Sociological Paradigms and Organisational Analysis

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Heinemann Edu.:ational Flooks Ltd 22 Bedford Square , London WCIB 3HH I. ON DON

EDINBURGH

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MELBOURNE A UCKLAND

HONG KOt-.' G SINGAPORE KU ~ LA lUMPUR NEW DELHI I BADA N lUSAK A NAIROBl JOHANNESBU RG EXETER (NH) KINGSTON PORT Or SPAIN

ISBN 0435 82130 X (Ca sed) 04)58 2 1) I 8 (Paper)

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© Gibson Burrell and Gareth Morgan , 1979

First publis hed 1979

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I' :\RT I: IN SEARCH OF A FRAMEWORK

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I, ()I'II:ll1i' '' li ,," , :> . I nuu~lrial sociology I Til!.II. MOl'gall . (;arclh

VII

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Assumptions about the Nature of Social Science The Strands of Debate Analysing Assumptions about the Nature of Social Science Assumptions about the Nature of Society The Order-Conflict Debate -Regulation ' and ' Radical Change' Two Dimensions: Four Paradigms The Nature and Uses of the Four Paradigms The Functionalist Paradigm The Interpretive Paradigm The Radical Humanist Paradigm The Radical Structurali s t Paradigm Exploring Socia l Theory

"ART II: THE PARADIGMS EXPLORED -t Functionalist Sociology Origins and lntellectual Tradition The Structure of the Paradigm Social System Theory Interactionism and Social Action Theory Integrative Theory Objectivism The Underlying Unity of the Paradigm S Functionalist Organisation Theory Theories of Organisation within the Functionalist Paradigm Social System Theory and Objectivism Theories of Bureaucratic DY!'ifunctions

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ConteJ1ls

The Action Frame of Reference Pluralist Theory Debate within the Functionalist Paradigm 6 Interpretive Sociology Origi ns and I ntell ectual Tradition The Structure of the Paradigm H ermeneu tics Solipsism Phenomenology Phenomenological Sociology The Unucrlying Unity of the Paradigm 7 The Interpretive Paradigm and the Study of ( )rJ,(lInlslItiuns I ': !llIllIIIH: I h mJologi cal Approaches to the Study of Orga lIis,1I i lInal A clivi ties I'hclllllllenologic,d S ymbuli c I nteracti onism and the Siudy IIf Organisational Activities The Phc.IlII~)CIHl~ogjcal Challenge to Contemporary Org,lIW,;i!lOn ·1 heory I'hell()lll~nIlJogic"l . Approaches to the Study of ()rganls:llional Situations : Problems and Dilemmas J~lIdklll Uumunism Origi IlS "Ild I nteffeclual Traditi on Thl' Sll'IIeture of the Paradigm ('rilical Theory A narehist ie I nlii vi dualism FrcnL"i1 i-:xisll"ntialism The Underlying Unity of the Paradigm 9 A 1111-( )rganislilion Theory 'J'llwards Alternative Realilies Towarus 66). on p . 305 . We have worked on this book at a pace which has varied from th ' !1'\'llguin Books Lid.: Steven Lukes, Emile Durkheim: His Life 1/1111 Work: A Historical and Critical Study (1973), on pp. intense to the intolerable, and as a consequence we have asked an ·1 ~-6. received a great deal of our families and friends. We o'we to the l'i"l"lllice-Hall, Inc .: L.A . Coser, Georg Simmel (1965), on pp. all a great debt of thanks. In particular we wish to thank Christin 70.71,72. Bu~ell for her considerable patience, help and encouragement, which were stretched up to and sometimes beyond the limits , Our I{""tiedge and Kegan Paul Ltd.: John Rex. Key Problems in Suciological Theory (1961), on pp. 353-4, work owes much to our colleagues and students at Lancaster particularly those in the Department of Behaviour i~ IllIivcrsity of Chicago Press: H. Blumer, The Sociulogical flllpliClItions of the Thought ofG.H . Mead (1966), on pp. 78, Organisations, where the stimulating and convivial combination a XI. critical enquiry, friendship and debate has been a major feature of. our enterprise . Gibson Burrell, Gareth Morgan The ideas expressed in the book are the product of extensive Lancasler, December 1978 discussion and as such are to be seen as shared. However, the. ' rcsponsibility for the production of the manuscript in its present r01'l1l h.. s f:ilJcn largely upon Gareth Morgan, who has undertaken Ihe tllsk of t:llnvcrting early drafts into a finished text and of-' IlIlpo~i llg sl ylist ie ulli (y Oil Ihe work as a wh ole. Needless to say, in i th( Hpil'il Ill' (IIII' elldcHvClllr. rc~p(JmihiliIY. credit and hlame are· ,plllily 1I·;~lImcd . . 'l'hllllkH /11'(: dllc 10.11,;1111 AtkillSOIl, Janet Fi~her. Joy Howson,( SIIiI I ,IIWII,;IlCI: IIIHI I .ylllll: RYIll:II"I ror Iyping variOlls sections of Ilu.· lIlIllIllHeri pI. The ;IssistallL"e ui" (he Social Science Research' (·(lullcil.11l SIH1I1SI)ring licld research which contributed 10 many of, Ihe idc:ts prescilled here. is gr