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You have to dare to think and feel whatever it is that you think or feel, no matter what your society or your Society thinks about it, or even what you think about it. (Bion, 1977, p. 13)
The main title of Stapley's book indicates that he considers the concept group-as-a-whole of pivotal importance in the historical development of group relations conferences (GRCs). His subtitle is a direct reference to the first comprehensive description of the Leicester Conference (Rice, 1965), then offered by the Tavistock Institute of Human Relations as an example and source of inspiration to initiators of GRCs around the world. In respect of that tradition, Stapley has written a syllabus for future staff members in the four-day GRCs sponsored by IGO Consultancy Services (a company directed by him) which run under the exact same title in several foreign countries such as China and Russia. This review is to inform other potential readers of the book's content and scope, to help them make up their minds about whether and why they might want to read it. I have added a few personal comments only to the extent that I believe they will serve this purpose.
Stapley's book falls in the category of academic literature, which deals with the advancement of a particular field or discipline and its professional applications. In this case, the field is that part of the social sciences and humanities known as Organisation Studies, more specifically the sub-discipline self-identified as the Psychoanalytic Study of Organizations (to which the author clearly belongs). Now, books like that come in two varieties. One is intended to disseminate a contribution to the debate about foundations of a scientific field. On the basis of experience or other methods of research, the author(s) may wish to present a novel addition to the existing body of knowledge, or correct what is believed to be wrong in previously developed theories. Such debates are always ongoing and not intended to be conclusive. Moreover,