Alan C. Filley

Characteristics and Measurement of an Organizational Typology

An organizational typology based on three adaptive strategies is described, and studies designed to test the validity of the associated theory and of its predictions, for both manufacturing and ret...

Teaching Organizational Behavior: Current Patterns and Implications

During the 1976-77 academic year, the Organizational Behavior Division of the Academy of Management established an Academic Program Committee to investigate the domain of Organizational Behavior, the methods of teaching it in the colleges of business, and means for improving its curricula. Eighteen universities were selected for examination because they were known to have highly rated programs and/or were known to have recent changes in OB offerings (Blau and Margulies, 1975; Brooker and Shinoda, 1976; Carter, 1977; Margulies and Blau, 1973). Faculty members at each institution were contacted and asked to trade responses to a semistructured interview

Decisions and Research in Staff Utilization

The article discusses research related to staff utilization and development in 1963. One trend in staffing is the development of strategic business units. The primary mission of a unit is distingui...

Elite Structure and Attitudes: An Empirical Analysis of Adoption Behavior

The decision to adopt innovative proposals is typically made by the organizational elite. A review of the literature suggests three categories of independent variables related to the adoption behavior of elites: innovation proneness, adoption potential, and problem severity. Innovation proneness refers to the degree to which various characteristics of the elite facilitate the acceptance of change-size, differentiation, integration, formalization, security, accountability, resources, and perceived innovativeness. Adoption potential is concerned with the degree to which various attributes of the proposal facilitate the elites acceptance-fragility, flexibility, confidence, administrative complexity, communicability, source legitimacy, and so on. Problem severity refers to the degree of tension within the elite that emanates from the issue area to which the proposal is addressed. Data were collected in a field setting from 33 elites; their adoption behavior was then analyzed in light of the a priori propositions presented. Results of this analysis and their implications are discussed.

Collective Judgement: A Judgemental Process for Planning and Analysis

This article describes a judgemental process used for planning and analysis. This process, called “collective judgement”, involves extensive search of diverse sources and points of view, followed by a synthesis of such information for learning. The discussion which follows provides examples of such judgements, contrasts collective judgement with common task or group dimensions outside its domain and, finally, identifies elements in the process.

Book Reviews : M. Leontiades: Strategies for Diversification and Change 1980, Boston: Little Brown. 200pp

to solve planning or structuring problems. Following a historical discussion about different forms of mergers, the author seeks an explanation for acquisitions which are seemingly of little benefit if judged by conventional goals of compatible products or markets or by economies from merged functions. Here the attempted justification for conglomerate mergers changes to an author’s strategy not a corporate strategy of