Large contemporary organizations seem to be in an almost continual state of change. Whether in public or private organizations, managers are trying to implement new organizational forms, introduce new procedures or systems, or change the attitudes of employees. Such reforms often yield disappointing results, and so new reforms are deemed necessary.In this book, Nils Brunsson considers why reform takes place. He looks at why reforms occur when they do, why they propagate certain ideas to the exclusion of others, and what their consequences are. He emphasizes the role of social institutions, fashions, and hope. He argues that reform represents not only change but also stability, and that a failure to implement reforms is sometimes a solution rather than a problem for organizations.Nils Brunsson has long been one of the most probing analysts of organizational life, often taking unorthodox approaches. He draws on both European and American traditions to develop a distinctive voice and stance of his own. Based on extensive empirical studies in private and public organizations, Brunsson's new book will be of interest to academics and advanced students of organizational change, organizational theory, and public management.

Reform as Routine: Organizational Change in the Modern World

Business & Money

Brunsson, Nils

Management & Leadership

Oxford University Press

In the modern world there is no shortage of people who know what is best for others. Self-appointed experts, consultants, and organizations try to convince states, corporations, and individuals that they would be better off if they only followed some specific rules about what to do. There are 'experts' in almost every field of human activity, from the management of companies to the management of our own health. Even organizations as powerful as states and large corporations follow rules provided by others on how to organize, which policies to pursue, what kinds of services to provide, or how their products should be designed. These rules are presented as being voluntary and advisory. They are standards, not mandatory directives, and in modern life standards abound. They may concern what characteristics a telephone should have, how a company should report its financial transactions, how contracts should be worded, what structure an organization should have, how children should be brought up and educated, how to play tennis, and so forth. This book discusses standards and standardization as a form of regulation. The authors argue that standards enable a higher degree of global order in the modern world than would exist without them. They facilitate coordination and cooperation on a global scale, creating similarities and homogeneity even among peoples and organizations that are quite different. The author believe that standardization is a much neglected area of social science - an area that has by no means received the attention it deserves in view of its importance to society. This book seeks to redress the balance by providing an in-depth examination of a number of aspects of standardization, how it is formed, and what effects it has on the world in which we live.

A World of Standards

Jacobsson, Bengt

International

This book collects a wide range of the most important writing on decision-making by one of Europe's leading organization theorists, brought together in one volume for the first time, with an introduction from the author.

The Consequences of Decision-Making

In the modern world there is no shortage of people who know what is best for others. Self-appointed experts, consultants, and organizations try to convince states, corporations, and individuals that they would be better off if they only followed some specific rules about what to do. These rules are presented as being voluntary and advisory. They are standards, not mandatory directives, and in modern life standards abound. Standards may concern what characteristics a telephone should have, how a company should report its financial transactions, how organizations should be managed, how states should treat their citizens, how children should be raised, and so forth. Even organizations as powerful as states and large corporations follow standards on how to organize, which policies to pursue, what kinds of services to provide, or how their products should be designed. Standards enable a higher degree of global order in the modern world than would exist without them. They facilitate coordination and cooperation even among people and organizations that are far apart. The authors believe that standardization is a much neglected area of social science -- an area that has by no means received the attention it deserves in view of its importance to society. This book seeks to redress the balance by providing an in-depth examination of a number of aspects of standardization, how it is formed, and what effects it has on the world in which we live.

The Reforming Organization

Organizations have become larger, more professionalized, more differentiated and wealthier. At the same time they are often subject to large-scale changes: either as a result of mergers and acquisitions, or simply in response to changed market conditions or new technologies. In this climate the people who run organizations frequently find themselves acting as "reformers". The central concern of this study is to analyze the reforming process within organizations and assess its impact. The authors define reform as the process by which individuals seek to achieve desired goals by changing the structure of their organization: the administrative procedures, chains of command and lines of communication. Drawing on empirical case studies from a range of different sectors, "The Reforming Organization" questions the relationship between the changes that can be seen occuring in organizations all the time and these conscious internal attempts at reform. This is a different approach to some of the central concerns in organizational theory. The relationship between individuals and structures and the "learning" capacity of organizations.

The reforming organization

Routledge

Olsen, Johan P.

For a long time most discussion of management and management problems in Western Europe and North America has been conducted in analytical or "rationalistic" terms. Researchers, teachers and management consultants have been particularly prone to see the question of choosing the right investment, the right product, the right market etc as the greatest if not the only problem facing corporate management. A great many models and management tools have been designed with this in mind. But management's problem is not only to decide what should be done, but also to see that it is done. In many cases the main difficulty is to get the organization to take co-ordinated and forceful action. The study of Japanese management in particular has shown just how important motivation and commitment are, not only on the shop floor but also at the management level. The book asks the question: how do organizations achieve co- ordinated action when it is most difficult to do so, that is when it is a question of major changes in relation to the kind of action the organization is used to. In light of a number of topical cases of organizational change, a theory is developed, which can help us both to understand and to influence the organization's propensity for action and change. Key concepts in the theory are organizational ideology, expectations, motivation and commitment. It becomes increasingly clear that forceful action conflicts with rationality in the classical sense; thus the conclusion and recommendations presented in this book differ very much from those traditionally proposed. An attempt is made to explain why organizations are irrational, and why they should be so. The cases are based on penetrating empirical studies in both the private and public sections, and in both manufacturing and service industries, they concern product development, the restructuring of a large corporation, reorganizations, and the introduction of new operations.

The Irrational Organization: Irrationality as a Basis for Organizational Action and Change

wiley

Based on a series of empirical studies spanning several years, this book explores the ways in which organizations produce ideology and how the tension between ideology and action can actually benefit organizational legitimacy and survival. Through interviews with managers and analysis of numerous organizations, the author examines the roles that individuals play in legitimizing the role of institutions and how the relationship between action and politics within institutional environments determines their structure and policies.

The Organization of Hypocrisy: Talk, Decisions and Actions in Organizations

Based on a series of empirical studies spanning several years, this book explores the ways in which organizations produce ideology and how the tension between ideology and action can actually benefit organizational legitimacy and survival. Through interviews with managers and analysis of numerous organizations, the author examines the roles that individuals play in legitimizing the role of institutions and how the relationship between action and politics within institutional environments determines their structure and policies.

The Reforming Organization (Routledge Library Editions: Management)

Originally published in 1993. Organizations have become larger, more professionalized, more differentiated, and wealthier. At the same time, they are often subject to large-scale changes: either as a result of mergers and acquisitions, or simply in response to changed market conditions or new technologies. In this climate the people who run organizations frequently find themselves acting as "reformers". The central concern of this study is to analyze the reforming process within organizations and assess its impact. The authors define reform as the process by which individuals seek to achieve desired goals by changing the structure of their organization: the administrative procedures, chains of command and lines of communication. Drawing on empirical case studies from a range of different sectors, The Reforming Organization questions the relationship between the changes that can be seen occurring in organizations all the time and these conscious internal attempts at reform. This is a different approach to some of the central concerns in organizational theory. The relationship between individuals and structures and the "learning" capacity of organizations. This title will be of interest to students of Business Studies and Management.

See the best price to sell, buy, or rent books by Brunsson, Nils. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

Books by Brunsson, Nils

See the best price to sell, buy, or rent books by Brunsson, Nils. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

Reform as Routine: Organizational Change in the Modern World

A World of Standards

The Consequences of Decision-Making

A World of Standards

The reforming organization

The Reforming Organization

The Irrational Organization: Irrationality as a Basis for Organizational Action and Change

The Organization of Hypocrisy: Talk, Decisions and Actions in Organizations

The Organization of Hypocrisy: Talk, Decisions and Actions in Organizations

The Reforming Organization (Routledge Library Editions: Management)