This book is made up of chapters by experts in organization theory who have addressed issues originally formulated by Chester Barnard in his seminal book, The Functions of the Executive. Each author discusses concepts introduced by Barnard, and then explores future prospects for organization theory. The authors provide many perspectives on organization theory that carry forward the work begun by Barnard. The book derives from a seminar series given at the University of California at Berkeley Business School.
Oliver E. Williamson is also co-author of The Nature of the Firm (OUP, 1991)
Contributors Oliver E. Williamson: Introduction 1: Barbara Levitt and James G. March: Chester I. Barnard and the Intelligence of Learning 2: W. Richard Scott: Symbols and Organizations: From Barnard to the Institutionalists 3: Glenn R. Carroll: On the Organizational Ecology of Chester I. Barnard 4: Jeffrey Pfeffer: Incentives in Organizations: The Importance of Social Relations 5: Mary Douglas: Converging on Autonomy: Anthropology and Institutional Economics 6: Terry M. Moe: The Politics of Structural Choice: Toward a Theory of Public Bureaucracy 7: Oliver Hart: An Economist's Perspective on the Theory of the Firm 8: Oliver E. Williamson: Chester Barnard and the Incipient Science of Organization 9: Oliver E. Williamson: Transaction Cost Economics and Organization Theory Index
first-rate people gave the lectures, and what they have to say is important to all of us concerned with the field