Organizational Systematics: Taxonomy, Evolution, Classification

Organizational Systematics: Taxonomy, Evolution, Classification explores the complex and underexplored domain of organizational differences, offering a groundbreaking framework for understanding, classifying, and theorizing about the diverse forms of organizational populations. It emphasizes the critical role of systematics in establishing a structured foundation for empirical and theoretical advancements, likening its importance to that of classification systems in biology. The book introduces concepts such as the organizational species, evolutionary branching, and population ecology and calls for a paradigm shift in organizational science, advocating for a population perspective rooted in natural selection theory. It integrates evolutionary theory with empirical classification methods to inspire debate and foster new research methodologies that can address the challenges of diversity and variation in organizational forms.

Format: Hardback
Length: 528 pages
Publication date: 13 May 2022
Publisher: University of California Press

Organizational Systematics: Taxonomy, Evolution, Classification is a groundbreaking book that explores the complex and underexplored domain of organizational differences. The author positions organizational systematics as an essential yet overlooked discipline, drawing compelling parallels with biological taxonomy to build a systematic approach for organizational science. The book emphasizes the critical role of systematics in establishing a structured foundation for empirical and theoretical advancements, likening its importance to that of classification systems in biology, which have historically underpinned progress in the natural sciences.

The text serves as both a theoretical treatise and a practical guide for researchers interested in the evolutionary and ecological dynamics of organizations. Through a synthesis of insights from biology and organizational studies, the book introduces concepts such as the organizational species, evolutionary branching, and population ecology. It calls for a paradigm shift in organizational science, advocating for a population perspective rooted in natural selection theory. By integrating evolutionary theory with empirical classification methods, the book aims to inspire debate and foster new research methodologies that can address the challenges of diversity and variation in organizational forms.

This innovative work is part of UC Press's Voices Revived program, which commemorates the University of California Press's mission to seek out and cultivate the brightest minds in the field.

The book begins by examining the historical development of organizational systematics, tracing its roots back to the early 20th century when scholars began to recognize the importance of studying organizations as complex systems. It then explores the various approaches to organizational systematics, including the functionalist, structuralist, and evolutionary perspectives.

One of the key concepts in organizational systematics is the organizational species. The author defines the organizational species as a group of individuals who share a common set of goals, values, and behaviors and who interact with each other in a structured manner. The species concept is similar to the biological species concept, but it is applied to organizations rather than to living organisms.

The book then explores the evolutionary dynamics of organizations. It discusses the process of evolutionary branching, which occurs when organizations split into new species due to environmental changes. The author argues that evolutionary branching is a critical process for the survival of organizations and that it can lead to the development of new and innovative forms of organization.

The book also discusses the population ecology of organizations. Population ecology is the study of the distribution and abundance of organisms in a given environment. The author applies the population ecology concept to organizations, arguing that organizations are subject to the same ecological forces that affect other organisms.

One of the challenges of organizational systematics is the lack of empirical data. The author argues that this lack of data is due to the fact that organizations are complex and dynamic systems that are difficult to study. However, the author also argues that there is a growing body of empirical data that can be used to study organizational systematics.

The book concludes by discussing the implications of organizational systematics for organizational theory and practice. The author argues that organizational systematics can help us to better understand the dynamics of organizations and to develop more effective strategies for managing and leading organizations.

In conclusion, Organizational Systematics: Taxonomy, Evolution, Classification is a groundbreaking book that explores the complex and underexplored domain of organizational differences. The author positions organizational systematics as an essential yet overlooked discipline, drawing compelling parallels with biological taxonomy to build a systematic approach for organizational science. The book emphasizes the critical role of systematics in establishing a structured foundation for empirical and theoretical advancements, likening its importance to that of classification systems in biology. The text serves as both a theoretical treatise and a practical guide for researchers interested in the evolutionary and ecological dynamics of organizations. By integrating evolutionary theory with empirical classification methods, the book aims to inspire debate and foster new research methodologies that can address the challenges of diversity and variation in organizational forms. This innovative work is part of UC Press's Voices Revived program, which commemorates the University of California Press's mission to seek out and cultivate the brightest minds in the field.

Weight: 907g
Dimension: 234 x 156 x 33 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780520360952