The Power of Organizations: A New Approach to Organizational Theory

Organizations are all around us, shaping social, economic, political, and cultural life. To understand our world, we must understand organizations. Heather Haveman's The Power of Organizations defines the features of organizations, examines how they operate, traces their rise over the course of a millennium, and explains how research on organizations has evolved. She offers constructive criticism of existing research and argues that organizational scholars can and should alter the impact that organizations have on society, particularly societal and global inequality, formal politics, and environmental degradation.

Format: Hardback
Length: 336 pages
Publication date: 13 December 2022
Publisher: Princeton University Press

Organizations are an integral part of our lives, shaping social, economic, political, and cultural aspects. They range from government agencies to multinational corporations, social-movement organizations, religious congregations, scientific bodies, sports teams, and more. These powerful entities hold immense influence over our world, influencing everything from manufacturing to drug synthesis and greenhouse gas reduction. Understanding organizations is crucial to comprehending our world.

The Power of Organizations, written by Heather Haveman, delves into the characteristics of organizations, explores their operational dynamics, traces their historical evolution over a millennium, and discusses the evolution of research on organizations. Haveman categorizes contemporary research on organizations into three general perspectives: demographic, relational, and cultural. She provides constructive criticism of existing research, suggesting ways to make it more engaging and influential. She also examines how existing theories can be applied to understand the impact of digital technologies on organizations and advocates for organizational scholars to play a role in shaping the societal and global consequences of organizations, particularly in addressing issues such as inequality, formal politics, and environmental degradation.

The book highlights the benefits and risks associated with organizations, recognizing their profound influence on modern society. It serves as a valuable resource for scholars, researchers, and practitioners interested in understanding the complexities of organizations and their impact on our world.

Dimension: 235 x 156 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780691238043