ABSTRACT
The author's experience of applying the social sciences in organizations must be unique. Her work is grounded in research but much of her professional activity has been in application, combining the methods and findings of research with an understanding of dynamics in working with organizations. Moving between research and practice she has, for nearly forty years, pursued the aim of rendering the social sciences useful and practical in organizational life. This collection of papers brings together wide-ranging material that is highly relevant to today's world, whilst also providing a useful historical overview of the field. The links between research, policy and practice are brought vividly to life, the many examples creating a thread that connects theory with operational reality. The author provides an insightful and significant theory of practice, developed through vignettes of her work and experience that make this a very readable and engaging book.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
chapter 1|22 pages
Introduction—the context
part I|40 pages
Organization Research and Diagnosis
chapter 2|15 pages
Prescription and rationality in management control
chapter 3|23 pages
Theories of organization—a framework for diagnosis
part II|28 pages
Some Activities in the Field
chapter 4|12 pages
The Esso story
chapter 5|7 pages
Some episodes from the field
chapter 6|7 pages
Freightliners Ltd
part III|53 pages
Bouncing Against the Context
chapter 8|9 pages
Social science as a threat to society
chapter 9|11 pages
Problems of context: a fiasco
part IV|75 pages
Concepts, Reflections, Methods
chapter 11|21 pages
On the utilization and diffusion of social science
chapter 12|22 pages
Elements of practice 1: vision and competence
chapter 13|11 pages
Elements of practice 2: infrastructure and institutionalization
chapter 14|19 pages
Three examples of transitional interventions
part V|25 pages
Relating Scientific and Professional Development