Niklas Luhmann and Organization Studies.
Seidl, David.
Niklas Luhmann and Organization Studies. - 1st ed. - 1 online resource (465 pages)
Intro -- Niklas Luhmann and Organization Studies -- Copyright -- Table of Contents -- Acknowledgements -- Introduction: Luhmann's Organization Theory -- Some important aspects of Luhmann's theory -- The reception of Luhmann's work on an international level -- The structure of Luhmann's oeuvre -- The contents of this book -- PART I: The Theory of Autopoietic Social Systems -- Chapter 1: The Basic Concepts of Luhmann's Theory of Social Systems -- The concept of autopoiesis -- a. The original biological concept of autopoiesis -- b. Luhmann's general, transdisciplinary concept of autopoiesis -- Social systems -- a. Communications as the elements of social systems -- b. Interpenetration: the relation between social and psychic systems -- c. Communication and action -- Society and interaction -- a. Society -- b. Interaction -- Organization -- a. Decisions as the elements of organizations -- b. Uncertainty absorption -- c. Decision premises -- d. The double closure of the organization -- e. The paradox of decision at the heart of Luhmann's organization theory -- Luhmann's theory of social systems as a theory of distinction -- a. Observation as basic concept -- b. Autopoietic systems as distinction processing systems -- Conclusion -- Chapter 2:The Concept of Autopoiesis -- Acknowledgements -- Chapter 3:The Autopoiesis of Social Systems -- Meaning and life as different modes of autopoietic organization -- Communications as the basic elements of social systems -- Societies and interactions as different types of social systems -- The relation between action and communication -- Maintenance of social systems by self-referential production of elements -- The contribution of the general theory of autopoietic systems -- The epistemological consequences of autopoietic closure -- Acknowledgements -- PART II: Organization, Decision and Paradox. Chapter 4: The Paradox of Decision Making -- What are "decisions"? -- On the function of paradoxes -- Unfolding the paradox -- Decision premises -- Uncertainty absorption -- Rationality and motivation -- Perception and communication -- From principle to paradox -- Acknowledgements -- Chapter 5: Displacing the Paradox of Decision Making -- Key concepts -- A self-referential organization emerges -- Deparadoxization and uncertainty (1) -- Increasing areas for decision making, increasing uncertainty -- Complexity -- The simultaneous existence of opposite decision premises -- Changing decisions -- Summing up -- Displacements -- Deparadoxization by reasons -- Deparadoxization by hearings -- Deparadoxization by changing decision-proposals -- Deparadoxization and uncertainty (2) -- Why displacements? -- Reforms and self-reference -- Conclusion -- Chapter 6: On Gorgon Sisters: Organizational Action in the Face of Parad -- Protecting paradoxes -- Organizing as deparadoxization -- When deparadoxization does not work, or the tragedy of action -- Slaying the Medusa, or the manager-hero -- Observers of institutions: Paradoxes and organization theory -- PART III: Organization, Interaction and Society -- Chapter 7: Organization and Interaction -- Introduction -- Organization and interaction as two types of social systems -- Conceptualising organizational interactions -- Deciding interactions -- Functions of organizational interactions -- Possibilities for conditioning organizational interactions -- Conclusion -- Chapter 8: Organization and Society. -- Introduction and problem exposition -- Critique of the classical organization theory and the differentiation concept of the ontological system model -- Types of social systems and the logic of internal system differentiation. The repraesentatio identitatis phenomenon of modern society - Organizations as communicators, communicative addresses and communicable systems -- Subordinate forms of differentiation and the role of organizations -- Organizations as interdependency breaks -- Structural coupling and organizations -- Conclusion -- Chapter 9: The Design of Organization in Society -- Which society? -- Organizational design -- Routines -- Conclusion -- PART IV: Luhmann's Theory in the Context of other Theories -- Chapter 10: Luhmann's Systems Theory and Theories of Social Practices1 -- Introduction -- Basic aspects of the concept of "social practices" -- Systems theory and theories of social practices as cultural theories -- The "cultural turn" and theories of social practices -- Systems theory as cultural theorizing -- The de-centring of the subject -- The de-centring of the subject and its impact on theories of social practices -- Niklas Luhmann's move to de-centring the subject -- Consequences of Luhmann's way of de-centring the subject -- Luhmann's perspective as both radical and traditional -- Structure and agency -- Preliminary note on the structure/agency dichotomy in both strands of theorizing -- Similarities in the concepts of structure and action/operation -- Differences in the concepts of structure and action/operation -- The status of the "material" and the body -- Two basic assumptions common to both strands of theorizing -- The status of the material in systems theory -- The status of the material in theories of social practices -- The role of the body in systems theory and theories of social practices -- Summary and conclusion -- Chapter 11: Luhmann's Systems Theory and the New Institutionalism -- Introduction -- Organizational analysis, new institutionalism, and world polity -- Organization/society - Links in Luhmann's theory of social systems. Micro-foundation: Organizations as distinct systems -- Conclusion -- Chapter 12: Luhmann's Systems Theory and Postmodernism -- Introduction -- The impetus of postmodern thinking -- A framework of postmodern theory -- The problem of legitimation -- The problem of chaining -- The problem of meta-narratives -- Postmodern elements in the theory of Luhmann -- The idea of difference in the work of Luhmann -- System and environment -- The notion of self-reference -- The logic of form -- Obstacles to a postmodern annexation of systems theory -- "There are systems" -- Legitimation by performance -- A super-theory with universal validity -- (Not) drawing a distinction: between Luhmann and the postmodern ideas of difference -- Fitting elements of different theories of difference -- Chapter 13: Luhmann's Systems Theory and Network Theory -- Introduction -- Social-theoretical network approach and theory ofsocietal differentiation -- Theoretical divergences -- The primacy of the societal differentiation of meaning -- Systems and networks as complementary social structures -- Network emergence as reflexive combinatorics of addresses -- Social addresses - individuality and ubiquity -- Individual address books as the potential for network-building -- Network constitution -- Stabilizing networks -- Organizations and networks -- Personal networks in the organizational context -- Formal organizational networks -- Conclusion -- PART V: Forms of Organization -- Chapter 14: Analysing Forms of Organization and Management: Stock Companies vs. Family Businesses -- Introduction -- Observation -- Autopoietic systems -- The organization as observed system -- Strict and loose coupling -- Observation of a firm -- Management and re-entry -- Unavoidable conflicts -- Stock companies vs. family businesses -- Effects of stock options -- Concluding remarks. Chapter 15: On Defining the Multinational Corporation. A Systems-Theoretical Perspective -- Classical and current approaches to the multinational corporation -- Classical approaches -- Current approaches -- Luhmann's concepts of organization, corporation and society -- Organization and corporation -- From pre-modern societies to the present world society -- From the medieval business organization to the present world corporation -- Historical forms of business organization -- The present world corporation -- Finance, production and marketing of the world corporation -- Conclusion -- PART VI: Implications for Management and Consulting -- Chapter 16: Communication Barriers in Management Consulting -- I -- II -- III -- IV -- V -- VI -- Acknowledgements -- Chapter 17: Strategic Management from a Systems-Theoretical Perspective -- Introduction -- The fallacy of either/or approaches to strategy -- The paradigm of adaptation -- Self-reference and social systems theory -- The system/environment-distinction -- The paradigm of self-adaptation -- Dealing with self-reference -- Self-reference and self-reproduction -- Scientific observation of social systems -- A self-referential framework for strategy research -- Making sense of strategic content by means of strategic concepts -- Making sense of strategic process by means of strategic routines -- Making sense of strategic context by means of strategic roles -- Conclusions -- Chapter 18: Management Accounting from a Systems-Theoretical Perspective -- Introduction -- Management accounting and the objectification of reality -- Management accounting and systems theory: coordination, communication, and control -- The function of management accounting: delivering distinctions, defining decision premises -- Conclusion -- PART VII: Glossary and Bibliography -- Glossary to Niklas Luhmann's Terminology. Annotated Bibliography of Selected Works by Niklas Luhmann.
9788763003049
Electronic books.
HM701 -- .N555 2006eb
302.35
Niklas Luhmann and Organization Studies. - 1st ed. - 1 online resource (465 pages)
Intro -- Niklas Luhmann and Organization Studies -- Copyright -- Table of Contents -- Acknowledgements -- Introduction: Luhmann's Organization Theory -- Some important aspects of Luhmann's theory -- The reception of Luhmann's work on an international level -- The structure of Luhmann's oeuvre -- The contents of this book -- PART I: The Theory of Autopoietic Social Systems -- Chapter 1: The Basic Concepts of Luhmann's Theory of Social Systems -- The concept of autopoiesis -- a. The original biological concept of autopoiesis -- b. Luhmann's general, transdisciplinary concept of autopoiesis -- Social systems -- a. Communications as the elements of social systems -- b. Interpenetration: the relation between social and psychic systems -- c. Communication and action -- Society and interaction -- a. Society -- b. Interaction -- Organization -- a. Decisions as the elements of organizations -- b. Uncertainty absorption -- c. Decision premises -- d. The double closure of the organization -- e. The paradox of decision at the heart of Luhmann's organization theory -- Luhmann's theory of social systems as a theory of distinction -- a. Observation as basic concept -- b. Autopoietic systems as distinction processing systems -- Conclusion -- Chapter 2:The Concept of Autopoiesis -- Acknowledgements -- Chapter 3:The Autopoiesis of Social Systems -- Meaning and life as different modes of autopoietic organization -- Communications as the basic elements of social systems -- Societies and interactions as different types of social systems -- The relation between action and communication -- Maintenance of social systems by self-referential production of elements -- The contribution of the general theory of autopoietic systems -- The epistemological consequences of autopoietic closure -- Acknowledgements -- PART II: Organization, Decision and Paradox. Chapter 4: The Paradox of Decision Making -- What are "decisions"? -- On the function of paradoxes -- Unfolding the paradox -- Decision premises -- Uncertainty absorption -- Rationality and motivation -- Perception and communication -- From principle to paradox -- Acknowledgements -- Chapter 5: Displacing the Paradox of Decision Making -- Key concepts -- A self-referential organization emerges -- Deparadoxization and uncertainty (1) -- Increasing areas for decision making, increasing uncertainty -- Complexity -- The simultaneous existence of opposite decision premises -- Changing decisions -- Summing up -- Displacements -- Deparadoxization by reasons -- Deparadoxization by hearings -- Deparadoxization by changing decision-proposals -- Deparadoxization and uncertainty (2) -- Why displacements? -- Reforms and self-reference -- Conclusion -- Chapter 6: On Gorgon Sisters: Organizational Action in the Face of Parad -- Protecting paradoxes -- Organizing as deparadoxization -- When deparadoxization does not work, or the tragedy of action -- Slaying the Medusa, or the manager-hero -- Observers of institutions: Paradoxes and organization theory -- PART III: Organization, Interaction and Society -- Chapter 7: Organization and Interaction -- Introduction -- Organization and interaction as two types of social systems -- Conceptualising organizational interactions -- Deciding interactions -- Functions of organizational interactions -- Possibilities for conditioning organizational interactions -- Conclusion -- Chapter 8: Organization and Society. -- Introduction and problem exposition -- Critique of the classical organization theory and the differentiation concept of the ontological system model -- Types of social systems and the logic of internal system differentiation. The repraesentatio identitatis phenomenon of modern society - Organizations as communicators, communicative addresses and communicable systems -- Subordinate forms of differentiation and the role of organizations -- Organizations as interdependency breaks -- Structural coupling and organizations -- Conclusion -- Chapter 9: The Design of Organization in Society -- Which society? -- Organizational design -- Routines -- Conclusion -- PART IV: Luhmann's Theory in the Context of other Theories -- Chapter 10: Luhmann's Systems Theory and Theories of Social Practices1 -- Introduction -- Basic aspects of the concept of "social practices" -- Systems theory and theories of social practices as cultural theories -- The "cultural turn" and theories of social practices -- Systems theory as cultural theorizing -- The de-centring of the subject -- The de-centring of the subject and its impact on theories of social practices -- Niklas Luhmann's move to de-centring the subject -- Consequences of Luhmann's way of de-centring the subject -- Luhmann's perspective as both radical and traditional -- Structure and agency -- Preliminary note on the structure/agency dichotomy in both strands of theorizing -- Similarities in the concepts of structure and action/operation -- Differences in the concepts of structure and action/operation -- The status of the "material" and the body -- Two basic assumptions common to both strands of theorizing -- The status of the material in systems theory -- The status of the material in theories of social practices -- The role of the body in systems theory and theories of social practices -- Summary and conclusion -- Chapter 11: Luhmann's Systems Theory and the New Institutionalism -- Introduction -- Organizational analysis, new institutionalism, and world polity -- Organization/society - Links in Luhmann's theory of social systems. Micro-foundation: Organizations as distinct systems -- Conclusion -- Chapter 12: Luhmann's Systems Theory and Postmodernism -- Introduction -- The impetus of postmodern thinking -- A framework of postmodern theory -- The problem of legitimation -- The problem of chaining -- The problem of meta-narratives -- Postmodern elements in the theory of Luhmann -- The idea of difference in the work of Luhmann -- System and environment -- The notion of self-reference -- The logic of form -- Obstacles to a postmodern annexation of systems theory -- "There are systems" -- Legitimation by performance -- A super-theory with universal validity -- (Not) drawing a distinction: between Luhmann and the postmodern ideas of difference -- Fitting elements of different theories of difference -- Chapter 13: Luhmann's Systems Theory and Network Theory -- Introduction -- Social-theoretical network approach and theory ofsocietal differentiation -- Theoretical divergences -- The primacy of the societal differentiation of meaning -- Systems and networks as complementary social structures -- Network emergence as reflexive combinatorics of addresses -- Social addresses - individuality and ubiquity -- Individual address books as the potential for network-building -- Network constitution -- Stabilizing networks -- Organizations and networks -- Personal networks in the organizational context -- Formal organizational networks -- Conclusion -- PART V: Forms of Organization -- Chapter 14: Analysing Forms of Organization and Management: Stock Companies vs. Family Businesses -- Introduction -- Observation -- Autopoietic systems -- The organization as observed system -- Strict and loose coupling -- Observation of a firm -- Management and re-entry -- Unavoidable conflicts -- Stock companies vs. family businesses -- Effects of stock options -- Concluding remarks. Chapter 15: On Defining the Multinational Corporation. A Systems-Theoretical Perspective -- Classical and current approaches to the multinational corporation -- Classical approaches -- Current approaches -- Luhmann's concepts of organization, corporation and society -- Organization and corporation -- From pre-modern societies to the present world society -- From the medieval business organization to the present world corporation -- Historical forms of business organization -- The present world corporation -- Finance, production and marketing of the world corporation -- Conclusion -- PART VI: Implications for Management and Consulting -- Chapter 16: Communication Barriers in Management Consulting -- I -- II -- III -- IV -- V -- VI -- Acknowledgements -- Chapter 17: Strategic Management from a Systems-Theoretical Perspective -- Introduction -- The fallacy of either/or approaches to strategy -- The paradigm of adaptation -- Self-reference and social systems theory -- The system/environment-distinction -- The paradigm of self-adaptation -- Dealing with self-reference -- Self-reference and self-reproduction -- Scientific observation of social systems -- A self-referential framework for strategy research -- Making sense of strategic content by means of strategic concepts -- Making sense of strategic process by means of strategic routines -- Making sense of strategic context by means of strategic roles -- Conclusions -- Chapter 18: Management Accounting from a Systems-Theoretical Perspective -- Introduction -- Management accounting and the objectification of reality -- Management accounting and systems theory: coordination, communication, and control -- The function of management accounting: delivering distinctions, defining decision premises -- Conclusion -- PART VII: Glossary and Bibliography -- Glossary to Niklas Luhmann's Terminology. Annotated Bibliography of Selected Works by Niklas Luhmann.
9788763003049
Electronic books.
HM701 -- .N555 2006eb
302.35