Resources: Main Page | Research Methods (A) | Major Theories (B) | Issues and Contemporary Topics (C) | Professional Education (D)
Aisle B (Major Theories): Classical Theories (BA) | Org. Behavior – Individual (BB) | Contingency Theories (BC) | Org. Development & Change (BD) | Org. Behavior – Groups & Teams (BG) | Human Relations Theories (BH) | Institution Theories (BI) | Leadership Theories (BL) | Postmodern & Critical Theories (BQ) | Org. Behavior – Systems & Culture (BS) | Prominent Schools (BZ)
Rack BZ (Prominent Schools): Carnegie-Mellon School | Aston School | Chicago School
What constitutes a “prominent school of thought” in organization studies? The answer is probably subjective, but undoubtedly some schools stand out as renowned major contributors. One might consider an “important school of thought” to have the following factors (but your perspective may differ): (a) multiple leading scholars associated with a single university or geographic locations, who (b) pursued a multitude of research efforts in disparate (yet typically related) topics, and (c) whose scholarship has had long-lasting impact on the field.
“Schools of Thought” Based on Physical Schools
Two schools covered in the Talking About Organizations Podcast are the Carnegie-Mellon School and the Aston School. The Carnegie-Mellon School of thought is important for organization studies because it introduced a more nuanced, behavioral, and decision-oriented approach to understanding organizations. This school of thought, which emerged primarily in the 1950s and 1960s at Carnegie Institute of Technology (now Carnegie Mellon University), was a critical departure from earlier, mechanistic views of organizations. Its most influential contributions came from scholars like Herbert Simon, James March, and Richard Cyert.
Meanwhile, the Aston School of thought (see Episode 65) is an important and influential approach in organization studies, particularly for its pioneering focus on comparative research and the systematic study of organizational structure and design. Based at the Aston University in the UK in the 1960s and 1970s, the Aston School developed a distinctive perspective on how organizations are structured, how they function, and how their design impacts performance. It remains significant in the field for its contributions to understanding the relationship between organizational structure and organizational performance, as well as its emphasis on empirical research and the development of a more scientific, evidence-based approach to studying organizations.
The Chicago School is known for its emphasis on the social context of organizations and the role of human behavior in organizational settings. Scholars from the Chicago School include Robert E. Park and Erving Goffman who focused on how social interactions and cultural norms influence organizational life. Their work laid the groundwork for understanding organizations as social constructs shaped by their environments (Mahoney & Miller, 2017). We covered Goffman’s The Presentation of Self in Everyday Life in Episode 108.
The Stanford School is partly an extension of the Carnegie-Mellon School as it is also associated with Herbert Simon. James March emphasized decision-making processes within organizations. Their work on bounded rationality and the behavioral theory of the firm highlights how organizational decisions are influenced by cognitive limitations and social dynamics. This perspective has been foundational in understanding organizational behavior and the complexities of managerial decision-making (Argote & Greve, 2007; Cohen, 2007).
Other Schools of Thought
This is not meant to be a comprehensive list and many of these are subsumed under broader theoretical domains in other racks (links below).
The Systems School. This perspective views organizations as open systems that interact with their environments. It emphasizes the importance of understanding the interdependencies between various organizational components and their external contexts. Scholars like Ludwig von Bertalanffy and Kenneth Boulding contributed to this school by applying systems thinking to organizational analysis, highlighting the dynamic nature of organizations.
The Human Relations School. Emerging in response to the limitations of classical management theories, the Human Relations School emphasizes the importance of social factors and employee well-being in organizational effectiveness. Pioneered by scholars like Elton Mayo and Mary Parker Follett, this school focuses on the impact of group dynamics, motivation, and leadership on organizational performance (Shafi et al., 2021).
Critical Management Studies (CMS). This school challenges traditional management theories by questioning power dynamics, inequalities, and the socio-political context of organizations. CMS scholars aim to uncover hidden power structures and advocate for social justice within organizational settings. This perspective has gained traction in recent years, influencing discussions on diversity, equity, and inclusion in organizations (Arnaud & Vidaillet, 2017). CMS resources are included in Rack BQ (Postmodernism and Critical Studies).
Institutional Theory. This school examines how institutions—defined as regulative, normative, and culture cognitive practices that become rule-like in practice—shape organizational behavior. Scholars like W. Richard Scott and DiMaggio and Powell (see Episode 119) have contributed to this field by exploring how organizations adapt to institutional pressures and the processes of institutionalization and deinstitutionalization. See Rack BI (Institution Theory) for more information and resources on this school of thought.
There are certainly others worth considering for the honor of being a “prominent school.” Is your pick included on this page? Please let us know of your pick and why, and perhaps we can add it to the Resources pages!
Related TAOP Episodes, Events, and Notes
Available Resource Pages
Aisle B – Major Theoretical Perspectives and Schools
Rack BA — Classic Organization and Management Theory
Rack BB1 – Organizational Behavior (Micro-Individual)
Rack BB2 — Organizational Behavior (Meso-Groups and Teams)
Rack BB3 — Organizational Behavior (Macro-Org/System)
Rack BC — Contingency Theory
Rack BD — Organizational Design
Rack BI — Institution Theory
Rack BL — Leadership Theories
Rack BM – Modern Management Theories
Rack BQ — Postmodern and Critical Theories
Resources
Argote, L. and Greve, H. (2007). a behavioral theory of the firm—40 years and counting: introduction and impact. Organization Science, 18(3), 337-349. https://doi.org/10.1287/orsc.1070.0280
Arnaud, G. and Vidaillet, B. (2017). Clinical and critical: the lacanian contribution to management and organization studies. Organization, 25(1), 69-97. https://doi.org/10.1177/1350508417720021
Cohen, M. (2007). Perspective—administrative behavior: laying the foundations for Cyert and March. Organization Science, 18(3), 503-506. https://doi.org/10.1287/orsc.1070.0275
Mahoney, K. and Miller, T. (2017). Bringing new ideas to light: personnel research at general electric in the 1960s and 1970s.. The Psychologist-Manager Journal, 20(1), 1-17. https://doi.org/10.1037/mgr0000048
OpenAI. (2024). Apart from Carnegie-Mellon and the Aston School, what are the other major schools of thought that contributed significantly to organization studies. ChatGPT (November 2022 version) [Large Language Model].
Scite. (2024). Apart from Carnegie-Mellon and the Aston School, what are the other major schools of thought that contributed significantly to organization studies. Scite (April 2024 version) [Large Language Model].
Shafi, M., Iqbal, R., Shahzad, K., & Unterhitzenberger, C. (2021). The mediating role of project citizenship behavior in the relationship between organizational justice dimensions and project success. Project Management Journal, 52(6), 547-562. https://doi.org/10.1177/87569728211026423
Rack BZ (Prominent Schools): Carnegie-Mellon School | Aston School | Chicago School
Aisle B (Major Theories): Classical Theories (BA) | Org. Behavior – Individual (BB) | Contingency Theories (BC) | Org. Development & Change (BD) | Org. Behavior – Groups & Teams (BG) | Human Relations Theories (BH) | Institution Theories (BI) | Leadership Theories (BL) | Postmodern & Critical Theories (BQ) | Org. Behavior – Systems & Culture (BS) | Prominent Schools (BZ)
Resources: Main Page | Research Methods (A) | Major Theories (B) | Issues and Contemporary Topics (C) | Professional Education (D)