‘Kindergarten Cop’: Paternalism and Resistance in a High‐Commitment Workplace*

This article investigates how organizational paternalism, often considered a traditional and rather archaic management style, is evoked by a culture management programme in order to increase control. Most research assumes that paternalism does successfully capture the subjective commitments of employees because they appreciate the ‘caring’ and ‘nurturing’ environment it engenders. Lacking in this literature is a consideration of how and why employees might resist organizational paternalism. An empirical study is presented that suggests some workers resist paternalism because it casts them as irrational children and undermines their dignity. The structure of this resistance is explored in detail and the relationships between paternalism, culture management and HRM examined.