THE STRATEGIC CONTINGENCIES THEORY OF POWER: MULTIPLE PERSPECTIVES

The strategic contingencies theory of power proposed by Hickson et al. (1971) has been tested and compared to an alternative perspective. In the alternative perspective, the theory has been modified to include control of strategic contingencies as a moderating variable in the relationships between power and its determinants. A field study, using questionnaire and interview responses of 54 administrators at five universities, partially supports the modified theory.     

ORGANIZATIONAL RULES AND THE ACCOMPLISHMENT OF NURSING WORK ON GERIATRIC WARDS

The data on which this paper is based come from an ethnography of rehabilitation of the elderly. Two main themes, methodological and substantive, predominate. Some methodological issues surrounding ethnographic techniques are highlighted. These include gaining access, establishing relationships and the researcher having a number of roles rather than just one. The ethnomethodological perspective on organizations as a constellation of rules informs the substantive theme of the paper. Within this perspective rule use is situated and the meanings of particular rules are discerned from their use in specific contexts. This approach enables attention to be directed to the practical problems with which individuals are confronted in doing organizational work and how actors orient to them in action. The ways in which organizational rules may be defeased, manipulated or suspended are detailed with reference to nurses working on geriatric wards.     

EXPLORATIONS IN MACRO COMMUNICATION BEHAVIOUR: THE EFFECTS OF ORGANIZATIONAL FEEDBACK ON ORGANIZATIONAL EFFECTIVENESS [1]

Organizational feedback is identified as an attribute of organizations and as a form of macroscopic communication behaviour. Previous organizational theory is used to generate propositions linking organizational feedback (horizontal and vertical) to organizational effectiveness in order to evaluate the construct validity of feedback. Reliable measures of feedback are devised and the posited relationships are empirically examined using federated nonprofit organizations. Horizontal feedback is observed to be positively related to three forms of organizational effectiveness (goal attainment, superordinate approval and lateral approval). Vertical feedback is found to be positively related only to goal attainment. Organizational feedback is concluded to be a viable concept worthy of further investigation and additional research on communication as a property of organizational collectivities is recommended.     

THE INTERDEPARTMENTAL INFLUENCE OF MANAGERS: INDIVIDUAL AND SUB-UNIT PERSPECTIVES

This paper examines the extent to which managerial influence over group-interdepartmental decisions is derived from sub-unit contingencies or is due to more individualistic characteristics of the manager. Both individual and sub-unit perspectives are presented in a framework composed of seven power factors each of which is investigated empirically. The major finding from a survey of 142 departmental managers is that individual managerial expertise is more important than sub-unit-based power with access to and control of information being of equal importance. We suggest that the investigation of managerial influence from a sub-unit perspective alone may be insufficient and that, in certain circumstances, both individualistic and sub-unit perspectives should be taken into account.     

ON ORGANIZATIONAL DESIGN: FROM A LINEAR PROGRAMMING POINT OF VIEW

This paper analyses the impact of different organizational structures on the coordination problem of the multilevel organization. The two basic structures analysed is the U-form and the M-form within the framework of a price-directive coordination mechanism. Issues such as vertical and horizontal decomposition, the length of the planning period, the level of aggregation, etc., are discussed. The basis for the analysis is results from decomposing of linear programming models. ¹ 1 This research was supported by a grant from Staten Samfundsvidenskabelige Forskningsråd, Denmark, and the paper has benefited from discussions with Art Kuhn and Rich Burton.
     

THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN TYPES OF INNOVATION AND ORGANIZATIONAL PERFORMANCE

The relationship between adoption of administrative and technical innovations over time and its impact on organizational performance was studied. A confirmatory analysis of the data from 85 public libraries showed that, over consecutive time periods, changes in the social structure, portrayed by the adoption of administrative innovations, lead to changes in the technical system, portrayed by the adoption of technical innovations. Empirical support was also provided for Daft's (1982) framework for organizational innovation that was found to be effective in separating organizations based on their performance levels.     

STRATEGIES OF EXPANSION AND ORGANIZATIONAL DEVELOPMENTS IN EUROPEAN AND AMERICAN FIRMS 1

Summary The pace of change of the last ten years has challenged the traditional management processes to the point that the key organizational question is no longer to fit new strategies into available organizational patterns but instead to fit the organizational structure to the kind of problems to be faced. However, the intricacy of strategic and structural difficulties is often such that the appraisal of organizational inadequacies may prove difficult: symptoms may be wrongly considered as problems which may in turn be over-or understated so that corrective measures may well be inappropriate. This is why the saying‘When in trouble, reoganize!’is of little practicability. The lack of organizational planning in framing responses to structural problems will more and more make adjustments necessary. In our attempts to define the nature of organizational changes which are likely to occur within business firms in the future, we shall isolate the stragetic decisions related to corporate expansion on a transnational, trans-continental and eventually on an intercontinental scale. We shall start by analysing present organizational patterns — as they reflect decisions made in the past regarding current strategies — and we shall try to outline some possible structural developments as they may be required by the implementation of future strategies.     

RELATIONSHIPS OF JOB CATEGORIES AND ORGANIZATIONAL LEVELS TO USE OF COMMUNICATION CHANNELS,INCLUDING ELECTRONIC MAIL: A META-ANALYSIS AND EXTENSION*

This study tests hypotheses derived from information processing theory concerning relationships between individuals' job category, organizational level, and levels and patterns of media usage. Media studied include face-to-face, meetings, memos/letters, telephone and electronic mail. In the meta-analysis of over 40 studies, usage of different media was significantly different for managers/executives versus others, and was highly correlated with organizational level. In the individual-level analyses of four organizations, the majority of respondents were classified into their actual job categories, and according to distances between organizational levels, by a discriminant function involving only relative extent of media use, especially participation in meetings. Contrary to information richness theory, upper-level respondents (managers) did not necessarily use electronic mail less than did lower-level respondents (clerical workers). The article concludes by discussing implications for theories of organizational media use and implementation of electronic mail systems.     

ORGANIZATIONAL INNOVATION: REVIEW,CRITIQUE AND SUGGESTED RESEARCH DIRECTIONS*

Despite broad interest and a vast literature, understanding of innovative behaviour in organizations remains relatively undeveloped. to contribute to the development of a more cumulative knowledge base, the author presents a conceptual review of the innovation literature by summarizing and organizing prior research into three related, though often confounded, research streams and identifies major reasons for the inconsistent and inconclusive nature of the research. Strategies for conducting more generalizable innovation research are suggested.     

CROSSING MOTHER: IDEOLOGICAL CONSTRAINTS ON ORGANIZATIONAL IMPROVEMENTS

This paper uses a case study to explore a basic dilemma: can the people who control organizations develop ideologies which simultaneously facilitate stability and change? This dilemma is likely to become most apparent when people set out to improve an organization within its current ideological context but the consequences implicit in the improvements are poorly understood. The meaning and value of the improvements are then likely to be assessed differently by superiors and subordinates, and by loyal members and heretics. The case study illustrates how resources are mobilized to constrain improvement attempts in such a way that the consequences reconfirm the preexisting organizational ideologies and halt the improvement attempts [I].     

THE ORGANIZATIONAL CORRELATES AND CONSEQUENCES OF SUBCONTRACTING: EVIDENCE FROM A SURVEY OF SOUTH WALES BUSINESSES

Recent interest in the growth of subcontracting, as part of a broader trend towards greater ‘flexibility’in forms of employment relationship, has not as yet been matched by a full consideration of its organizational and managerial implications. In particular, the question of whether or not subcontracting has an impact upon, or is affected by, the organization's structural characteristics remains largely unexplored. the aim of this article is to report findings from a detailed study of subcontracting practices across a sample of British industry, which focuses upon the relationship between subcontracting and organizational characteristics. the results indicate several important points about the practice. Firstly, that there is wide variation in the use of subcontracting across industry, although the overall extent is limited. Secondly, that variation in the practice is significantly related to basic firm characteristics - namely, industrial sector, type of production system and pattern of ownership and control. Thirdly, that, on balance, subcontracting is associated with more, not less, structural complexity. Finally, that this greater complexity is found in particular types of firms - notably, outside the manufacturing sector, in mass and process production systems and amongst British independents and subsidiaries, rather than in their foreign competitors.     

WOODWARD, TECHNOLOGY, ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE AND PERFORMANCE — A CRITIQUE OF THE UNIVERSAL GENERALIZATION

This paper critically reviews the recent controversy over the relationship between technology, organizational structure and performance which was stimulated by the work of Woodward. An overview of the discussion is offered and an original evaluation offered on the basis of the latest contributions. This involves a detailed critique of the contribution of Zwerman. The conclusion is that the original Woodward thesis, as stated in the set of propositions for which systematic evidence was presented, should now be viewed as having been disconfirmed by the subsequent research.