Organization Theory Chapter1

The subject of organization theory can be said to deviate from other academic subjects in business administration. In what way?

• It is even more specialized and technically advanced compared to, for example, marketing and accounting.

• It is certainly theoretically advanced but lacks the practical relevance that, for example, marketing and accounting has.

• It is certainly a specialized discipline, but it is also about how other subjects and its practical applications can be integrated into a functional whole.

• It is not a specialized discipline. It rather concerns how other subjects and its practical applications can be integrated into a functioning whole.

Given the currently dominant popular picture of successful business, it is easy to miss the following basic function that all organizations can be said to fill.

• They stabilize, discipline and control human behaviour.

• They dissolve sluggishness and stimulate creativity.

• They increase diversity and create more free societies.

• They exploit nature and make people unhappy.

One of the following activities can complicate critical thinking and re-framing - Which?

• Work in new, alien contexts.

• The choice to apply a theory that is previously unknown to the analyst.

• Long and in-depth studies of theory/perspective that you like and recognize yourself in.

• Long and in-depth studies of theory/perspective one initially finds difficult for.

Theory-driven analysis can be an efficient way to re-frame empirical impressions and to stimulate critical thinking. But some analytical strategies can rather lead to a reduced ability to re-frame and instead stimulate narrow-mindedness. Which analytical strategy does not stimulate re-framing and risks increasing narrow-mindedness?

• That you analyse a phenomenon with a theory that you have expertise in.

• That you analyse a phenomenon with a theory you dislike.

• That you analyse a phenomenon with several different theories.

• That you analyse a phenomenon with theories that are not usually used in analysing this phenomenon.

According to the first chapter of the textbook, the four basic frameworks can be divided into two main groups. Which of the following alternatives name these two groups:

• 'Modern' and 'postmodern'.

• 'Modern' and 'contemporary'.

• 'Normative' and 'subjective'.

• 'Normative' and 'explanatory'.

In the first chapter of the textbook, the following figure is interpreted as representing completely different things. Which of the following alternatives is NOT one of these interpretations?

• It represents a three-dimensional cube.

• It represents a so-called panopticon.

• It represents an umbrella from above.

• It represents an army tent from above.