Abstracts » Business, general

Toward a stewardship theory of management

Article Abstract:

Recent thinking about top management has been influenced by alternative models of man. Economic approaches to governance such as agency theory tend to assume some form of homo-economicus, which depict subordinates as individualistic, opportunistic, and self-serving. Alternatively, sociological and psychological approaches to governance such as stewardship theory depict subordinates as collectivists, pro-organizational, and trustworthy. Through this research, we attempt to reconcile the differences between these assumptions by proposing a model based upon the subordinate's psychological attributes and the organization's situational characteristics. (Reprinted by permission of the publisher.)

Organizational behavior, Agency theory

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The ethereal hand: organizational economics and management theory

Article Abstract:

Organizational economics, as a newer theory, has the potential to make a constructive contribution to management theory. Nevertheless, there are several inherent problems regarding its narrow model of human motivation and behavior, its negative moral characterization of managers, and its methodological individualist bias. One solution is to embrace the positive approach of the original economic formulations. The potentialities and pitfalls of organizational economics are illustrated by reference to matrix organization structures, vertical disintegration in insurance organizations, and corporate governance. (Reprinted by permission of the publisher.)

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A rational basis for criticisms of organizational economics: a reply to Barney

Article Abstract:

Contrary to Barney (1990) in his reply to Donaldson (1990), this article points out that the strength of criticism of organizational economics lies in part in apprehensions about its deleterious effects upon management theory. The article also argues that there is continuing reason to doubt that organizational economics readily lends itself to synthesis with traditional management theory. The issues of the narrowness of the motivational model in organizational economics and its offensiveness and the bias against systems-level analysis and against management are discussed. (Reprinted by permission of the publisher.)

Research, Barney, Jay

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