Social life is a collective process, virtually all shaped in contemporary industrial nations by formal organizations and recognized social institutions. Understanding Organizations takes a fresh look at the sociology of organizations, blending classic theories with contemporary studies and debates.

Organisations play a crucial role in our day-to-day life though most of us are unaware of it. They permeate and pervade almost all aspects of our lives and their significance cannot therefore be overemphasized. This easy-to-read and compact book on Organisational Theory (OT) gives an account of what an organisation is and how it operates. It shows that organisations are not static entities, but are dynamic: capable of growing, changing, failing or transforming themselves.The book begins with a discussion on the perspectives and approaches needed for understanding, designing and changing organisations. It then goes on to give a description of the building blocks and the various influences that determine organisational design. The author rightly emphasizes that the ideal organisation is one that is adaptive to a specific situation. He tells not only what an organisation is, but shows how it functions, for instance, how decisions are taken, how conflicts and power interact in moulding an organisation, how values and norms influence performance, and so on. Finally, the author stresses how organisations change or are transformed or why some do not change, and highlights emerging issues in organisational design. What distinguishes the text is its Indian background. The author skillfully elucidates organisational theory with real-life examples from well-known Indian Organi-sations.Intended as a textbook for the students of Management, this study should also be ideal for practising managers, consultants and teachers.

Why certain individuals succeed in some companies and yet fail in others? Why some really good ideas get rejected straight away by the execs? But the very same ideas get celebrated when they are brought up by some other individuals. Have you wondered how individuals who lack technical and business competence manage to grab coveted positions? Are organisations restricting their growth by losing touch with the people on ground? Do certifications and awards matter? Is honesty still the best policy? What is corporate politics? How to understand? Should you play, participate or circumvent it. This book is for professionals working in various organisations who want to grow. It is as much needed for the leadership team and execs. It is of profound use to those students who have not yet experienced corporate world, but are shortly going to join the bandwagon. And then, it is for those who love to know how things happen in the corporate world. Self help, reference material, or an interesting read. There is something in it for all!

The iconic Henry Mintzberg provides a crystal-clear map to the forms and forces that shape all human organizations, synthesizing his fifty years of research. We live in a world of organizations, from our birth in hospitals until our burial by funeral homes. In between, we are educated, employed, entertained, and exasperated by organizations. We had better understand how these strange beasts really work. But where can we go to find out? Welcome to Understanding Organizations . . . Finally! For half a century, Mintzberg has been observing organizations, advising them, engaging them, and escaping them. Here he offers a masterful update and revision of his 1983 classic, Structure in Fives. Believing there is one best way to structure organizations is the worst way to do so. A better place to start is by recognizing different species of organizations. Mintzberg identifies seven-personal enterprises, programmed machines, professional assemblies, project pioneers, and others. He explores these forms and the seven forces that drive them toward hybrids and across their life cycles. You will find no better guide to the care and feeding of these extraordinarily varied and vital creatures than this book.

`The book is extremely clear in its explanation of how language works.... The authors treat their readers as curious, intelligent and concerned to find new and powerful tools to come at the workings of organizations from a lateral and newly illuminating perspective' - Virginia Valentine, Semiotic Solutions, London Offering a viable alternative to `functional' approaches to communication based around the metaphor of `webs of meaning' and using semiology as its theoretical bedrock, the authors provide examples and argue how and why this approach is useful in understanding communicative processes. This approach is applied to areas of interest, including: metaphor, story-telling, discourse, gender, leadership and electronic communication.

Explores the concept of complexity and analyses how organizational governance can contribute to environmental sustainability. A common theme in these chapters is that organizations actively engage with their environments. Consequently, organizational responses are partly the result of iterative processes with the environment.

Now available in paperback, this two-volume work is intended to help readers develop powerful new ways of thinking about organizational principles, and apply them to policy-making and management in colleges and universities.The book is written with two audiences in mind: administrative and faculty leaders in institutions of higher learning, and students (both doctoral and Master's degree) studying to become upper-level administrators, leaders, and policy makers in higher education.It systematically presents a range of theories that can be applied to many of the difficult management situations that college and university leaders encounter. It provides them with the theoretical background to knowledgeably evaluate the many new ideas that emerge in the current literature, and in workshops and conferences. The purpose is to help leaders develop their own effective management style and approaches, and feel confident that their actions are informed by appropriate theory and knowledge of the latest research in the field.Without theory, organizational leaders are forced to treat each problem that they encounter as unique–as if it were a first-time occurrence. While leaders may have some experience with a particular issue, their solutions are usually not informed by the accumulated wisdom of others who have already encountered and resolved similar situations. The authors approach the theory of the organization and administration of colleges and universities from three quite different perspectives, or paradigms, each relying on different assumptions about the “reality” of organizational life in colleges and universities. The positivist paradigm–primarily an omnibus systems theory–integrates the chapters into a comprehensive, yet easily accessible whole. Social constructionism, the second paradigm, is introduced in each chapter to illuminate the difficulty of seeking and finding meaningful consensus on problems and policies, while also addressing important ethical issues that tend to be overlooked in leadership thought and action. The third paradigm, postmodernism, draws attention to difficulties of logic and communication under the constraints of strictly linear thinking that “authorities” at all levels attempt to impose on organizations.This “multiple paradigm” approach enables readers to become more cognizant of their own assumptions, how they may differ from those of others in their organization, and how those differences may both create difficulties in resolving problems and expand the range of alternatives considered in organizational decision making. The book offers readers the tools to balance the real-world needs to succeed in today’s challenging and competitive environment with the social and ethical aspirations of all its stakeholders and society at large. The authors’ aim is to elucidate how administration can be made more efficient and effective through rational decision-making while also respecting humanistic values. This approach highlights a range of phenomena that require attention if the institution is ultimately to be considered successful.Also available:Volume 1: The State of the SystemTwo volume set

Previous analysis on the “Chinese Economic Miracle” mostly talks about macro-economy but neglects the study on the basic element of the Chinese Miracle – the enterprises. With China’s economic rise, Chinese enterprises experienced a rapid process of adaptation, change and development, and also become strong competitors in the world market. This book sets forth the explorations and thoughts on Chinese enterprise management practices from both academic and practical perspective, extracts the management theory of Chinese characteristics, and represents the efforts to establish and develop Chinese organization and management.