro-level analysis of psychological dynamics, highlighting how unconscious desires, internal conflicts, and repressed emotions influence the decision-making and behavior of characters in The Circle. By examining how each individual copes with organizational pressures and navigates the demands of the corporate environment, the table reveals the psychological mechanisms at play. It sheds light on the characters’ internal struggles, particularly Mae Holland’s quest for validation, and illustrates how these dynamics manifest in their interpersonal relationships and professional roles.

?Having analyzed the psychological motivations and internal conflicts of the characters, one can now better appreciate the broader implications of these dynamics. The final section of the analysis will tie together the insights from the micro, meso, and macro levels, offering a comprehensive understanding of the organizational and societal critiques that The Circle presents.

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Critical Biography Insights

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Through a critical biography lens, Eggers’ The Circle can be understood as a reflection of his personal views on technology, corporate culture, and the ethical dilemmas associated with Silicon Valley. Eggers has long been vocal about his concerns regarding the increasing dominance of tech corporations like Google, Facebook, and Apple, which manipulate power structures to create cultures of total surveillance and control. His portrayal of The Circle as an omnipresent and powerful tech company mirrors the real-world influence these corporations exert over society, particularly regarding issues of privacy, data collection, and individual autonomy (Zuboff, 2019).

Eggers’ critical stance on Silicon Valley’s corporate culture is vividly illustrated through the novel’s central character, Mae Holland, whose gradual submission to The Circle’s demands for transparency reflects the pressures faced by employees in such environments. As Mae becomes increasingly entangled in the company’s ideology, her internal doubts are suppressed in favor of the corporate values of openness and surveillance. This psychological transformation resonates with Eggers’ critique of how tech employees, often driven by ambition and a desire for belonging, are coerced into conforming to corporate ideologies that prioritize collective control over individual freedom (Han, 2017). Eggers critiques the way personal agency is compromised, as employees are subtly forced to adopt company norms, often at the expense of their own moral and ethical reservations (Morozov, 2013).

Through Mae, Eggers explores how personal ambition and unconscious desires for success and recognition can lead individuals to forfeit their sense of self and agency. The character’s journey highlights a broader critique of Silicon Valley, where corporations present themselves as innovative and community-oriented while systematically eroding individual autonomy in favor of conformity and corporate control (Bauman & Lyon, 2013). This tension between personal identity and corporate culture is central to Eggers’ portrayal of The Circle as a dystopian environment that thrives on surveillance and data-driven control, where employees are pressured to merge their personal lives with the company’s mission.

Eggers’ personal experiences and observations of Silicon Valley’s rise, coupled with his deep skepticism of technology’s unchecked influence, inform not only the themes of surveillance and power in The Circle but also the broader societal implications of tech dominance. His critique extends beyond the confines of the novel, serving as a commentary on the ethical trajectory of the tech industry and its capacity to shape societal values and behaviors. By examining The Circle through the lens of Eggers’ biography, readers can discern how his lived experiences and concerns about the societal impact of technological innovation are channeled into a broader cultural critique of corporate power, surveillance, and the diminishing role of individual agency in the modern technological landscape (Lyon, 2014; Winner, 1986).

By applying the critical biography approach, the novel emerges as more than fiction - it becomes a vehicle for Eggers to express his alarm about the ethical consequences of Silicon Valley’s control over personal data and societal norms. This analysis provides deeper insight into how Eggers’ critiques of technology and corporate culture are embedded in The Circle, offering a compelling reflection on the intersection of technology, privacy, and power in contemporary society.

By linking Eggers’ personal experiences and views on technology to the themes in The Circle, one gains a clearer understanding of how the novel serves as both a critique and reflection of contemporary corporate life. In the following section, one will consider the broader relevance of these insights to real-world organizations, drawing practical lessons from the novel’s dystopian vision.

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Relevance to Contemporary Organizations

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The Circle offers a compelling lens through which to understand the psychological and structural challenges individuals face in contemporary, technology-driven workplaces. As corporations grow increasingly reliant on data, surveillance, and transparency, the novel serves as a cautionary tale that mirrors real-world tensions between personal autonomy, corporate control, and technological advancement (Zuboff, 2019). The story underscores how technological tools, often portrayed as advancements for efficiency and transparency, can gradually erode individual agency and well-being.

The novel addresses the broader societal implications of corporate dominance in shaping cultural norms around privacy and autonomy. In a world where technology companies wield immense influence over both public and private life, employees must navigate not only organizational pressures but also the societal impact of their work, particularly in areas related to data ethics, artificial intelligence, and digital privacy (Morozov, 2013). The novel critiques how corporate control over information systems can lead to the normalization of invasive practices, reshaping societal values to prioritize surveillance over privacy.

Organizationally, The Circle illustrates how power dynamics within organizations are reinforced through technology. Foucault’s concept of disciplinary power is vividly reflected in how the company exerts control through constant surveillance, peer pressure, and the enforcement of transparency (Foucault, 1977). In modern workplaces, similar mechanisms of control - performance tracking, social media monitoring, and algorithmic management - often serve to deepen power imbalances between employees and the organization (Edwards, 2020). These tools, while positioned as innovations for productivity and accountability, can limit employees’ capacity to resist or challenge corporate directives, further entrenching hierarchical power structures.

Psychologically, The Circle delves into the internal conflicts individuals face when corporate expectations conflict with personal values. Mae’s progression from initial discomfort with the company’s transparency policies to eventual full compliance demonstrates how employees may repress personal doubts or ethical concerns to conform to organizational norms (Freud, 1923). This psychological dynamic, where individuals prioritize career advancement or social belonging over personal integrity, is common in real-world settings, particularly in organizations that discourage dissent or equate success with complete alignment to corporate culture (Gabriel, 1999). The novel serves as a reminder of the potential emotional costs employees bear when they sacrifice their autonomy and individuality for professional validation.

Furthermore, this analysis exposes how surveillance technologies can undermine employees’ psychological safety. In many workplaces, particularly within the tech industry, employees are subjected to continuous monitoring, like the omnipresent surveillance experienced by Mae Holland and her colleagues at The Circle (Han, 2017). This constant surveillance not only tracks performance but also personal behavior, creating environments where employees may experience heightened stress and anxiety, unsure of when they are being observed or judged. The novel highlights the dangers of such pervasive surveillance, where the boundaries between professional and personal life blur, and employees are left feeling vulnerable to corporate control (Lyon, 2014).

In summary, The Circle provides a valuable framework for understanding the psychological and structural challenges faced by individuals in modern organizations. It underscores the dangers of a surveillance-driven corporate culture, the psychological toll of internalized norms, and the reinforcement of power dynamics through technology. As modern organizations - especially in the tech industry - continue to expand their influence, the lessons from The Circle serve as a timely reminder of the importance of balancing technological innovation with ethical considerations, protecting employee well-being, and safeguarding individual autonomy.

With these theoretical and practical insights in mind, the next section will outline specific implications for organizational leaders, employees, and policymakers. By reflecting on the lessons learned from The Circle, one can develop strategies for navigating the ethical challenges and power dynamics that arise in today’s technology-driven workplaces.

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Practical Implications

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The findings from The Circle offer critical insights for organizational leaders, employees, and society regarding the management of transparency, employee autonomy, and corporate culture, especially in technology-driven workplaces. Leaders should recognize that while data-driven performance metrics and surveillance can enhance efficiency, excessive transparency may have detrimental effects on employee morale and mental health (Zuboff, 2019). As illustrated in the novel, constant monitoring can erode trust, diminish creativity, and stifle innovation by creating an environment where employees feel they are always being scrutinized (Lyon, 2014). Therefore, leaders must strike a balance between transparency and psychological safety, ensuring that employees feel supported and trusted rather than constantly observed.

Fostering employee autonomy is another crucial lesson from The Circle. Organizations that enforce rigid adherence to corporate norms, as seen in the novel, risk undermining individual agency, leading to disengagement and burnout (Han, 2017). Leaders should encourage open dialogue, allowing employees to express dissent and engage in ethical discussions without fear of repercussions. Creating spaces for critical thinking and diverse opinions can promote innovation and foster a healthier organizational culture, as employees are empowered to challenge the status quo and contribute meaningfully to decision-making processes (Gabriel, 1999).

Additionally, leaders must be aware of the power dynamics reinforced through hierarchical structures and technological surveillance. Flattening hierarchies and promoting inclusive decision-making processes can help prevent the entrenchment of power imbalances that stifle collaboration and innovation (Edwards, 2020). Transparency around surveillance practices and employee involvement in strategic decisions can foster a sense of ownership and empowerment, mitigating the negative effects of a top-down control system (Foucault, 1977).

For employees, The Circle provides valuable lessons in navigating corporate norms and surveillance mechanisms. Understanding the psychological dynamics at play - such as the conflict between personal values and corporate expectations - can help individuals recognize when they are compromising their autonomy for compliance (Freud, 1923). By engaging in open discussions about transparency and corporate practices, employees can build networks of support and advocate for personal and ethical boundaries, ensuring that their professional lives do not overwhelm their personal identity (Petriglieri, Ashford, & Wrzesniewski, 2019).

To further safeguard their autonomy, employees should be proactive in setting boundaries and advocating for transparency in a way that respects their privacy. The novel highlights the dangers of blurring professional and personal identities, suggesting that employees must be vigilant in preserving their individual well-being despite corporate pressures to conform (Zuboff, 2019). Additionally, employees can contribute to shaping corporate culture by participating in ethical discussions, advocating for privacy rights, and influencing technology policies within the organization (Morozov, 2013).

At the societal level, The Circle raises urgent questions about the ethical use of technology, data privacy, and corporate accountability. Policymakers and regulatory bodies must address the growing influence of tech corporations over personal privacy and public governance (Floridi, 2016). As the novel demonstrates, unchecked corporate power can shape societal norms in ways that may not align with democratic values or individual rights. Therefore, stronger regulations around data privacy, transparency, and surveillance technologies are needed to protect individuals from corporate overreach (Van Dijck, 2014).

Society must demand greater accountability from corporations regarding their use of personal data and their role in shaping social norms. While transparency is valuable, it must be balanced with the protection of individual privacy and the enforcement of ethical boundaries, both in corporate and governmental contexts (Cohen, 2017). The novel’s portrayal of a dystopian future serves as a cautionary tale for the need to carefully manage the ethical implications of technological advancements.

In other terms, The Circle provides a rich narrative for understanding the psychological, organizational, and societal implications of contemporary technology-driven workplaces. It underscores the importance of balancing transparency with employee autonomy, fostering ethical leadership, and ensuring corporate accountability in an era where technology increasingly shapes both individual lives and societal structures. Through these insights, organizational leaders, employees, and society at large can better navigate the complex challenges posed by modern technology.

These practical insights lay the groundwork for future research and deeper exploration of the intersections between technology, surveillance, and organizational behavior. The concluding section will summarize the key findings of this study, highlighting its contributions to organizational studies and offering directions for future inquiry.

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Conclusion

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This study applied the dynamic-relational organizational analysis approach to Eggers’ novel The Circle, demonstrating how interdisciplinary insights from psychoanalysis, sociology, and organizational studies provide a comprehensive understanding of organizational dynamics. Through a detailed exploration of the micro, meso, and macro levels, the analysis uncovered the psychological conflicts, interpersonal power dynamics, and societal influences that shape the behavior of individuals and organizations in technology-driven environments. The novel served as an illustrative case study, highlighting the consequences of unchecked corporate surveillance, the erosion of individual autonomy, and the amplification of organizational control through technological transparency (Zuboff, 2019; Fotaki, Long, & Schwartz, 2012).

Integrating key concepts from influential thinkers in the fields of psychoanalysis and sociology into postmodern organizational studies, this analysis emphasized the importance of understanding unconscious desires, subjectivation, and power structures in shaping both individual and collective actions within contemporary organizations (Freud, 1923; Winnicott, 1965; Lacan, 1977). Freud’s theories of repression and the unconscious helped reveal Mae’s internal conflicts, while Lacan’s ideas on the symbolic order illustrated how her identity is shaped by The Circle’s expectations. Winnicott’s concept of the holding environment further underscored the absence of emotional support within the company (Petriglieri, Ashford, & Wrzesniewski, 2019; Edmondson, 1999). At the meso level, Foucault’s disciplinary power and Bourdieu’s habitus helped analyze the peer pressure and surveillance culture that define employee interactions, while Giddens’ structuration theory elucidated how the company restructures societal norms and governance through its technological reach (Bourdieu, 1986; Foucault, 1980; Giddens, 1984).

The application of the critical biography technique enriched the analysis by linking the author’s personal critiques of Silicon Valley to the themes of power, surveillance, and identity presented in the novel. Eggers’ firsthand observations of the tech industry and its corporate culture provided an authentic lens through which the novel’s dystopian depiction of technological dominance and corporate control could be analyzed. This interdisciplinary approach advances organizational studies by offering deeper insights into the psychological and structural challenges that emerge in modern workplaces, especially in the context of technology and surveillance (Emirbayer & Johnson, 2008).

While the dynamic-relational organizational analysis approach provided a rich interdisciplinary lens for examining The Circle, several limitations should be acknowledged. First, the reliance on a single fictional case study limits the generalizability of the findings. Although the novel offers a compelling narrative that mirrors many real-world organizational dynamics, it remains a work of fiction, which may not fully capture the nuances of actual corporate environments (Petriglieri, Ashford, & Wrzesniewski, 2019).

Second, the study is inherently interpretive, as it draws heavily on subjective readings of both the novel and the applied theories. While this approach allows for deep theoretical exploration, it may also introduce bias or over-interpretation of certain elements of the text. The absence of empirical data from real-world organizations limits the ability to validate the theoretical conclusions derived from the novel’s fictional environment (Fotaki, Long, & Schwartz, 2012).

Third, the application of the critical biography technique, while enriching the analysis, is limited by the availability of information about Eggers’ personal experiences and intentions. The degree to which the novel reflects the author’s true views on Silicon Valley and technology could be speculative, and future studies could benefit from direct authorial interviews or corroborative biographical data to strengthen the analysis (Gabriel, 2016).

In this sense, the study opens new avenues for future research. First, the impact of surveillance in other industries beyond technology, such as healthcare, education, and finance, could be explored using the dynamic-relational framework. Surveillance practices are becoming ubiquitous across sectors, and investigating how these practices affect employee well-being, productivity, and organizational culture in various contexts would provide a broader understanding of transparency and control across different professional environments (Zuboff, 2019).

Second, the role of technology in shaping individual identity and professional roles warrants further investigation. As digital tools, AI, and data-driven decision-making become central to modern organizations, future research could examine how these technologies influence employees’ sense of self, agency, and ethical boundaries. This line of inquiry would deepen our understanding of how individuals adapt to, resist, or internalize technological control in their professional lives (Giddens, 1984).

Finally, applying the dynamic-relational organizational analysis approach to other literary works or real-world case studies could extend its relevance. Comparative studies between The Circle and other novels, such as George Orwell’s 1984 or Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World, or examining actual companies that navigate similar technological challenges, could provide valuable insights into the intersection of corporate power, surveillance, and individual autonomy. Moreover, real-world case studies involving organizations grappling with issues of transparency and employee monitoring could offer empirical support for the framework, validating its practical application in organizational studies (Fotaki, Long, & Schwartz, 2012; Petriglieri, Ashford, & Wrzesniewski, 2019).

In conclusion, this study illustrates the value of a multidisciplinary, dynamic-relational approach to understanding the complexities of organizational life in the digital age, offering significant insights into the interplay between individual, organizational, and societal fields in technology-driven environments (Emirbayer & Johnson, 2008; Uhl-Bien, Marion, & McKelvey, 2007).

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[1] Professor at FGV-EAESP. Researcher at NEOP FGV-EAESP. MED-AoM Ambassador. Postdoctoral Researcher in Psychoanalytic Theory. Postdoctoral Fellow in the Psychiatry Graduate Program at USP. Doctor in Business Administration and Doctor in Architecture and Urbanism. https://pesquisa-eaesp.fgv.br/professor/anderson-de-souza-santanna .

This paper was developed within the framework of the Leadership Observatory NEOP FGV-EAESP. This research is supported by the S?o Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP).

Sant'Anna, A. S. (2024). When Fiction Meets Reality (or Vice Versa): A Dynamic-Relational Organizational Analysis Approach to “The Circle”. Manuscript Discussion Series, 2(24):1-28. NEOP FGV-EAESP. (Work in progress)