Showing papers by "Lex Donaldson published in 1985"

In defence of organization theory : a reply to the critics

Abstract: This book provides a concise, clear survey and defence of organizational theory. That theory and its associated research has in recent years become subject to strong criticism. Rival perspectives on organizations have been put forward. One of these stresses that organizations need to be understood as made up of individual people. Another asserts the need to see organizations as part of the conflicts and radical struggles in society. These alternative views have led to a host of critiques of conventional organization studies. It is attacked as being tautological, philosophically naive, ideological, and managerially biased. To date there has been no substantial reply to these criticisms by a protagonist of organization theory. This volume uniquely fills that gap. In part one the author examines and rebuts each of the major lines of criticism. In part two the rival approaches suggested by the critics are themselves subjected to an analysis of their limitations. The book concludes with a new model of organizational design which provides a synthesis of previous research.

Organization design and the life‐cycles of products [1]

Abstract: This paper presents a model which elaborates the relationship between organization design and the product life-cycle. Consideration is given to the structural implications of corporations which have multiple products at differing phases in their life-cycles. This involves a theoretical synthesis of work on P.L.C. with that on degree of product diversification.

Entrepreneurship Applied to Middle Management: A Caution:

Abstract: The entrepreneur, and entrepreneurship are popular concepts in discussions of business. The entrepreneur, a figure full of energy and drive, seizing opportunities to build up a successful business out of scratch, is widely seen as a prime mover in our economy [1]. The entrepreneurial set-up, usually featured as an arrangement which leaves the entrepreneur with a great deal of autonomy, is one which attracts many managers. It seems to offer a viable alternative to the complexities and compromises of life in bureaucratic organizations [2]. The argument that business should strive to preserve or restore entrepreneurial features is a persuasive one. This article reports a study in one company which saw itself as encouraging entrepreneurship at middle management levels. Since there is currently some concern amongst a number of firms to examine how far they are entrepreneurial, a consideration of this case may be of general interest. A discussion of this case, together with other research, leads to the questioning of entrepreneurship as a useful concept when applied to ranks below the owner-top managers. Entrepreneurship is an attractive idea but it is no substitute for an analysis of a company in the richer framework of strategy and structure.