Theories of Macro-Organizational Behavior: A Handbook of Ideas and Explanations : A Handbook of Ideas and Explanations

This book provides a comprehensive summary of the major theories meant to explain the way business and other organizations work, why they look and act as they do, and what makes some succeed and others fail. Among the many different approaches to the subject, no one school of thought accurately reflects current thinking on these issues. The author presents a much-needed overview of thirty of the major theories that underpin Organization Theory and Economic Organization. Each theory is summarized in a stand-alone fashion, allowing each chapter to be used either in complement or as a separate perspective. Integration of the various topics and perspectives is accomplished within section introductions and in the overall introduction and conclusion to the text. The goal of this book is to inform students of the main issues confronting organizations, the main theoretical ideas within the different paradigms, why it is important to theorize about organizations, how these theories are constructed, and how learning is improved by scanning multiple perspectives. It can be used as a stand-alone course text or supplementary text for advanced undergraduate or graduate courses in Organization Theory. Contents......Page 5 Acknowledgments......Page 7 1 Introduction......Page 11 Overview of the Book......Page 12 How Exposure to the Concepts of Organization Theory Can Benefit Practitioners......Page 16 2 A Primer on Organization Theory......Page 18 Part I Functional Economic Theories of the Firm......Page 23 3 Neoclassical Economics Perspective......Page 27 4 Chicago School Perspective......Page 30 5 Bain-Mason Perspective......Page 34 6 Transaction Cost Perspective......Page 37 7 Network Perspective......Page 41 8 Agency Theory Perspective......Page 49 9 Stakeholder Perspective......Page 53 10 Resource-Based Theory Perspective......Page 58 11 Behavioral Perspective......Page 62 12 Game Theory Perspective......Page 67 13 Property Rights Perspective......Page 72 14 Knowledge Perspective......Page 77 15 Evolutionary Perspective......Page 81 16 Natural Environment Perspective......Page 85 Part II Functional Organization Theories......Page 91 17 Bureaucracy Perspective......Page 93 18 Contingency Perspective......Page 97 19 Strategic Choice Perspective......Page 101 20 Resource Dependence Perspective......Page 106 21 Population Ecology Perspective......Page 110 22 Institutional Perspective......Page 115 23 Chaos Perspective......Page 119 Part III Interpretive and Social Constructionist Perspectives......Page 125 24 Symbolic Interactionism Perspective......Page 127 25 Dramaturgical Perspective......Page 132 26 Metaphorical Perspective......Page 137 27 Sensemaking Perspective......Page 142 28 Organizational Rules Perspective......Page 148 29 Culture Perspective......Page 155 Part IV Radical Humanist and Structuralist Perspectives......Page 161 30 Configuration Perspective......Page 165 31 Postmodern Perspective......Page 171 32 Critical Theory Perspective......Page 178 33 Marxist Perspective......Page 184 34 Poststructuralist Feminism Perspective......Page 188 35 Conclusion......Page 194 References......Page 197 Recommended Readings......Page 223 About the Contributors......Page 227 Index......Page 229 Contents 5 Acknowledgments 7 1 Introduction 11 About Organization Theory 12 Overview of the Book 12 How Exposure to the Concepts of Organization Theory Can Benefit Practitioners 16 2 A Primer on Organization Theory 18 Part I Functional Economic Theories of the Firm 23 3 Neoclassical Economics Perspective 27 4 Chicago School Perspective 30 5 Bain-Mason Perspective 34 6 Transaction Cost Perspective 37 7 Network Perspective 41 8 Agency Theory Perspective 49 9 Stakeholder Perspective 53 10 Resource-Based Theory Perspective 58 11 Behavioral Perspective 62 12 Game Theory Perspective 67 13 Property Rights Perspective 72 14 Knowledge Perspective 77 15 Evolutionary Perspective 81 16 Natural Environment Perspective 85 Part II Functional Organization Theories 91 17 Bureaucracy Perspective 93 18 Contingency Perspective 97 19 Strategic Choice Perspective 101 20 Resource Dependence Perspective 106 21 Population Ecology Perspective 110 22 Institutional Perspective 115 23 Chaos Perspective 119 Part III Interpretive and Social Constructionist Perspectives 125 24 Symbolic Interactionism Perspective 127 25 Dramaturgical Perspective 132 26 Metaphorical Perspective 137 27 Sensemaking Perspective 142 28 Organizational Rules Perspective 148 29 Culture Perspective 155 Part IV Radical Humanist and Structuralist Perspectives 161 30 Configuration Perspective 165 31 Postmodern Perspective 171 32 Critical Theory Perspective 178 33 Marxist Perspective 184 34 Poststructuralist Feminism Perspective 188 35 Conclusion 194 References 197 Recommended Readings 223 About the Author and Contributors 227 About the Principal Author 227 About the Contributors 227 Index 229 This book provides a comprehensive summary of the major theories meant to explain the way business and other organizations work, why they look and act as they do, and what makes some succeed and others fail. Among the many different approaches to the subject, no one school of thought accurately reflects current thinking on these issues. The author presents a much-needed overview of thirty of the major theories that underpin Organization Theory and Economic Organization. Each theory is summarized in a stand-alone fashion, allowing each chapter to be used either in complement or as a separate perspective. Integration of the various topics and perspectives is accomplished within section introductions and in the overall introduction and conclusion to the text. The goal of this book is to inform students of the main issues confronting organizations, the main theoretical ideas within the different paradigms, why it is important to theorize about organizations, how these theories are constructed, and how learning is improved by scanning multiple perspectives. It can be used as a stand-alone uourse text or supplementary text for advanced undergraduate or graduate courses in Organization Theory. Annotation "This book presents a comprehensive summary of the major theories meant to explain the way business and other organizations work, why they look and act as they do, and what makes some succeed and others fail. Among the many different approaches to the subject, no one school of thought accurately reflects current thinking on these issues. The author provides a much needed overview of thirty of the major theories that underpin Organization Theory and Economic Organization. Each theory is summarized in a stand-alone fashion, allowing each chapter to be used either in complement or as a separate perspective. Integration of the various topics and perspectives is accomplished within section introductions and in the overall introduction and conclusion to the text." In a primer on organization theory, principal author Vibert (business strategy, Acadia U., Wolfville, Nova Scotia) overviews four paradigms for treating large-scale organized behavior: functionalist, interpretative and social constructionist, symbolic interactionism, and radical humanist and structuralist (including Marxist and poststructuralist feminist views). Following an introduction to functional economic theories (e.g., neoclassical, stakeholder, and metaphorical perspectives), the contributors explore these diverse conceptual lenses and their import for practice and social innovation in the private and public sectors. Annotation ©2004 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR This text presents a comprehensive summary of thte major theories meant to explain the way business and other organizations work, why they look and act as they do and what makes some succeed and others fail This work provides a comprehensive summary of the major theories meant to explain the way business and other organizations work, why they look and act as they do and what makes some succeed and others fail.