A theory of organizational response to hospital regulation: a reply

A recently published general theory of organizational response to regulation is examined. A number of problems are observed in regard to the basic assumption underlying the theory, the directionality of predicted relationships forming the theory, the exclusion of goal attainment as a realistic motivation for managing, and the generality of the theory.     

A theory of organizational response to regulation: the case of hospitals

This paper presents a general theory of organizational response to regulation, a theory that integrates adaptation and mutual selection perspectives. Two major forms of regulation in the hospital industry, certificate of need and rate review, are examined. Hypotheses are derived concerning the nature and timing of the various adjustments hospitals make both in internal organizational arrangements and in patterns of interorganizational activity in the face of regulatory constraints. Suggestions and data sources for testing the theory are presented.     

Take it to the top: Imagined interactions with leaders elevates organizational identification

Organizational identification is an important predictor of workplace behavior. The more strongly an individual identifies with their employing organization, the more motivated they will be to behave in ways that promote its success. In this paper we develop a new approach to fostering organizational identification based on principles of mental simulation. Across seven experiments we demonstrate that imagining positive contact with an organizational leader increases identification with the organization they represent. Experiments 1A, 1B, 2A, 2B, 3A and 3B replicated the basic effect against progressively varied control conditions, utilizing both scenario and field experiments. Experiment 4 demonstrated that as a consequence of heightened organizational identification following the imagined contact task, participants reported greater intentions to engage in organizational citizenship behaviors. We conclude by discussing the potential application of this technique as a simple and effective way for organizations to foster employees' motivation and performance.     

INFORMATION CHANNEL DISPOSITION AND USE*

The use of information channels by individuals in organizations is substantially discretionary. Although much studied, variation in patterns of discretionary use has yet to be explained adequately in terms of an accepted integrative theory validated across varieties of channel types and organizational settings. In a step toward the development of such a theory, the present paper proposes a basic channel-disposition model that relates an individual's attitude or disposition toward a channel to his/her actual use of the channel in the context of information and channel supply-and-demand structures in the organization. An exploratory study of the dispositions of 186 users of ten management information system (MIS) reports in four organizational settings provides limited evidence in support of the model proposed.     

物联网环境下企业组织管理特征、问题与方法

随着物联网、人工智能、智慧城市等万物互联的智能时代来临，在上世纪大规模生产背景下及其之后互联网背景下产生的传统管理学理论，面临着新的挑战，为此，本文以物流行业为应用对象，提出物联网环境下企业组织管理新问题和方法。首先分析了物联网系统和环境的基本特征，然后从结构、流程、行为和宏观环境四个方面，分析了企业在物联网系统、技术和物联网环境下企业组织所具有的特征和性能。基于这些分析，从组织的结构、流程、行为和运作四个方面，提出了物联网环境下企业组织管理研究的科学问题和新的研究方法。为物联网环境或智能环境下企业组织管理研究提供了思路并指出了发展方向。     

Self-Efficacy Beliefs and Sales Performance

Self-efficacy theory predicts that people will perform better when they believe they have the skills necessary for success. It also suggests, however, that believing in long-term rewards for success ("response-outcome expectations") does not correlate with adequate performance. This paper supports the generality of self-efficacy theory and provides evidence that self-efficacy beliefs predict insurance sales performance, whereas response-outcome expectations did not. A questionnaire was developed to measure self-efficacy beliefs and response-outcome expectations using 200 insurance sales representatives. Regression analyses were computed on a different sample of 97 insurance sales representatives using four separate dependent variables (calls-per-week; number of policies sold; sales revenue and a composite performance index on which actual sales commission was based). (1) These analyses established a correlation (but no causal relationship) between self-efficacy beliefs and sales performance. (2) The generality of self-efficacy theory in a business setting is suggested by the relationship between self-efficacy and objective measures of sales performance. (3) The relevance of these results, and the importance of integrating them into the practice of organizational behavior modification is discussed.     

Planning for technology as a corporate resource: a strategic classification

This paper describes a classification of business identities based on the double dichotomy of doing vs thinking and product vs capacity. Successful business units, in the sense of social units having their own style and shared values, tend to fit into one of the four basic identities: License Giver, License Taker, Jobber or Consultant. Conversely, a mixture of these in one unit tends to lead to a lack of clear identity, organizational stress and lack of strategic impact. Related organizational dilemma's can be resolved by restructing the organization according to the four basic identities of the strategic classification.     

Reconciling situational social psychology with virtue ethics

For the past four decades, debate has occurred in respect of situational social psychology and virtue ethics. This paper attempts to reconcile this debate. Situationists propose a fragmentation theory of character (each person has a whole range of dispositions, each of which has a restricted situational application) and do not subscribe to a regularity theory of character (behaviour is regulated by long‐term dispositions). In order to support this view, they cite a number of experiments. It is proposed that the substantive claims made by situationist social psychologists, for the most part, do not undermine or disagree with an Aristotelian virtue ethics perspective, but stem from a misunderstanding of concepts of moral character, faulty conclusions and generalizations in respect of experimental results. Situationists take a narrow view of character and morality. Evidence from organizational behaviour and managerial research literature supports the view that both situational (organizational) features and inner characteristics (including virtues) are powerful influences and determinants of morally upright and morally deviant behaviour. The role of practical judgement in bridging these views is discussed. As a way forward in reconciling situational social psychology with virtue ethics, the paper proposes an Aristotelian–Thomistic framework to overcome some of the problems associated with inadequate regulative ideals in building a normative moral theory.     

The evolution of organizations and leadership from the ancient world to modernity: A multilevel approach to organizational science and leadership (OSL)

The purpose of this paper is to offer an initial theory, timeline, and taxonomy for discussing and researching the evolution of types of organizations and the concomitant context they provide for leadership. Specifically, leadership roles in the ancient world and modernity are contrasted and found to be almost diametrically opposed. To arrive at this conclusion, this work draws upon current extensions of evolutionary theory from biology and psychology to organizational studies and leadership (Yammarino & Dansereau, 2011). This framework is then contrasted with Kellerman (2012) who calls for an end to leadership studies. The question this paper attempts to address is: from a multi-level perspective, how have evolutionary changes in the types of commercial organizational structures led to differing dominant leadership styles? Without having to call for an end to leadership studies, an understanding of ancient forms of organization can lend insight into a number of contemporary business and geopolitical conflicts where tribalism is a factor.     

The Two Faces of Voluntary Disclosure: Quality Improvement and Organizational Learning from Self‐reported Problems

Research suggests the promise of voluntary self‐reporting, given that organizational quality can be difficult to monitor. However, I explore opposing theoretical arguments regarding its impact. On one hand, self‐reported problems may motivate intensive investigation, resulting in subsequent improvement. However, self‐reports may instead represent relatively superficial impression management efforts, and their value to organizational performance may be more dubious. Associated hypotheses are tested on a longitudinal panel of nursing homes. Findings suggest that self‐reports generally detract from performance except when they are reinforced by other, complementary forms of experience. Contributions to organizational learning theory, institutional theory and regulatory policy are discussed.     

Environmental regulatory influence and product innovation: the contingency effects of organizational characteristics

This paper examines the relationship between environmental regulatory influence and product innovation in a multi-industry sample of manufacturing organizations. Our theory argues that the influence of environmental regulation on the level of product innovation in a manufacturing organization is at least partially contingent on the organization's internal characteristics—in particular, its structural flexibility and production process flexibility. Hypotheses are derived from our theory and tested, and the results are consistent with the conclusion that structural flexibility and production process flexibility moderate the environmental regulatory influence–product innovation relationship. Whether environmental regulation inhibits or promotes product innovation seems to depend at least in part on certain internal features of an organization. We discuss implications of our results for future organization studies research on environmental regulation, and for research on other types of external constraints on organizational performance.     

The EO in OBM

Abstract

Olson, Laraway, and Austin (2001) propose an increased emphasis on the establishing operation in organizational behavior management. Their proposal raises interesting questions about theory, science, and practice. (1) What should be the role of theory in behavior analysis? (2) Should we try to find problems that match our solutions or vice versa ? (3) What is the relative importance of the establishing operation and the performance-management contingency in managing organizational behavior? (4) Should theory and basic research be more informed by the issues raised in applied settings?     

Zwischen den Zeilen der Organisation

Between the lines of an organization. On postmodern thinking and its impact on organization theory and consultancyFollowing the discursive concept of postmodernism introduced by Jean-François Lyotard, this paper focuses on the impact of postmodern thinking (understood as a theory of difference) for organization theory and consultancy. Crucial for an application are basic organizational differences, like the relationship between formal and informal organization. By drawing on this difference this paper exemplifies that the main interest of postmodern thinking for our conceptual idea of organizations lies in a modified understanding and analysis of such fundamental organizational distinctions. Finally the implications of this postmodern understanding of organizations are outlined for the field of organization consultancy.     

基于信息度量的企业组织系统协同性评价

提出组织协同性一些新的概念和理论;建立了评价组织协同性指标体系;定义了企业组织系统固有协同性、应变协同性、管理层次、管理跨度、关系集合结构、关系水平、协同跨度、协同轨迹、协同机制、协同方式、协同职能幅度、职能凝聚度、协同效率等协同性参量.同时应用管理熵理论的基本原理,拓展了复杂性理论结构学派的研究方法应用于组织系统协同性运行度量尺度建模、量化评价、理论方法研究,从协同结构、协同方式和协同功能等多维度建立协同性熵信息评价数学模型,给出适应于非同维度协同问题求解的降维方法,并结合企业协同管理活动进行了应用与实证研究.     

和谐管理理论及其应用思考

激烈的组织生存竞争、复杂的组织管理问题都要求管理理论给出应对不确定性的、综合的、整体的策略,和谐管理理论应运而生.首先,介绍和谐管理理论的基本思想,即它是针对多变环境下复杂管理问题的解决学,它以"和谐主题"作为管理分析的基本出发点,以人与物的互动以及人与系统的自治性和能动性为前提,围绕"和谐主题",以"和则"与"谐则"的耦合互动来应对管理问题,提高组织绩效.其次,阐明理论的定位并探讨了理论的范式特征,进而提出了一种和谐管理理论的应用操作模式.最后,说明了和谐管理理论的现实应用价值在于提供一种宏观层次、动态发展的全局视野;促进对组织整体基于生成论哲学的复杂性思维;为解释复杂的管理现象提供操作意义上的规范模式;为复杂管理问题的处理提供系统的方法论体系和整合工具.     

Theories of the Firm–Market Boundary

A central role of the entrepreneur-manager is assembling a strategic bundle of complementary assets and activities, either existing or foreseen, which when combined create value for the firm. This process of creating value, however, requires managers to assess which activities should be handled by the market and which should be handled within hierarchy. Indeed, for more than 40 years, economists, sociologists and organizational scholars have extensively examined the theory of the firm's central question: what determines the boundaries of the firm? Many alternative theories have emerged and are frequently positioned as competing explanations, often with no shortage of critique for one another. In this paper, we review these theories and suggest that the core theories that have emerged to explain the boundary of the firm commonly address distinctly different directional forces on the firm boundary—forces that are tightly interrelated. We specifically address these divergent, directional forces—as they relate to organizational boundaries—by focusing on four central questions. First, what are the virtues of markets in organizing assets and activities? Second, what factors drive markets to fail? Third, what are the virtues of integration in organizing assets and activities? Fourth, what factors drive organizations to fail? We argue that a complete theory of the firm must address these four questions and we review the relevant literature regarding each of these questions and discuss extant debates and the associated implications for future research.     

组织公民行为与员工绩效的相关性分析

组织公民行为虽然是员工的一种职责外行为,但因发生在工作过程中,从而对员工工作绩效有一定的影响。通过以“利于组织”和“利于他人”2种行为倾向为基本维度,将组织公民行为细分为理想员工、忠诚员工、交际型员工、个性化员工4种类型。然后,实证研究得出以下结论: 组织公民行为与员工工作绩效成正相关关系;4类组织公民行为对员工绩效有不同程度的影响。     

Transforming Public Organizations into Learning Organizations: A Conceptual Model

The concepts of organizational learning and learning organizations have gained popularity in recent organization theory literature as complementary subjects. So far majority of studies on these issues focused on the relationship between organizational learning and its ultimate consequences such as increased innovative capacity, increased productivity, and higher competitive advantage of organizations. Nevertheless, many researchers examined the processes of organizational learning from the standpoint of private enterprises, paying little attention to the dynamics of organizational learning in public sector. This paper is aimed to fill this gap by introducing and discussing the basic constituents of a novel conceptual model which demonstrates the relevant steps in transforming of public organizations into learning organizations.     

转型背景下企业有效应对组织复杂性的机理研究

如何借助不同类型的组织复杂性为企业创造效能已成为当前理论界及实践界研究的热点.本文基于文献研究提出了不同组织复杂性与组织效能的关系及影响这一关系的复杂适应性机理的假设.实证研究表明,转型经济环境下,结构复杂性与组织效能存在倒U型曲线关系,战略复杂性与组织效能存在U型曲线关系,目标复杂性与组织效能存在倒U型曲线关系;在复杂适应性的五个维度中,动态适应在组织复杂性与组织效能关系中起完全中介作用;自组学习及自主创新在这一关系中起部分中介作用;自发变革和柔性协作的中介作用不显著.研究结论对企业有效应对组织复杂性有重要指导意义.     

Building an integral metatheory of management

The increasing fragmentation of organization theory seems not to be responding to the challenges and complexities of organizations and society. This article contends that integral theory can make an important contribution to our discipline and presents a metatheory that integrates all previous organizational knowledge in an integral, balanced and non-marginalizing framework. Using metatriangulation techniques it reviews management and organization theories, classifies them according to their underlying paradigms and integrates them in a new metatheory. The resulting theory called “3D Management” maintains that there are 3 basic and irreducible dimensions of management: science, arts and ethics which refer respectively to the techno-economical, the aesthetic-emotional and the moral aspects of organizational reality. The fourth management dimension, the spiritual dimension, integrates the Big Three in an essential unit and strives for unity and meaning. An assessment of the theory and a concluding discussion of its contributions and potential applications is provided.