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A Future for Organization Theory: Living in and Living with Changing Organizations

Author

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  • James P. Walsh

    (Stephen M. Ross School of Business, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109-1234)

  • Alan D. Meyer

    (Charles H. Lundquist College of Business, University of Oregon, Eugene, Oregon 97403-1208)

  • Claudia Bird Schoonhoven

    (Paul Merage School of Business, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California 92697)

Abstract

We believe that the field of organization theory is adrift. In sailing jargon, we are “in irons”---stalled and making little headway toward understanding organizations and their place in our lives. We first attempt to diagnose our maladies and then, in this light, offer three broad research questions that just might reinvigorate our work: First, how can we understand today’s changing organizations? Second, how can we live in these organizations? And third, how can we best live with them? We close by calling attention to how our familiar approaches to building and testing theory might hamper any attempt to revitalize our field.

Suggested Citation

  • James P. Walsh & Alan D. Meyer & Claudia Bird Schoonhoven, 2006. "A Future for Organization Theory: Living in and Living with Changing Organizations," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 17(5), pages 657-671, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:inm:ororsc:v:17:y:2006:i:5:p:657-671
    DOI: 10.1287/orsc.1060.0215
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    2. Sarasvathy, Saras D., 2013. "MAZES without minotaurs: Herbert Simon and the sciences of the artificial," European Management Journal, Elsevier, vol. 31(1), pages 82-87.
    3. Heiko Spitzeck, 2009. "Organizational Moral Learning: What, If Anything, Do Corporations Learn from NGO Critique?," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 88(1), pages 157-173, August.
    4. Ludmilla Shkurti, 2016. "Structure, Strategy and Organizational Design in Albanian Context," European Journal of Multidisciplinary Studies Articles, Revistia Research and Publishing, vol. 1, January -.
    5. Nielsen, Kristian Roed, 2018. "Crowdfunding through a partial organization lens – The co-dependent organization," European Management Journal, Elsevier, vol. 36(6), pages 695-707.
    6. Mahoney, Joseph T. & McGahan, Anita M., 2006. "The Field of Strategic Management within the Evolving Science of Strategic Organization," Working Papers 06-0119, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, College of Business.
    7. Klein, Peter G. & Mahoney, Joseph T. & McGahan, Anita M. & Pitelis, Christos N., 2009. "Toward a Theory of Public Entrepreneurship," Working Papers 09-0106, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, College of Business.
    8. Robert Grant, 2013. "Reflections on knowledge-based approaches to the organization of production," Journal of Management & Governance, Springer;Accademia Italiana di Economia Aziendale (AIDEA), vol. 17(3), pages 541-558, August.
    9. Carl Senior & Nick Lee & Michael Butler, 2011. "PERSPECTIVE---Organizational Cognitive Neuroscience," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 22(3), pages 804-815, June.
    10. Donal Crilly & Pamela Sloan, 2014. "Autonomy or Control? Organizational Architecture and Corporate Attention to Stakeholders," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 25(2), pages 339-355, April.
    11. Margit Osterloh, 2007. "Psychologische Ökonomik: Integration statt Konfrontation," Schmalenbach Journal of Business Research, Springer, vol. 59(56), pages 82-111, January.
    12. Alain Desreumaux, 2008. "Refaire de la stratégie?," Revue Finance Contrôle Stratégie, revues.org, vol. 11(Special), pages 67-107, June.
    13. Busch, Timo, 2011. "Organizational adaptation to disruptions in the natural environment: The case of climate change," Scandinavian Journal of Management, Elsevier, vol. 27(4), pages 389-404.
    14. Ksenia Podoynitsyna & Hans Van der Bij & Michael Song, 2012. "The Role of Mixed Emotions in the Risk Perception of Novice and Serial Entrepreneurs," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 36(1), pages 115-140, January.
    15. Teerikangas, Satu & Colman, Helene Loe, 2020. "Theorizing in the qualitative study of mergers & acquisitions," Scandinavian Journal of Management, Elsevier, vol. 36(1).

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