The Civilized Organization: Norbert Elias And The Future Of Organization Studies (advances In Organization Studies)

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This book brings a major new resource to organization studies: the work of Norbert Elias. By applying his ideas in a critical but sympathetic way, the authors provide a new perspective on the never-ending stream of management fads and fashions. Standing back and taking a more detached perspective, inspired by the work of Norbert Elias (1897-1990), it becomes clear that many 'new' types of organizations are often variations on an old theme. Elias gives us considerable purchase on current debates through his emphasis on long-term historical perspectives, his highlighting of issues of power, emotion and subjectivity, his interweaving of analysis at the level of the state, the organization, groups, and individuals, his alternative 'take' on issues of agency and structure, and his relevance to a wide range of current organization theories. The contributions show the current relevance of Elias's work in numerous fields of organizational analysis such as the sociology of finance and markets, the comparative and cross-cultural study of organization, comparative management development, organizational meetings, organizational boundaries, gossip and privacy in organizations, emotion in organizations, and the significance of humiliation within organizations. It is, indeed, "time for Elias"!

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The Civilized Organization Norbert Elias and the future of Organization Studies Advances in Organization Studies Advances in Organization Studies includes cutting-edge work in comparative management and intercultural comparison, studies of organizational culture, communication, and aesthetics, as well as in the area of interorganizational collaboration — strategic alliances, joint ventures, networks and collaborations of all kinds, where comparative, intercultural, and communicative issues have an especial salience. Purely theoretical as well as empirically based studies are included. General Editors Stewart Clegg School of Management University of Technology Sydney Quay Street, Haymarket P.O.Box 123 Broadway, NSW 2007 Australia [email protected] Alfred Kieser University of Mannheim D 68 131 Mannheim Germany [email protected] Volume 10 The Civilized Organization: Norbert Elias and the future of Organization Studies Edited by Ad van Iterson, Willem Mastenbroek, Tim Newton and Dennis Smith The Civilized Organization Norbert Elias and the future of Organization Studies Edited by Ad van Iterson Maastricht University Willem Mastenbroek Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam Tim Newton University of Exeter Dennis Smith Loughborough University John Benjamins Publishing Company Amsterdam / Philadelphia 8 TM The paper used in this publication meets the minimum requirements of American National Standard for Information Sciences – Permanence of Paper for Printed Library Materials, ansi z39.48-1984. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data The Civilized Organization : Norbert Elias and the future of Organization Studies / edited by Ad van Iterson, Willem Mastenbroek, Tim Newton and Dennis Smith. p. cm. (Advances in Organization Studies, issn 1566–1075 ; v. 10) Includes bibliographical references and indexes. 1. Organizational behavior. 2. Organizational sociology. 3. Elias, Norbert. I. Iterson, Ad van, 1952- II. Series. HD58.7 C593 2002 302.3´5--dc21 isbn 90 272 3309 8 (Eur.) / 1 58811 278 0 (US) (Pb; alk. paper) isbn 90 272 3308 X (Eur.) / 1 58811 277 2 (US) (Hb; alk. paper) 2002027971 © 2002 – John Benjamins B.V. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form, by prin