Organized Carelessness: De-ethicizing the Organization of Death

Death elicits needs such as an adequate farewell. Attending and responding to such needs is central to the organization of death, that is, the management of end-of-life situations before, during, and after a person’s passing. However, prior research points to insensitivity and marginalization of such needs in the organization of death. I refer to this phenomenon as “organized carelessness,” and I draw on the ethics of care to examine how it is produced. Based on a case study in the field of funeral services, I show how organized carelessness emerges through four processes: sequestration, deauthorization, reskilling, and moralization. Together, these processes contribute to stripping away ethical choices in relationships with the bereaved, and moving forward with little, if any, sensitivity and responses to their specific needs for an adequate farewell. These findings have implications for understanding carelessness in the organization of death in particular, and in organizational life more generally.