Theory and Method in Organization Studies

`This introductory book is really worth buying. It is accessible without being patronizing. It stimulates thought without using rhetoric. It offers exciting content on methods and techniques without being arrogant' - Organization Studies



In this introduction to theory and method, students of organization will find a comprehensive view of the key theories in their field, combined with a toolkit of guidelines linking these to the different methods available for analyzing and interpreting organizational life.



Distinguishing `the external society' and the `internal society', Antonio Strati sheds light on the different contexts that shape organizational life and the different levels of analysis that may be used. By showing the many levels at which organizations function and can be understood this book provides an invaluable introduction to analysis and research for advanced students. Recent concepts such as `the organization as hypertext'; `communities of practice'; 'tacit knowledge'; and organizational learning; are explored as ways of approaching organizations: this book shows how to link such approaches to appropriate methodologies in order to achieve insightful analysis.

PART ONE: THEMES AND PROBLEMS
Society in a Network of Organizations
Organizations as Social Contexts
Weaving the Organization Together
The Ethos, Logos and Pathos of Organizational Life
Thematic Continuities and New Insights
PART TWO: RESEARCH AND METHODS
The Methods of Empirical Organizational Research
The Pervasiveness of Measurement
Qualitative Methods and the Computer