Rationalisering

Rationalisering refers to the process of making something more logical, efficient, or justifiable. In a business context, it often involves reorganizing operations to improve productivity and reduce costs, such as streamlining workflows or eliminating redundant positions. This can also be seen as an effort to bring about a more reasoned or systematic approach to a particular task or system.

The term can also be applied to psychological explanations where an individual devises a plausible but untrue reason for their behavior, feelings, or beliefs. This defense mechanism helps to reduce anxiety or maintain a positive self-image by masking underlying, unacceptable motives. For example, someone might rationalize a poor performance by blaming external factors rather than admitting a lack of effort.

In a broader societal sense, rationalization can describe the historical shift from traditional or emotional decision-making to systems based on logic, efficiency, and calculability. This has been a key feature of modernization, influencing everything from bureaucratic structures to scientific inquiry. The emphasis is on observable facts and predictable outcomes.