Organizational Theory Concepts Research Articles

Organizations as Artificial Intelligences: The Use of Artificial Intelligence Analogies in Organization Theory

A rarely acknowledged fact about organization theory (OT) is that many of its ideas stem from the field of artificial intelligence (AI). For example, key OT concepts such as problemistic search, he...

Identifying integration and differentiation in a Hospital\u2019s logistical system: a social network analysis of a case study

BackgroundIntegration, the coordination and alignment of tasks, has been promoted widely in order to improve the performance of hospitals. Both organization theory and social network analysis offer perspectives on integration. This exploratory study research aims to understand how a hospital’s logistical system works, and in particular to what extent there is integration and differentiation. More specifically, it first describes how a hospital organizes logistical processes; second, it identifies the agents and the interactions for organizing logistical processes, and, third, it establishes the extent to which tasks are segmented into subsystems, which is referred to as differentiation, and whether these tasks are coordinated and aligned, thus achieving integration.MethodsThe study is based on case study research carried out in a hospital in the Netherlands. All logistical tasks that are executed for surgery patients were studied. Using a mixed method, data were collected from the Hospital Information System (HIS), documentation, observations and interviews. These data were used to perform a social network analysis and calculate the network metrics of the hospital network.ResultsThis paper shows that 23 tasks are executed by 635 different agents who interact through 31,499 interaction links. The social network of the hospital demonstrates both integration and differentiation. The network appears to function differently from what is assumed in literature, as the network does not reflect the formal organizational structure of the hospital, and tasks are mainly executed across functional silos. Nurses and physicians perform integrative tasks and two agents who mainly coordinate the tasks in the network, have no hierarchical position towards other agents. The HIS does not seem to fulfill the interactional needs of agents.ConclusionsThis exploratory study reveals the network structure of a hospital. The cross-functional collaboration, the integration found, and position of managers, coordinators, nurses and doctors suggests a possible gap between organizational perspectives on hospitals and reality. This research sets a basis for further research that should focus on the relation between network structure and performance, on how integration is achieved and in what way organization theory concepts and social network analysis could be used in conjunction with one another.

Organization and membership: Introduction to the Special Issue

AbstractMembership is one of the most important concepts in organization theory, and has been mostly taken for granted for decades. Recent works have shattered the existing paradigm of membership, and several scholars have come up with new ways to understand the relationship between organizations and the people ‘belonging' to them. This debate has been crucially inspired by Niklas Luhmann's modern systems theory – however, so far mostly without developing modern systems theory itself. With this Special Issue on “Organization and Membership,” we want to carry the discussion back to its muse. This Special Issue presents works that specifically advance the membership notion of modern systems theory – and, hence, offer new inspirational impulses for the whole field of organization studies. In this introduction, we briefly present Luhmann's works on membership and provide an overview of the research articles featured in this Special Issue.

Diversity and Multiculturalism in Postmodern Educational Organizations that Positively Impact the Cambodian American Students' Formal Education in the United States

Diversity and Multiculturalism are postmodern concepts in organizational theory that are no longer a myth but a reality in our current globalized economy (Obiakor, 1992, p. 2). Multicultural education as a postmodern open system has been an effective tool in addressing the critical issues affecting the formal education of the naturalized and non-naturalized Cambodian American students in the United States. To understand and grasp multicultural education in this perspective, I define and explicate multicultural education as an open system that naturally affects the Cambodian American students' learning styles and social interconnectedness in the focus school environment. Relatively, I highlight the cultural and social capitals that the Cambodian American students bring with them in the learning environment as significant sources of the rich energy input in the multicultural education classroom. Additionally, I rationalize the incorporation of such capitals in the design and implementation of the multicultural education curriculum and instruction specifically intended for this student population.

Problems in the Organization of Organization Theory: An Essay in Honour of Todd LaPorte

This essay examines a peculiar problem in organization theory – its failure to achieve useful research‐based prescriptions for organizational design and practice in the face of challenges posed by new technology and evolving social problems. It is argued that an important part of this problem in organization theory is the under‐specification of its major concepts. Three under‐specified concepts in particular are examined – complexity, interdependence and scale. The analysis of these concepts is undertaken in the context of Todd LaPorte's work to promote, through well‐posed questions, clearer and more specific formulations of these and other concepts as independent variables in organizational analysis. The essay concludes with suggestions for continuing the specification of major concepts in organization theory in ways inspired by LaPorte.

Contingency theory of capacity planning: The link between process types and planning methods

Although the reliability of production plans is crucial for the performance of manufacturing organizations, most practitioners use considerably simpler planning methods than what is recommended in the operations management literature. This article employs the contingency theory of organizations to explain the gap between the practice and the academic models of production planning. Arguments on the contingency effects of process complexity lead to a hypothesis that expects simple capacity planning methods to be most effective in certain production processes. A strong inference research setting is used to test the contingency hypothesis against a conventional hypothesis that expects the most sophisticated planning techniques to always be most effective. Multisource data from the machinery manufacturing industry support the contingency hypothesis and reject the universalistic hypothesis. The findings are explained using the concepts of task interdependence and bounded rationality. The results have several managerial implications, and they elaborate how classic concepts in organization theory can bring practically relevant insights to operations management research.

System of systems lead system integrators: Where Do they spend their time and what makes them more or less efficient?

AbstractAs organizations strive to expand system capabilities through the development of system‐of‐systems (SoS) architectures, they want to know “how much effort” and “how long.” In order to answer these questions, it is important to first understand the types of activities performed in SoS architecture development and integration and how these vary across different SoS implementations. This paper provides preliminary results of research conducted to determine types of SoS Lead System Integrator (LSI) activities and how these differ from the more traditional system engineering activities described in EIA 632 (Processes for Engineering a System). It also looks at concepts in organizational theory, complex adaptive systems, and chaos theory and how these might be applied to SoS LSI activities to improve success rates and efficiency in the development of these “very large” complex systems. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Syst Eng

Análise crítica em organizações sociais: apropriando teoria e prática de seus componentes estruturais e culturais

As organizações sociais encontram-se em expansão e em reconhecimento por parte do governo e da sociedade, mas ainda carecem de estudos acadêmicos a partir das práticas da sua dinâmica organizacional. O propósito deste artigo é analisar as particularidades da gestão das ONGs no que concerne aos aspectos culturais e estruturais, identificando se os elementos encontrados se apresentam de forma congruente com o que se espera de uma ONG. Dessa forma, busca contribuir para a análise crítica à transposição inapropriada de conceitos da teoria organizacional tradicional para a gestão das ONGs e, também, para o delineamento de um arcabouço teórico específico para a compreensão dessas organizações, considerando a realidade nacional. A pesquisa foi conduzida em 10 ONGs, com abordagem predominantemente qualitativa. Os dados foram coletados através de entrevistas com os fundadores e/ou principais dirigentes das ONGs. Os resultados confirmam as particularidades identificadas em estudos anteriores e avança à medida que faz uma análise crítica e revela congruências com relação à cultura e incongruências referentes à estrutura social, principalmente, quando da utilização acrítica de instrumentos das organizações tradicionais.

Power and the Changing Environment

The exercise presented integrates the basic power model and environmental change drivers. The exercise incorporates an innovative teaching approach to demonstrate how power is gained and lost as the organization’s environment changes. In addition to developing students’ interpersonal group skills and reinforcing the theories of power and change, the exercise bridges the organizational behavior and organizational theory concepts of power and the changing environment. This article provides a brief summary of the power model, a brief review of the four environmental change drivers, instructions for facilitating and processing the exercise, and a classroom handout.

Organizational Theory in Library and Information Science Education

The A. evaluates the literature that has been traditionally used in LIS management and administration course, analyses developments in organizational theory that may be applicable to LIS, and reconceptualizes the overall approach of these courses. It concludes that the existing framework has followed the general outline of the classical management school's functions of management approach and that the LIS curricula should incorporate some of the more contemporary concepts in organizational theory

Exploring Social Institutions Through the Films of Frederick Wiseman

Using film in the management classroom is a pedagogical technique that has been broadly employed to illustrate, for example, leadership, power, and influence tactics. The approach has the ability to provide stimuli to encourage observational learning by capturing the attention of students. The authors have developed an entire course on social institutions using the documentary films of noted cinematographer Frederick Wiseman to teach organizational theory concepts. The discussion focuses on the structure of the course, including course logistics and assignments. Whereas the course provides students with a foundation for understanding organizational principles and diagnosing organizational problems, the assignments provide opportunities to build critical thinking and oral and written communication skills.

`It's Working Beautifully!' Philosophical Reflections on Aesthetics and Organization Theory

This paper is in two parts. Part I discusses three issues pertaining to the introduction and development of philosophical aesthetics for organization theory. First, aesthetic concepts are shown to be apposite in form to concepts in organization theory. Second, two senses are distinguished in which aesthetic concepts might provide insight into issues in organization theory. Third, several questions are discussed pertaining to the effects of doctrinal accuracy on the application of aesthetics to organization theory. Part II illustrates the potential applicability of aesthetics by outlining the position on the nature of beauty developed by Immanuel Kant in the Critique of Judgment. This position is briefly sketched and then applied to selected problems and issues in organization theory.

The Paramilitary Police Model: An Organizational Misfit

This paper uses the control system perspective developed by Ouchi (1977, 1979) and other organization theory concepts to theoretically analyze the paramilitary model used by police organizations. The paramilitary model is viewed as a form of bureaucratic organization that is inappropriate or a misfit for the policing function. Criticisms are offered regarding its failure to (I) consider important dimensions of organizational behavior and rationality, and (2) explicitly recognize the uncertainty inherent in police goals, environment, and technology. An alternative is offered that proposes (I) eliminating the paramilitary ideology, (2) increasing professionalization of the occupation of policing, and (3) utilizing professional bureaucracy and adhocracy organizational designs.

Toward a Comprehensive Framework for MIS Research

A comprehensive framework for Management Information Systems (MIS) that attempts to define the domain of MIS research is proposed. The framework draws extensively from existing MIS frameworks and organizational theory concepts and definitions. Validation of the framework is accomplished by categorizing a cross-section of MIS literature within the framework.

Some Current Concepts in Organization Theory.

The article discusses some current concepts in organization theory. The selected topics for discussion include concepts relating to the span of control, decentralization, organization planning units, and control theory. The author advocates a greater integration of human relations concepts with present organization theory. Some business enterprises are presented as examples of the effective integration of applicable conceptual aspects of control theory. A reappraisal of decentralization in management is also considered.