Showing papers in "Administrative Science Quarterly in 1984"
3,530Â citations
TL;DR: Gladstein et al. as discussed by the authors tested a comprehensive model of group effectiveness with 100 sales teams in the communications industry, and found that traditional theories do not match the implicit theories of team members.
Abstract: Deborah L. Gladstein This study tests a comprehensive model of group effectiveness with 100 sales teams in the communications industry. Results indicate that traditional theories of group effectiveness match the implicit theories of team members. These theories account for 90 percent of the variance in team satisfaction and self-reported effectiveness but none of the variance in the teams' sales performance. The findings suggest that theories of group effectiveness need to be revised to include the way in which teams manage interactions across their boundary and the impact of the organizational context.
1,850Â citations
TL;DR: Damanpour and William M. Evan as mentioned in this paper applied the organizational lag model to study the impact of adoption of types of innovation on organizational performance and found that libraries adopt technical innovations at a faster rate than administrative innovations.
Abstract: Fariborz Damanpour and William M. Evan The organizational lag model, which postulates that a discrepancy exists between the rates of adoption of technical and administrative innovations, is applied to study the -impact of adoption of types of innovation on organizational performance. Four hypotheses were derived from this -model and were tested in a sample of 85 public libraries. It was found that: (1) libraries adopt technical innovations at a faster rate than administrative innovations; (2) administrative and technical innovations have a higher correlation in high-performance organizations than in low-performance organizations; (3) the degree of organizational lag is inversely related to organizational performance; and (4) the adoption of administrative innovations tends to triggerthe adoption of technical innovations more readily than the reverse.,
1,692Â citations
TL;DR: Brass et al. as mentioned in this paper examined the relationships between structural positions and influence at the individual level of analysis and found that the relative positions of employees within workflow, communication, and friendship networks were strongly related to perceptions of influence by both supervisors and nonsupervisors and to promotions to the supervisory level.
Abstract: Daniel J. Brass This research examined the relationships between structural positions and influence at the individual level of analysis. The structure of the organization was conceptualized from a social network perspective. Measures of the relative positions of employees within workflow, communication, and friendship networks were strongly related to perceptions of influence by both supervisors and nonsupervisors and to promotions to the supervisory level. Measures included criticality, transaction alternatives, and centrality (access and control) in the networks and in such reference groups as the dominant coalition. A comparison of boundary-spanning and technical-core personnel indicated that contacts beyond the normal work requirements are particularly important for technical core personnel to acquire influence. Overall, the results provide support for a structural perspective on intraorganizational influence.
1,501Â citations
TL;DR: In this paper, Walker et al. focused on make-or-buy decisions as a paradigmatic problem for analyzing transaction costs and hypothesized that the decisions were predicted by both buyer production experience and the comparative production costs between buyer and supplier.
Abstract: Gordon Walker and David Weber This study focuses on make-or-buy decisions as a paradigmatic problem for analyzing transaction costs. Hypotheses developed from Williamson's efficient boundaries framework were tested in a multiple-indicator structural equation model. The influence of transaction costs on decisions to make or buy components was assessed indirectly through the effects of supplier market competition and two types of uncertainty, volume and technological. In addition to transaction costs, the decisions were hypothesized to be predicted by both buyer production experience and the comparative production costs between buyer and supplier. The hypotheses were tested on a sample of make-or-buy decisions made in a division of a U.S. automobile company. The results show that comparative production costs are the strongest predictor of makeor-buy decisions and that both volume uncertainty and supplier market competition have small but significant effects. The findings are explained in terms of the complexity of the components and the potential pattern of communication and influence among managers responsible for making the decisions.*
1,106Â citations
TL;DR: Bartunek as mentioned in this paper reported a case study of a religious order whose shared interpretive schemes (the schemata that map its experience of the world), especially its understanding of its mission, were being substantially changed.
Abstract: Jean M. Bartunek This paper reports a case study of a religious order whose shared interpretive schemes (the schemata that map its experience of the world), especially its understanding of its mission, were being substantially changed. During thistime the order underwent a major revision in structure. On the basis of the case, the paper explores ways interpretive schemes undergo fundamental change and ways these changes are linked to restructuring. The paper proposes that major changes in interpretive schemes occur through dialectical processes in which old and new ways of understanding interact, resulting in a synthesis. The process of change in interpretive schemes is in a reciprocal relationship with changes in structure. This relationship is not direct, but rather is mediated by the actions of organizational members and their emotional reactions to change. Environmental forces are likely to initiate the change, but the way the environment is interpreted by organizational members affects the type of change that takes place. Similarly, the way the organization's leadership initiates or responds to alternate interpretive schemes limits the type of change in understanding that can occur.
1,015Â citations
TL;DR: Nigel Nicholson as mentioned in this paper presents a new theory of work role transitions, linking personal and organizational adjustment outcomes with the characteristics of the person, the role, and the organization, and a conceptual framework for analyzing modes of adjustment to transition is presented.
Abstract: Nigel Nicholson This paper presents a new theory of work role transitions, linking personal and organizational adjustment outcomes with the characteristics of the person, the role, and the organization. The need for theory is argued in a brief overview of the field, and a conceptual framework for analyzing modes of adjustment to transition is presented. The main body of the theory for predicting adjustment modes is set out, and the implications and predictions of the theory for changing patterns of adjustment over work histories and lifetime careers are discussed.
909Â citations
TL;DR: Wagner et al. as mentioned in this paper examined turnover from 1976 to 1980 for 599 top-management group members in a sample of 31 Fortune 500 companies and found that managers who were older, were in firms that performed worse, and were more dissimilar in terms of age were more likely to turn over.
Abstract: W. Gary Wagner, Jeffrey Pfeffer, and Charles A. O'Reilly, Ill This study examines turnoverfrom 1976 to 1980 for 599 top-management group members in a sample of 31 Fortune 500 companies. A measure of demographic distance was defined on the basis of both age and date-of-entry similarity. The proportion of the top-management group turning over was inversely related to the firm's financial performance and positively related to the coefficient of variation of the distance among managers. At the individual level of analysis, managers who were older, were in firms that performed worse, and were more dissimilar in terms of age were more likely to turn over. The results suggest that it may be possible both to predict and manage turnover by considering the compositional characteristics of groups.
818Â citations
TL;DR: Salancik and Meindl as mentioned in this paper examined the reasons given by CEOs to explain their firms' performance in annual stockholder reports over an 18-year period, comparing firms with stable and unstable performance.
Abstract: Gerald R Salancik and James R Meindl This paper examines the reasons given by CEOs to explain their firms' performance in annual stockholder reports over an 18-year period, comparing firms with stable and unstable performance We argue that the managements of unstable firms, lacking real control over organizational outcomes, strategically manipulate causal attributions to manage impressions of their control As evidence of this, these managements claim responsibility for both positive and negative outcomes more than do the managements of firms with stable performance, and, contrary to psychological theories, seem reluctant to attribute poor performance to uncontrollable environmental events When environmental effects are cited, they are coupled with announcements of executive changes, thus implying to readers that management is taking steps to wrestle with its unruly environment Evidence also indicates that these attributional strategies resulted in better future performance for the firms employing them
663Â citations
594Â citations
TL;DR: A model is developed based on the concept of an evolutionarily stable strategy in the context of the Prisoner's Dilemma game to show how cooperation based on reciprocity can get started in an asocial world, can thrive while interacting with a wide range of other strategies, and can resist invasion once fully established.
TL;DR: Most decision processes were found to be solution centered, which seemed to restrict innovation, limit the number of alternatives considered, and perpetuate the use of questionable tactics.
Abstract: Seventy-eight case studies of decision making were profiled to identify the nature of the process. Analysis revealed evaluative, historical model, off-the-shelf, search, and nova process types. These processes differ in their approach to idea generation, the guarantors applied, and process-management rationale. Variations in each type are described to lay out the distinctions between the processes. The study found that managers do not use the normative methods prescribed by scholars for good decision making. Most decision processes were found to be solution centered, which seemed to restrict innovation, limit the number of alternatives considered, and perpetuate the use of questionable tactics.
TL;DR: A theory was developed on the creation, growth, and decline of relationships among organizations and was tested, using a longitudinal study of 95 dyadic relationships among child care and health organizations in Texas, showing that substantial revision of the model was required to explain the data adequately.
Abstract: : A theory was developed on the creation, growth, and decline of relationships among organizations and was tested, using a longitudinal study of 95 dyadic relationships among child care and health organizations in Texas. Using LISREL V, the test of the theory showed that substantial revision of the model was required to adequately explain the data. When the model was revised, important new patterns were revealed in the development of interorganizational relationships over time: (1) Perceptions of dependence on others for resources spurs the development of interorganizational relationships. Resource dependence is a powerful direct determinant of communications, resource transactions, and consensus; (2) The growth of interorganizational relationships is fostered by frequent communications to formalize the relationship and build consensus about the terms of the relationship among the parties involved; (3) Monetary transactions and client referrals entail different patterns of coordination; and (4) Consensus among parties in an interorganizational relationship is both a positive outcome of initial resource dependence and communications and has a negative influence on subsequent perceptions of resource dependence. Keywords include: Interorganizational Relations, Interorganizational Coordination.
TL;DR: Pfeffer and Cohen as mentioned in this paper found that the extent to which internal labor market arrangements were present was positively related to the provision of training, to being in the industrial core, to having a personnel department, and to being a branch unit.
Abstract: Jeffrey Pfeffer and Yinon Cohen Data from a sample of about 300 large establishments in the San Francisco Bay area were used to study internal labor markets. The extent to which internal labor market arrangements were present was positively related to the provision of training, to being in the industrial core, to having a personnel department, and to being a branch unit. Internal labor market arrangements were negatively related to the percentage of the work force covered by collective bargaining. Once other factors were controlled, there was no effect of change in size on internal labor market practices. A similar pattern of results was observed when manufacturing and nonmanufacturing establishments were analyzed separately, although the effects of size, training, and having a personnel department were stronger in nonmanufacturing organizations. The evidence suggests that organizational variables as well as economic considerations should be incorporated in explanations of the presence of internal labor markets.e
TL;DR: Carroll et al. as mentioned in this paper explored the effects of succession of the publisher in local newspaper organizations and found that the rates of death of newspaper organizations increase following succession of a publisher.
Abstract: Glenn R. Carroll This paper explores the effects of succession of the publisher in local newspaper organizations. Unlike much previous research, the analysis simultaneously took into account: (1) the organizational context of the succession event; (2) the timing of succession relative to the organizational life cycle; and (3) the type of transfer undertaken in control structures. Thefindings showthatthe rates of death of newspaper organizations increase following succession of the founder. This finding holds for all types of founder control structures and forms of newspaper organizations. The analysis also shows some weak evidence that succession has its greatest impact when the transfer of control occurs from and between organizations controlled by individuals.
TL;DR: Harrison and March as mentioned in this paper examined a systematic bias in the distribution of postdecision surprises attributable to the structure of intelligent choice itself and showed that unbiased, random errors in estimation result in a structural tendency toward post-decision disappointment, which is most characteristic of decision situations in which variation among the true values of alternatives is relatively small, the ambiguity or uncertainty in evaluation is relatively high, and the number of alternatives considered is relatively large.
Abstract: J. Richard Harrison and James G. March Most ideas of intelligent choice assume that decision making involves estimating the probable future values of currently available alternatives and choosing the best of them. Sometimes chosen alternatives turn out to be better than anticipated; sometimes they turn out to be worse. The difference between the predecision estimated value of a chosen alternative and its postdecision value, determined after some of its consequences have been experienced, can be defined as postdecision surprise. This paper examines a systematic bias in the distribution of postdecision surprises attributable to the structure of intelligent choice itself. It is shown that unbiased, random errors in estimation result in a structural tendency toward postdecision disappointment, which will be most characteristic of decision situations in which variation among the true values of alternatives is relatively small, the ambiguity or uncertainty in evaluation is relatively high, and the number of alternatives considered is relatively large. The decision dilemma is clear. Choosing apparently better alternatives will, on average, produce higher returns; however, in the absence of behavioral adjustments, higher expected benefits will be associated with greater expected disappointments. The effects are illustrated with results computed for the special case of normally distributed values and errors. Some implications are suggested for understanding postdecision surprise and the development of social norms of intelligent choice in individuals and organizations.*
TL;DR: In this paper, Ornstein examined the relative importance of interlocking for the more than 5,000 interlocks among the largest Canadian corporations from 1946 to 1977 and found that approximately half the interlocking directorates reflected corporate imperatives and half reflected class solidarity.
Abstract: Michael Ornstein Interlocking directorates serve both individual corporations and the class that owns those large corporations. For the corporations, interlocks serve as a means of communication and control; forthe capitalist class, interlocks serve as a means of political and ideological coordination. This paper examines the relative importance of these two distinct, but notcontradictoryfunctions of interlocking forthe morethan 5,000 interlocks among the largest Canadian corporations from 1946 to 1977. Using the reconstitution of interlocks broken by the retirement of directors as a criterion, approximately half the interlocking directorates reflected corporate imperatives and half reflected class solidarity. Interlocks involving executives or between corporations with two or more interlocking directors were more likely to be reconstituted, but the effects of location, industry, and foreign ownership were weak. Both the interorganizational and class perspectives are necessary to an understanding of interlocking directorates.
TL;DR: In this paper, an ecological theory of bureaucracy is proposed to explain the emergence and proliferation of bureaucratic organizations as well as the classical Darwinian theory of natural selection explains the rise and adaptive radiation of higher biological taxa.
Abstract: John Langton This article attempts to show that by combining concepts and propositions drawn from behavioral evolutionism, Weberian sociology, and organizational systematics, an ecological theory of bureaucracy can be constructed that explains the emergence and proliferation of bureaucratic organizations as well as the classical Darwinian theory of natural selection explains the rise and adaptive radiation of higher biological taxa, such as birds or mammals. This ecological theory is then used to explain the bureaucratization of the British pottery industry during the industrial revolution. One preliminary finding of this investigation is that bureaucratic elements are selectively retained because they enhance a firm's profitability in both the neoclassical and Marxian sense of the term: they increase its inputoutput efficiency and its ability to extract surplus value.
TL;DR: Geeraerts et al. as mentioned in this paper showed that the relationship between the size of an organization and its structure is modified by the status of the management of the firm, which may explain the erratic intersample behavior of correlations between size and structure.
Abstract: Guy Geeraerts In this article results are presented that show that the relationship between the size of an organization and its structure is modified by the status of the management of the firm. These findings may explain the erratic intersample behavior of correlations between size and structure. It is also argued that they point to the possible existence of differences in the socialization patterns of managers.
TL;DR: Biggart and Hamilton as discussed by the authors found that actors evaluate each other's acts of power in part on the willingness to obey role prescriptions, and that organizational power, paradoxically, stems from obedience to roles.
Abstract: Nicole Woolsey Biggart and Gary G. Hamilton Organizational roles provide actors with moral constructs for the enactment of power. Indeed, actors evaluate each other's acts of power in part on the willingness to obey role prescriptions. For a person to sustain power in an organizational setting he or she must self-consciously exercise power so as to signify the awareness of role obligations. Organizational power, paradoxically, stems from obedience to roles. The authors illustrate these points with interview data from a study of the gubernatorial administrations of Ronald Reagan and Jerry Brown.
TL;DR: Keeley as discussed by the authors analyzes how the concept of organizational effectiveness might be formulated so as to impartially reflect the various interests of organizational participants or constituents, and proposes a harmminimization principle for evaluating organizations.
Abstract: Michael Keeley This article analyzes how the concept of organizational effectiveness might be formulated so as to impartially reflect the various interests of organizational participants or constituents. Typical participant-interest theories of effectiveness are compared, the advantages of theories incorporating a principle of justice are discussed, and a harmminimization principle for evaluating organizations is proposed.
TL;DR: In this paper, a conference on decision making was organized with the expectation that dialogue between these researchers would be fruitful in clarifying fundamental conceptual questions, research strategies, and assumptions that would eventually lead to integrative or convergent research.
Abstract: : A conference on decision making held in March 1981, brought together prominent researchers from Behavioral Decision Making, Human Problem Solving, and Organizational Decision Making to compare their theoretical positions, methods, and applications. The conference was organized with the expectation that dialogue between these researchers would be fruitful in clarifying fundamental conceptual questions, research strategies, and assumptions that would eventually lead to integrative or convergent research. The twenty-five papers, to be published in a forth-coming book, highlight the lively and stimulating exchange of ideas. (Author)