Organization Theory and Beyond

Readings Part 1

Home
Contact Information
Course Syllabus
Readings Part 1
Study Questions Part 1
Readings Part 2
Study Questions Part 2
Readings Part 3
Study Questions Part 3
Readings Part 4
Study Questions Part 4
Supplemental Readings (pdf files)
Paper Assignment 1
Paper Assignment 2 and 3
Some useful links

 

THEORETICAL THINKING ABOUT ORGANIZATIONS

 

Session 1          Introduction 

- Review of course content and requirements

- Basic terms and concepts

-  Theories, paradigms and metaphors

"What makes everything in the Drowsy Wood so different from the rest of world?" he asked, tipping the jar upside down to watch the bugs fall from top to bottom like miniature shooting stars.

  "The question you should ask", said Anselm from somewhere in the grass to his left, "is what makes the rest of the world so different from the Drowsy Wood. The Drowsy Wood came first, after all".

  "What's the difference?" asked Ilien as he leveled the jar again, secretly desiring to open the lid and free its captives. "Either way it's the same".

  "It's not the same at all", said Anselm.

  "It is if it doesn't change the facts".

  "Why the fox eats the rabbit is a completely different question from why the rabbit gets eaten by the fox" said Anselm. "But as you know the facts are the same. The rabbit gets eaten. Point of view makes all the difference."

(From Cormier, S.  2003 Nomadin, Pine View Press, p. 207).

 

Session 2   Introduction Continued

Text, chapters 1 and 10

Select one or more of:

- Stjernholm, Anne. Management Metaphors- The beginning of “non-linear” leadership.  http://www.strategic-innovation.dk/Engelsk/E-metaph.html

- Lawley, James. Metaphors of Organisation, parts 1 and 2 http://www.cleanlanguage.co.uk/Metaphors-of-Orgs-1.html and http://www.cleanlanguage.co.uk/Metaphors-of-Orgs-2.html (also look at some of the other articles on metaphor listed on http://www.cleanlanguage.co.uk/ 

- Brown, Thomas Fiscal Fairy Tales http://www.thomaslbrown.com/FFT_screen-only.pdf

- Sociological Theory overview http://www.hewett.norfolk.sch.uk/curric/soc/theory.htm 

 

Recommended: Ghoshal, S. (2005). Bad management theories are destroying good management practices. Academy of Management Learning and Education, 4, 1, pp. 75-91. http://journals.aomonline.org/amle/AMLEVolume4Issue1pp75-91.pdf 

 

Sessuin 3  Introduction Concluded

Text, chapter 11

Quinn, S. We’re going to make you a star (pdf)

Recommended: Morgan, G. Paradigms, metaphors and puzzlesolving. Administrative Science Quarterly, 1980, 2, pp. 27-46. Find on Ebsco or use this link: http://www.stetson.edu/~bboozer/RWBStetsonSite/Paradigms_Metaphors_Puzzle.doc

Recommended: Morgan, G. and Smircich, L. (1980) The case for qualitative Research. Academy of Management Review, 5,4, 491-500 (on Ebsco)

Materials on storytelling including

http://cbae.nmsu.edu/~dboje/sto.html

http://cbae.nmsu.edu/~dboje/storytellingorg.html

http://cbae.nmsu.edu/~dboje/teaching/503/father_and_mother_links.html

http://www.astoriedcareer.com/ (interesting assortment of links on storytelling)

http://www.peaceaware.com/McD/papers/storytelling_survival_manual_boje_2005.htm