Morgan, Gareth : York University

"An inspiration for the creative tutor. . . . and an excellent fund of knowledge and information for the teacher in the disciplines of business, management, and organizational theory. The book contains mindstretching and broadening ways of enhancing the thinking processes of anyone engaged in the study of organizations--a subject which otherwise provokes much yawning and other signs of boredom. The author provides much-needed refreshment and is revolutionary in his approach."

--Simulation/Games for Learning

"A rich complement to primary management texts, especially Morgan's provocative Images of Organization. Although the book's focus is private sector, the perspectives of organization are universal and translation to the public sector is smooth. Creative Organization Theory particularly is imaginative in challenging students to abandon set ways of thinking using a rich mix of 'mind stretching' exercises, diverse articles, and stimulating cases."

--Robert Mier, University of Illinois, Chicago

"This resourcebook contains ideas, stories, cases, exercises, and pieces of information that will help the reader gain a broadbased understanding of the nature and function of modern organizations. . . . Very useful for teaching, as well as being a good read for those with a particular interest in this important subject."

--Long Range Planning

Sage Puiblications Incorporated Web Site, September, 2000

Gareth Morgan believes that examining organizations and management should be interesting, creative, practical, challenging and directly relevant to the needs of all students of organization and management. In an ingenious and utterly delightful selection of organizational "stories," Morgan presents unique insights drawn from actual corporate (as well as nonprofit, public, and institutional) experience. These carefully chosen examples illustrate both organizational success and failures . . . because we can learn from both! These "stories" offer the depth and breadth of perspective we have come to expect from Morgan's insightful and often witty framework of organizational analysis. And, they are interwoven with excerpts from many of the "classics" in organizational literature.

His aptly-named "Mindstretchers" entices the reader to expand his or her personal repertoire of approaches to the understanding of and solutions to organizational problems and challenges.

For instructors in the field of organizational studies who wish to have a broad and creative resource for their courses, this book is a resource you will use and reuse for many years to come.

Followed by cases and exercises--again drawn from both private and public sectors--that challenge us to view organizations in new and different ways, Creative Organization Theory will undoubtedly prove to be a truly "mindstretching" book! This exciting and enjoyable volume is one you'll turn to frequently.

Part I. Mindstretchers

1. Flexibility and Intelligence
2. What is This?
3. The Need For A Tool Chest
4. Framing and Reframing: Seeing the Same Situation In Different Ways
5. What Is This?
6. Using Your "Right Brain"
7. We Learn How To See
8. What is a Paintbrush?
9. What is Truth?
10. Different Assumptions and Organizing Principles Generate Different Designs
11. Developing Multiple Interpretations
12. Understanding Different Viewpoints
13. Escaping From Dominant Ideas
14. Interpreting Patterns, Boundaries and Constraints
15. What is An Organization?
16. Viewing Your Organization as if You Are a Vistor From a Foreign Land
17. Where's The Customer
18. Some Thought Patterns
19. Today's Solutions Shape Tomorrow's Problems
20. Mindstretchers -- Ideas and Solutions

Part II. Readings, Stories and Other Resources

21. The Evolution of Organization Theory
22. Max Weber's Concept of Bureaucracy
23. Taylor, Schmidt and Scientific Management
24. How To Kill Creativity
25. Working Under Mechanized Systems of Production
26. Computers and the Mechanization of Intellectual Work
27. From Bureaucracies to Networks: The Emergence of New Organizational Forms
28. Organization Design: An Information Processing Perspective
29. Organizational Technologies
30. Organizational Environments
31. The Emergence of Turbulent Environments
32. The Contingency Approach: Analyzing Relations Between Organization and Environment
33. Differentiation and Integration: One of the Paradoxes of Management
34. Collective Strategy: The Management of Interorganizational Relations
35. Tit for Tat: A Strategy for Cooperation and Survival
36. Organization and Environment: Adaptation or Selection
37. Do Organizations "Enact" Their Environments?
38. Organizational Growth and Development
39. Just in Time Systems of Management
40. Japanese Management: The Art of Self-Regulation
41. The Challenger Disaster: A Case of Discouraged Feedback?
42. Information and Misinformation: Some Unintended Consequences of Performance Controls
43. Collaboration and Control
44. Peopleless Factories
45. Peopleless Offices
46.Team-Based Manufacturing: Digital Tries the Bossless System
47. Growing Large While Staying Small
48. Organizational Learning
49. Innovating Organizations: The Case of 3M
50. Culture: A Complex and Subtle Language
51. Corporate Culture and Core Values
52. Corporate Culture: The Role of Stories
53. Transformational Leadership
54. The Tandem Corporation: A Successful Corporate Culture?
55. Servicemaster: Combining Vision and Control
56. Life on the Fast Lane at Datsun
57. Apple Computer and the Politics of Change
58. Politics at Work
59. Some Sources of Organizational Conflict
60. A Perspective on Conflict Management
61. Decision-Making in Conflict Situations
62. Managing Intergroup Conflict
63. Rational for Whom?
64. Powerless Power?
65. Gender and Corporate Politics
66. Game-Playing and the Psychodynamics of Organizational Life
67. Groupthink: The Problems of Conformity
68. Some Unconscious Aspects of Organization
69. The Destructive Side of Technological Development
70. Unfolding Contradictions
71. The Bhopal Disaster
72. "Hooked" on Work
73. The Not-Enough World of Work

Part III. Cases and Exercises

74. American Football: A Case of Mechanistic Organization?
75. Charlie Chaplin's Modern Times
76. Eagle Smelting
77. A Visit to McDonald's
78. Judging the Degree of Fit Between Organization and Environment
79. The Paradoxical Twins: Acme & Omega Electronics
80. Scholar Educational Products Inc.
81. The Changing Structure of Financial Services
82. Organizations Often Obstruct Learning
83. Product X
84. Arnold: The Paradox of Creativity
85. Understanding The Culture of Your Organization
86. Perfection or Bust
87. The Creation and Destruction of the Order of Maria Theresa
88. Sink or Swim: Reflections on a Corporate Training Program
89. The Nomizu Sake Company
90. The University as a Political System
91. The Fortress Insurance Company
92. Rainbow Financial Services
93. Global Inc: A Roleplay
94. How Politicized is Your Organization?
95. Pluralist Management
96. Meetings, Meetings, Meetings
97. The Sunnyvale Youth Centre
98. Conflict at Riverside
99. The Handgrenade
100. Jersey Packers
101. The Department of Information Services
102. Quality Coop
103. Who Builds the Dillworth Extension?
104. The Lakeside Literary Magazine
105. A New Direction for the Upstage Theatre
106. Tipdale Engineering
107. Visibility, Autonomy, Relevance and Relationships: Four Factors Shaping Power and Influence
108. Final Offer
109. Problems in the Machine Shop
110. Profit and Organizations: A Story of Exploitation?