First published in 1972, this is a searching critique of work by both sociologists and psychologists on organisational structure and behaviour. Professor Argyris - although examining many different viewpoints - focuses in depth on five major writers on the subject: John Goldthrope, Peter Blau, James Thompson, Charles Perrow and David Lockwood, and analyses the practical, policy-making implications they draw or which would logically follow from their theoretical position. Asserting that research work on complex organizations has failed to integrate the sociological and psychological level of analysis - ignoring the importance of individual personality, group dynamics and interpersonal relationships - the author argues that this is self-defeating for sociological research; that it questions many of the findings of sociologists; and leads to their work in fact unintentionally maintaining the status quo as conceived by scientific management. A challenging and stimulating contribution to the debate on sociological theory.

Book Information
ISBN 9780521098946
Author Chris Argyris
Format Paperback
Page Count 152
Imprint Cambridge University Press
Publisher Cambridge University Press
Weight(grams) 200g