ORGANIZATIONS AND SOCIAL-SYSTEMS - ORGANIZATION THEORY NEGLECTED MANDATE

We argue that the initial three-part mandate for organization theory c ontained study of (1) internal organization structure and process; (2) relations between organizations and environmental actors; and (3) the impact of organizations on the broad social systems in which they wer e embedded. Though the influence of organizations in society has incre ased over time, the social system component of the field's mandate has faded from the research agenda. This paper proposes that the diminuti on of this social systems perspective occurred because the increasing complexity of social relations made determination of an appropriate un it of analysis more difficult. In addition, the business school enviro nment in which organization research was accomplished discouraged exam ination of broad social questions, promoted a particular approach to s cience, and created specific;career incentives. Recapturing a research interest in organizations' effects on society requires recognizing or ganizational impacts on social issues and accepting a broader range of methodologies. Ideas require greater opportunity for development, and quantity of publications deserves less emphasis. Journals that risk p ublishing the unconventional paper and providing incentives for tackli ng larger questions might reestablish the breadth of focus with which organizational theory was initially concerned..