Summary
Contents
Subject index
Awards:
RUSA Notable Business Sources 2014
From agency theory to power and politics, this indispensable guide to the key concepts of organization theory is your compass as you navigate through the often complex and abstract theories about the design and functioning of organizations. Designed to complement and elucidate your textbook or reading list, as well as introduce you to concepts that some courses neglect, this historical and interdisciplinary A-Z account of the field: Helps you understand the basics of organization theory; Allows you to check your understanding of specific concepts; Fills in any gaps left by your course reading, and; Is a powerful revision tool
Each entry is consistently structured, providing a definition of the concept and why it's important to theory and practice, followed by a summary of current debates and a list of further reading. This companion will provide you with the nuts and bolts of an understanding that will serve you not just in your organization studies course, but throughout your degree and beyond.
Key concepts include: agency theory; business strategy; corporate governance; decision making; environmental uncertainty; globalization; industrial democracy; organizational change; stakeholder theory; storytelling and narrative research; technology and organization structure.
Power and Politics
Power and Politics
Power: ‘A has power over B to the extent that he can get B to do something that B would not do otherwise’ (Dahl, 1957: 203).
Origins
Max Weber's (1978) discussion of domination begins with its definition as:
the probability that certain specific commands (or all commands) will be obeyed by a given group of persons. It thus does not include every mode of exercising ‘power’ or ‘influence’ over other persons. […] Hence every genuine form of domination implies a minimum of voluntary compliance, that is, an interest (based on ulterior motives or genuine acceptance) in obedience. (pp. 212, 214; italics in original)
Domination within an organization is achieved when persons with little or no power willingly accept the work lives prescribed for them ...
- Loading...