AN AMERICAN IN PARIS - THE INFLUENCE OF NATIONALITY ON ORGANIZATION THEORIES

A report of a discussion in Paris between U.S. economist Williamson an d French social scientists Favereau and Lazega is used as a demonstrat ion of the influence of nationality on organization theories. This inf luence has played a role in the founding of the European Group for Org anizational Studies (EGOS) and of the journal Organization Studies. Th e General Hierarchy of Systems shows why a universal consensus about a ny theory of organization is basically impossible. People from differe nt countries, including authors of theories, have different paradigms in mind as to 'in the beginning was': like the market in the U.S.A., a nd power in France. The paper pleads for giving more attention to the nationality of organization theories, and for lifting the existing tab oo on discussing the role of nationality in our theorizing.