Organization Theory
,Content
Session 1: What is organization theory?
Session 2: Modernist organization theory 1: early modernist organization principles
Session 3: Modernist organization theory 2: systems theory and contingency theory
Session 4: Neo-modernist organization theory 1: human relation and culture
Session 5: Neo-modernist organization theory 2: riding the new wave
Session 6: Post-modernist organizations 1: new organizational forms
Session 7: Post-modernist organizations 2: network organization and the plarform
economy
Session 8: Reflective organization theory
Session 9: Critical organization theory
Session 10: Conclusion and Wrap-Up
,Lecture 1: Organization Theory
Epistemology: how you see the world and how you think the world can be explained is a
epistemology where you believe in.
I. What is an organization?
Every organization has:
- An organizational environment
- Organization goals
- Members and/or stakeholders
- An organizational structure
Organizations are corporative actors. They make decisions together, share resources, have
the same goals and behavior.
POSDCORB
What management has to do to run an effective organization:
Levels of organizations
Micro – Individual – Psychology studies.
Meso – Unit, Organization, Group – Business Administration.
Macro – Politico-administrative regime, institutional roles – Political Sciences, Economics.
, II. What is a theory?
A (casual) relationship between concepts
- What they are (Which concepts are related)
- How they look (Direction of influence, strength or influence)
- Why they are (What is the theoretical explanation of the relationship)
- Where and when (Under which circumstances are they applicable)
Specialization of tasks in an organization in different units (division of labor) -> higher
efficiency
- Positive influence (the more specialization, the higher efficiency)
- Economy of scale: As labor is divided amongst workers, workers are able to focus on a
few or even one task. The more they focus on one task, the more efficient they
become at this task.
- Only up to a certain exist.
All theory has boundaries, no grand theories -> all just spot parts of reality. No theory can
explain the whole world.
Why would you want to learn concepts and theories?
- Intrinsic value:
o Understanding the world, making sense of the world.
- Instrumental value:
o Analyzing, evaluating organizations, predicting, making decisions, acting and
communication.
,Content
Session 1: What is organization theory?
Session 2: Modernist organization theory 1: early modernist organization principles
Session 3: Modernist organization theory 2: systems theory and contingency theory
Session 4: Neo-modernist organization theory 1: human relation and culture
Session 5: Neo-modernist organization theory 2: riding the new wave
Session 6: Post-modernist organizations 1: new organizational forms
Session 7: Post-modernist organizations 2: network organization and the plarform
economy
Session 8: Reflective organization theory
Session 9: Critical organization theory
Session 10: Conclusion and Wrap-Up
,Lecture 1: Organization Theory
Epistemology: how you see the world and how you think the world can be explained is a
epistemology where you believe in.
I. What is an organization?
Every organization has:
- An organizational environment
- Organization goals
- Members and/or stakeholders
- An organizational structure
Organizations are corporative actors. They make decisions together, share resources, have
the same goals and behavior.
POSDCORB
What management has to do to run an effective organization:
Levels of organizations
Micro – Individual – Psychology studies.
Meso – Unit, Organization, Group – Business Administration.
Macro – Politico-administrative regime, institutional roles – Political Sciences, Economics.
, II. What is a theory?
A (casual) relationship between concepts
- What they are (Which concepts are related)
- How they look (Direction of influence, strength or influence)
- Why they are (What is the theoretical explanation of the relationship)
- Where and when (Under which circumstances are they applicable)
Specialization of tasks in an organization in different units (division of labor) -> higher
efficiency
- Positive influence (the more specialization, the higher efficiency)
- Economy of scale: As labor is divided amongst workers, workers are able to focus on a
few or even one task. The more they focus on one task, the more efficient they
become at this task.
- Only up to a certain exist.
All theory has boundaries, no grand theories -> all just spot parts of reality. No theory can
explain the whole world.
Why would you want to learn concepts and theories?
- Intrinsic value:
o Understanding the world, making sense of the world.
- Instrumental value:
o Analyzing, evaluating organizations, predicting, making decisions, acting and
communication.
