Types and Mappings in Organisational Studies

Abstract

This talk highlights some basic issues of type building. So called ‘ideal types’ are generated from empirical observation, while ‘normal types’ are generated through theory building. Maps usually have a sort of geographic dimension, i.e., distance measures are converted into figures on a paper. Mappings, on the other hand, project one set of data (very often ‘ideal types’) into another set of data, either ‘ideal types’ or ‘normal types’. Reflecting on the inclinations of generating types and/or drawing map-like presentations of organisational or social data, we have to deal with two major categories – types/typologies and maps/mappings – which can be further differentiated: ideal and normal types; graphic and epistemic mappings. Type building (also called ‘typification’) and mappings are creating illusions of simplicity through leaving out large part of available information and directing the focus of attention of a reader to a few most impressive features. Thus, in social theories typifications abound, and the various classes of management, organisation and cultural theories are no exceptions. This is not a self-standing scientific paper but rather a collection of dispersed information on type building (sometimes called typification) and mapping.