Hierarchy and diffusion of organizational forms

In this paper we first of all summarize and rationalize current typologies of organizational forms, arranging available classifications in a hierarchy of increasing generality. The ensuing structure parallels the classification of living beings into classes of increasing generality such as species, genus, family, order, and so on. Subsequently, we analyze the structure of communications that favored the diffusion of each organizational form. We isolate a few stylized communication structures, pointing to the presence of several sources endowed with global connections as the most efficient diffusion mode. The empirical research that is being carried out on single organizations is close to observing their T-patterns, whereas nothing comparable is in sight for organizational forms as yet. However, at least in some cases, we dare to formulate tentative hypotheses on certain features that the ensuing T-patterns-of-patterns might exhibit.

Ideological Boundaries of Status Advantages: Legislative Effectiveness in the United States House of Representatives

Prior research assumes that high-status actors have greater organizational influence than lower-status ones, that is, it is easier for the former to get their ideas and initiatives adopted by the organization than it is for the latter. Drawing from the literature on ideology, we posit that the status–influence link is contingent on actors’ ideological position. Specifically, status confers organizational influence to the degree that the focal actor is ideologically mainstream. The more an actor’s ideology deviates from the mainstream the less will her status translate into increased organizational influence. We find support for this hypothesis using data on the work of legislators in the House of Representatives in the United States Congress. By illuminating how and under what conditions status leads to increased influence, this study qualifies and extends current understandings of the role of status in organizations.

Elusive Domination and the Fate of Critique in Neo-participative Management: A French Pragmatist Approach

In this theoretical paper we investigate how domination has adapted to the new social settings of a flexible and pluralist economy. Building on French pragmatic sociology, we propose an understanding of organizational domination whereby workers are enabled and encouraged to overtly express critique, yet work is nevertheless effectively obtained from dominated actors. Domination is here mainly understood as a system through which workers are engaged in action despite critiquing that action. We propose the concept of elusive domination as a combination of three mechanisms that undermine critique’s capacity to influence organizational power arrangements. First, ideological plasticity allows elusive domination to disarm critique by depriving it of its argument. Next, a combination of fast-changing rules and sacrosanct conventions prevents critique from settling, and thus deprives it of its object. Finally, emotions displayed in the workplace are filtered. The encouragement of positive and constructive critique coupled with the repression of uncomfortable feelings deprives critique of its source of indignation. The consequences of such developments for current debates on organizational domination are discussed.

Corporate Ideology, Diversification and Firm Performance

The literature suggests that the fit between corporate culture and strategy influences firm performance. The present study examines the moderating effect of diversification strategy on the link between corporate ideology, a component of culture, and firm performance. A cross-sectional survey of the largest manu facturing firms in the United States was conducted measuring corporate ideo logy and diversification strategy. A moderated regression analysis was con ducted and it was found that the interaction between ideology and diversification exerts a significant effect on firm performance thus supporting the importance of strategic fit.

The Relationships between Top Management Demographic Characteristics, Rational Decision Making, Environmental Munificence, and Firm Performance

This study examines the relationships between top management demographics, rational decision making (RDM), munificence, and firm performance. We expect top management demographics to influence rational decision making, and rational decision making to influence firm performance. In addition, we hypothesize a moderating effect of environmental munificence on the rational decision making-firm performance relationship. To test these hypotheses, we conducted a survey that measured RDM. Top management demographic characteristics, environmental munificence, and firm performance were collected from archival sources. We examined the relationships between RDM and top management age, tenure, and education level, using regression analyses. The results of this study provide support for the assertion that top management demographic characteristics influence decision making, and for the role of environmental munificence as a moderator in the relationship between decision making and organizational performance.

Organizational Culture and Individual Values in Greek Public Hospitals

Purpose:

The values are particularly important in the research of organizational culture and the person–organization (P–O) fit. This article tries to identify the culture dimensions that exist within public procurement in Greek public hospitals, based on employee characteristics.

Design/methodology/approach:

We have used exploratory factor analysis for the evaluation of multidimensional structure of organizational culture profile (OCP) scale. Then, we investigated the extent to which the OCP, with 54 items, that constitutes eight factors in the causative analysis of factors can be incorporated into the Quinn and Cameron theory of competitive values framework (CVF). In order to investigate this subject, we have developed a non-standard multidimensional scaling (MDS) that imposes the OCP on the solution space with the permutation test that evaluates the cohesion of engagements, which represents MDS and then we have extended our work to test our results by using structural equations modelling (AMOS).

Findings:

Internal consistency of all components was moderate to strong (a = 0.61 until 0.89). We realized that the OCP can be incorporated in the CVF, in a way the four quadrants which emerged have been formulated in four types of organizational culture.

Research limitations/implications:

The results have implied that the P–O fit can be assessed simply by the congruence of the person’s and the organization’s positions, measuring organizational culture in a way that is consistent with the CVF.

Practical implications:

We believe that our preliminary study can serve as an audit tool for managers and policy makers as well as a guide for recruitment of new employees in health care sector.

Originality/value:

This research fills the gap between organizational culture and the P–O fit in procurement offices in Greek public hospitals.

Naming the ideological reflexively: Contesting organizational norms and practices

In this article I develop a reflexive conception of ideology that can be applied to the study of organizations. By drawing out and making explicit the researcher’s role in naming a social phenomenon as ideological, I argue that a more consistent, reflexive and critically attuned notion of the ideological can be developed. The neglect of the position of the researcher in critical conceptions of ideology stems largely from a problematic division in existing approaches between the researcher, as objective expert, and researched. As an alternative, I build on the idea of research reflexivity in organization studies to develop a notion of ideology in which the partial position of the researcher is rendered explicit. To illustrate this conception of naming the ideological, I characterize the norms and practices of Job Centres as reflecting an ideology of capitalist welfare regulation. The article presents a fresh way of conceptualizing ideology as a reflexive analytical concept which can fruitfully be brought to bear on different aspects of organizations.