Aims

Learning outcomes

•    Be familiar with the studies of the relationship between business strategy and structure, such as Chandler's (1962) classic, which

   pervade the organisation theory and business literature;
•    Understand the structure/strategy debate, enabling a questioning of assumptions about formal rationality and strategy as

   planning, moving on to Mintzberg's idea of emergent strategy and, more radically, Weick's enactment view of sense making in
   strategy;
•    Appreciate interdisciplinary comparisons, such as Williamson's notion of organisation as a response to market failure and

   Chandler's view oforganisations as a response to market pressure;
•    Explore the idea of technological determinism of organisational strucutre, particularly in the context of information technology;
•    Understand the debate betweencontingency theories of organisation and the idea of a universal, one best way, global best

   practice or lean production method.

Reading Lists