City Research Online

Abstract

The research reported in this thesis details an integration of the three major streams of research: the Aston bureaucracy-oriented research; the Chandler-inspired strategy/structure research; and Khandwalla's stylistic-oriented research, using data collected in structured interviews with senior executives of 45 companies in the Electrical Engineering Industry in the United Kingdom.

Multivariate analysis of data collected resulted in a critical replication and extension of the Aston on National Studies on dimensions of organisational structure and their contextual predictors. The controversy over the relationships between centralisation and other bureaucratic characteristics was resolved by showing that decentralisation of tactical but not strategic decisions is associated with bureaucracy. Professional qualifications were also found to be a further aspect of bureaucracy, substantiating Weber's assertion that bureaucracy is a strategy of control based on knowledge. In addition, a bridge was constructed between the organisational behaviour and strategy/structure schools of thought by using an archetypal, ordinal scale of structural configuration.

The analysis of contextual predictors of organisational structure provided further empirical evidence in support of size as a major predictor of organisational structure and against the technological imperative. The range of contextual variables considered in the Aston Studies was extended by inclusion of a measure of technology of design and development, based on Perrow's conceptual model. This measure was shown to have good predictive power and was related to organisational complexity, qualifications and number of degree holders, independently of size.

Fifteen dimensions of management style were identified, using factor analysis of data based on Khandwalla's stylistic variables. The adoption of each style of management by the companies was shown to vary considerably depending on their contextual, i.e. situational, characteristics and extent of bureaucratisation.

The strategy/structure and organisational behaviour schools of research were integrated by relating strategy to degree of bureaucratisation, contextual variables and organisational styles. The strategy/structure linkage was found to be strong for this sample of companies, ranging in size from 45 to 17,000 employees. Moreover, strategy was more significantly correlated with size than with structure. In view of the association between size and structure, adoption of a multidivisional structure might thus be a response to larger size and greater complexity of product market posture.

Finally, in addition to 'structure', strategy was shown to be strongly related to all bureaucratic characteristics and the linkage found between strategy and structure, with the exception of size, was independent of other correlates of the latter.

Publication Type:	Thesis (Doctoral)
Subjects:	H Social Sciences > HB Economic Theory H Social Sciences > HF Commerce H Social Sciences > HM Sociology
Departments:	Bayes Business School > Bayes Business School Doctoral Theses Bayes Business School > Faculty of Management Doctoral Theses

Export

Downloads