Blau's theory of structural differentiation revisited: A theory of structural change or scale?

Article Abstract:

Blau's theory of structural differentiation is a landmark in the field of organizational research and management. This theory has been tested before with inconclusive results. Cross-sectional analyses among organizations and within-organizations models lend support to the theory, as an explanation of scale, rather than change. Evidence suggests that the theory is able to explain differences of scale among organizations but is not proficient in explaining change within an organization. The theory assumes that the number of managers will increase proportionally with the growth of the organization, while findings indicate that after a certain level of growth, only marginal numbers of people are added to the organization.

Executives

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Community, population, and organization effects on innovation: a multilevel perspective

Article Abstract:

Two distinct themes emerge from the Special Research Forum on Innovation and Organizations. One group of articles develops an expanded view of the influence of context on organizations' ability to innovate. Together, the articles offer a complex multilevel view of context as including elements ranging from the dominant strategy of an organization to the social-psychological antecedents of creativity. A second group of articles provides a community and population perspective on the diffusion of innovations. We suggest the possibility of a union between the context and industry dynamics approaches. (Reprinted by permission of the publisher.)

Business, Innovations, Economic aspects, Community, Population

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Outcomes of federal court decisions on sexual harassment

Article Abstract:

This study examined the influence of nine case characteristics on the outcomes of federal court cases involving sexual harassment. Case characteristics that were related to the courts' decisions were the severity of the behavior involved, the presence of witnesses and documents, whether complainants had notified their companies of the harassment before filing charges, and whether the organizations had taken action. We compared findings to the results of a previous study involving harassment charges filed witht the Equal Employment Opportunities Commission. (Reprinted by permission of the publisher.)

Cases, Federal courts, Social policy, Sexual harassment, Employment discrimination

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