Organization Theory

Enhanced descriptions from Syndetics:

Organization Theory offers a clear and comprehensive introduction to the study of organizations and organizing processes. It encourages an even-handed appreciation of the different perspectives contributing to our knowledge of organizations and challenges readers to broaden their intellectual reach. Organization Theory is in three parts: BL Part I introduces the multi-perspective approach. BL Part II presents many ways in which organizations can be analyzed - as entities within an environment, as social structures, technologies, cultures and physical structures, and as the products of power and political processes. BL Part III explores applications of organization theory to the practical matters of organizational design and change, and introduces the latest perspectives on the horizons of organization theory, including complex adaptive systems, organizational identity theory, critical realism, network theory, aesthetics, and organizational learning. Online Resource Centre For lecturers: PowerPoint slides, exam questions, teachig suggestions, a discussion forum, case studies and exercises with instructor's notes. For Students: annotated web links, and discussion questions.

Table of contents provided by Syndetics

• List of figures (p. xxii)
• List of tables (p. xxiv)
• Part I What is Organization Theory? (p. 1)
• 1 Why Study Organization Theory? (p. 3)
• Theories and theorizing organizations (p. 4)
• Concepts and abstraction in theory development (p. 8)
• Multiple perspectives (p. 10)
• Plan of the book (p. 18)
• Summary (p. 20)
• Key terms (p. 21)
• Endnotes (p. 21)
• References (p. 22)
• 2 A Brief History of Organization Theory (p. 25)
• Organization theory at its inception (p. 26)
• Modernist influences on organization theory (p. 36)
• Symbolic-interpretive influences (p. 41)
• Some postmodern influences (p. 47)
• Summary (p. 55)
• Key terms (p. 57)
• Endnotes (p. 57)
• References (p. 58)
• Further reading (p. 60)
• Part II Core Concepts and Theories (p. 61)
• 3 Organization and Environment (p. 63)
• Defining the organizational environment (p. 65)
• Modernist theories relating organizations to their environments (p. 77)
• Symbolic-interpretive environmental analysis (p. 85)
• Postmodernism and organization-environment relations (p. 90)
• Summary (p. 96)
• Key terms (p. 98)
• Endnotes (p. 98)
• References (p. 99)
• Further reading (p. 100)
• 4 Organizational Social Structure (p. 101)
• Origins of the social structure concept (p. 102)
• Modernist theories of organizational social structure (p. 109)
• Symbolic-interpretive approaches (p. 126)
• Postmodern approaches to social structure (p. 131)
• Summary (p. 134)
• Key terms (p. 135)
• Endnotes (p. 135)
• References (p. 136)
• Further reading (p. 138)
• 5 Technology (p. 141)
• Modernist definitions and three typologies (p. 142)
• Technology in the symbolic-interpretive perspective (p. 153)
• Postmodernism and technology (p. 156)
• Combining technology with social structure and environment (p. 161)
• Summary (p. 170)
• Key terms (p. 170)
• Endnotes (p. 171)
• References (p. 171)
• Further reading (p. 172)
• 6 Organizational Culture (p. 175)
• What is organizational culture and how did it become part of organization theory? (p. 178)
• Modernist approaches to organizational culture (p. 181)
• Symbolic-interpretive organizational culture research (p. 191)
• Postmodernism and organizational culture (p. 202)
• Deconstructing organizational culture (p. 203)
• Changing culture (p. 207)
• Summary (p. 213)
• Key terms (p. 213)
• Endnotes (p. 214)
• References (p. 215)
• Further reading (p. 218)
• 7 The Physical Structure of Organizations (p. 221)
• Elements of physical structure (p. 223)
• Linking technology, social and physical structure (p. 232)
• Physical structure, organizational culture and identity (p. 239)
• Summary (p. 246)
• Key terms (p. 246)
• Endnotes (p. 246)
• References (p. 247)
• Further reading (p. 250)
• 8 Organizational Power, Control and Conflict (p. 251)
• Modernist conceptions of power, politics and control (p. 253)
• Critical studies of power and control (p. 265)
• Feminist and postmodern conceptions of power and control (p. 270)
• Organizational conflict in relation to environment, social structure, technology, culture, physical structure and power (p. 279)
• Summary (p. 287)
• Key terms (p. 288)
• Endnotes (p. 289)
• References (p. 290)
• Further reading (p. 292)
• Part III Practical Issues and New Directions in Organization Theory (p. 293)
• 9 Theory in Practice (p. 295)
• Organizational design (p. 296)
• Organizational change (p. 308)
• Organizational learning and knowledge management (p. 313)
• Summary (p. 322)
• Key terms (p. 322)
• Endnotes (p. 323)
• References (p. 323)
• Further reading (p. 324)
• 10 New Directions in Organization Theory (p. 325)
• The paradigm wars, revisited (p. 325)
• Critical realism (p. 328)
• Complexity theory (p. 330)
• Network theories of organizing (p. 332)
• Organizational identity (p. 335)
• The aesthetics of organizations and organizing (p. 338)
• Summary (p. 341)
• Key terms (p. 341)
• Endnotes (p. 341)
• References (p. 342)
• Further reading (p. 345)
• Index (p. 347)

Author notes provided by Syndetics

Mary Jo Hatch (PhD Stanford, 1985) is the C. Coleman McGehee Eminent Scholars Research Professor of Banking and Commerce at the McIntire School of Commerce, University of Virginia and Adjunct Professor, Copenhagen Business School, Denmark. Her research has been published in Harvard Business Review, California Management Review, Academy of Management Review, European Journal of Marketing, Human Relations, Journal of Management Inquiry, Strategic Organization, Administrative Science Quartely, Organization, Organization Science, and Organization Studies. She co-authored The Three Faces of Leadership (Blackwell) with M. Kostera and A. Kozminski. As well as Organization Theory, OUP has published The Expressive Organization (co-edited with M. Schultz and M. H. Larsen) and Organizational Identity (co-edited with M. Schultz). Ann Cunliffe (MPhil, PhD Lancaster) is Associate Professor in the Anderson Schools of Management at the University of New Mexico. Ann's research interests lie in exploring how managers shape organization culture, identities and action through everyday conversations; particularly examining the relationship between linguistic practices and collaborative, responsive and ethical ways of managing organizations. Ann has published in the Journal of Management Studies, Organization Studies, Administration and Society, and Management Learning, and was awarded the 2002 'Breaking the Frame Award' from the Journal of Management Inquiry for the article 'that best exemplifies a challenge to existing thought'. Ann is Associate Editor for Management Learning and the International Journal of Qualitative Research in Work and Organizations, and on the editorial board of Organization Studies and the Journal of Organizational Change Management.