Session 02: Behavioral Theory of Organizational Decision Making and Learning

Topics

Scott & Davis organize the OMT literature into rational, natural and open systems perspectives of organizations. The Carnegie School of Simon, Cyert and March, was influential in introducing a rational behavioral perspective of organizations. The required readings examine this Carnegie perspective on organizational decision making and learning.

• Prof. Van de Ven’s Class Slides and Notes on Organizational Rationality.

• Behavioral theory class discussion slides by Jones & Pankaj

Required Readings

• March & Simon (1958) “Organizations,” Chpt. 6, pp.136-171

• March (1991) “Exploration and exploitation in organizational learning,” OS, 2: 71-87.

• Gavetti & Levinthal (2000), “Looking forward and looking backward: Cognitive and experimental search,” ASQ, 45: 113-137

• Feldman & Pentland (2003), “Reconceptualizing organizational routines as a source of flexibility and change,” ASQ. 48: 94-118.

• Benner, M.J. and M. Tushman, 2002. Process management and technological innovation: A longitudinal study of the photography and paint industries. ASQ, 47, 676-706

Supplementary Readings (Some are covered in MGMT 8402 course)

• Scott & Davis (2007) “Organizations: Rational, natural, and open systems,” Chpt. 8, pp. 183-219.

• Cyert & March (1963), “Behavioral Theory of the Firm,” chpts. 1-3 & 11, pp. 1-43 & 268-297

• Simon (1964) "On the Concept of Organizational Goal," ASQ.

• Thompson & Tuden (1959) "Strategies, Structures, and Processes of Organization Decision."

• Allison (1971) “Essence of Decision: Explaining the Cuban Missile Crisis," Boston, MA: Little Brown.

• Cohen, March, & Olsen (1972) "A Garbage Can Model of Organizational Choice," ASQ, 17: 1-25.

• March & Lindblom (1981) "Decision Making Perspective," Chpt. 5 in Van de Ven and Joyce book.

• Masuch (1985) "Vicious Circles in Organizations," ASQ, 30: 14-33.

• Nutt (1984) "Types of Organizational Decision Processes," ASQ, 29: 414-450.

• Bromiley (2005) “ The Behavioral Foundations of Strategic Mgmt Research,” Blackwell, Chpt 2, pp. 17-39.

• Organization Science special issue on Behavioral Theory of the Firm, vo. 18, no. 3 (2007)

• Gavetti, Levinthal & Ocasio (2007) “Neo-Carnegie:…Reconstructive for the future,” Org. Sci. 18, 3: 523-536.

• Argote & Greve (2007) “A Behavioral Theory of the Firm – 40 Years and counting,” Org Sci, 18, 3: 337-349.

• Zbaracki & Bergen, (2010), “When truces collapse: A longitudinal study of price-adjustment routines,” lOrg. Sci. 21: 955-972.

Supplementary Readings on Learning and Knowledge

• • Levitt & March (1988) "Organizational Learning," Annual Review of Sociology" 14, pp. 319-338.

  • Cohen & Levinthal, (1990), “Absorptive Capacity: A new perspective on learning and innovation,” ASQ, 35: 128-152.

  • Walsh (1995) “Managerial and Org Cognition: Notes from a Trip Down Memory Lane,” OS, 6, 3: 280-321.

  • March (1999) “The Pursuit of Organizational Intelligence,” Malden, MA: Blackwell.

  • Huber (1991) "Organizational learning: The contributing processes and the literature," OS, 2: 88-115.

  • March & Olsen (1975) "The Uncertainty of the Past: Org. Learning Under Ambiguity," Eur Jnl of Political Res. 3.

  • Van de Ven & Polley (1992) "Learning While Innovating" Organization Science, 3: 92-116.

  • Garud & Van de Ven (1992) “Empirical Evaluation of Internal Corp. Venturing,” SMJ, 13: 93-109.

  • Cheng & Van de Ven (1996) “Learning the Innovation Journey: Order out of chaos?” Org. Science, 7, 6: 593-614.

  • Cohen, & Sproull (Eds.) (1996) "Organizational Learning," Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

  • Brown & Duguid (1991) “Org. Learning and Communities-of-Practice," Organization Science, 2, 1.

  • Nonaka & Takeuchi (1995) “The Knowledge-Creating Company,” NY: Oxford.

  • Argote (1999) “Organizational Learning: Creating, Retaining, and Transferring Knowledge,” Boston: Kluwer.

  • Argote & Ingram (2000) “Know. Transfer: A Basis for Compet. Advant.” Org Beh. & Hum. Dec. Proc., 82: 150-169.

  • Organization Science special issue on knowledge, knowing, and organizations, Vol. 13, 3 (May-June, 2002).

  • Greve (2003), “Organizational learning from performance feedback: A behavioral perspective on innovation and change,” NY: Cambridge Univ. Press. Book review by Ryan, ASQ, 49: 490-493.

  • Crossan, Lane & White (1999), “An organizational learning framework: from intuition to institution,” AMR, 24: 522-537.

  • Crossan, Maurer, & White, (2011), "Reflections on the 2009 AMR decade award: Do we have a theory of organizational learning?” 36: 446-460.

  • Garud, Dunbar, & Bartel (2011), “Dealing with unusual experiences: A narrative perspective on organizational learning,” Org. Sci. 22: 587-601.