Managing Without Leadership: Towards A Theory Of Organizational Functioning

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A critical examination of leadership theories past and present, "Managing without Leadership" argues that leadership as traditionally understood does not explain organizational functioning. Bounded by empiricist assumptions and methodology, and including a narrow theory of mind as symbol processor, leadership theories are unable to support their claims about leaders and their actions. Drawing on coherentist epistemology, connectionism, and the theory of self-organizing dynamic systems, a naturalistic account of organizational functioning and organization design is explored that includes leaders as non-privileged agents in the cognitive fabric of organizational life.

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This page intentionally left blank Managing without Leadership Towards a Theory of Organizational Functioning Doing Educational Administration: A Theory of Administrative Practice Edited by C.W. Evers and G. Lakomski 0-08-043351-0 Exploring Educational Administration: Coherentist Applications and Critical Debates Edited by C.W. Evers and G. Lakomski 0-08-042766-9 Research in Organizational Behaviour Edited by B.M. Staw and R.M. Kramer For series information visit http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/bookseries/01913085 Sample copies available online from www.elsevier.com Evaluation and Program Planning European Management Journal Journal of International Management Studies in Educational Evaluation Managing without Leadership Towards a Theory of Organizational Functioning GABRIELE LAKOMSKI Centre for Organizational Learning & Leadership University of Melbourne Australia 2005 Amsterdam • Boston • Heidelberg • London • New York • Oxford • Paris • San Diego • San Francisco • Singapore • Sydney • Tokyo ELSEVIER B.V. Sara Burgerhartstraat 25 P.O. Box 211, 1000 AE Amsterdam, The Netherlands ELSEVIER Inc. 525 B Street Suite 1900, San Diego CA 92101-4495, USA ELSEVIER Ltd. The Boulevard Langford Lane, Kidlington, Oxford OX5 1GB, UK ELSEVIER Ltd. 84 Theobalds Road London WC1X 8RR UK © 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. This work is protected under copyright by Elsevier Ltd., and the following terms and conditions apply to its use: Photocopying Single photocopies of single chapters may be made for personal use as allowed by national copyright laws. Permission of the Publisher and payment of a fee is required for all other photocopying, including multiple or systematic copying, copying for advertising or promotional purposes, resale, and all forms of document delivery. Special rates are available for educational institutions that wish to make photocopies for non-profit educational classroom use. Permissions may be sought directly from Elsevier’s Rights Department in Oxford, UK: phone (+44) 1865 843830, fax (+44) 1865 853333, e-mail: [email protected] Requests may also be completed on-line via the Elsevier homepage (http://www.elsevier.com/locate/permissions). In the USA, users may clear permissions and make payments through the Copyright Clearance Center, Inc., 222 Rosewood Drive, Danvers, MA 01923, USA; phone: (+1) (978) 7508400, fax: (+1) (978) 7504744, and in the UK through the Copyright Licensing Agency Rapid Clearance Service (CLARCS), 90 Tottenham Court Road, London W1P 0LP, UK; phone: (+44) 20 7631 5555; fax: (+44) 20 7631 5500. Other countries may have a local reprographic rights agency for payments. Derivative Works Tables of contents may be reproduced for internal circulation, but permission of the Publisher is required for external resale or distribution of such material. Permission of the Publisher is required for all other derivative works, including compilations and translations. Electronic Storage or Usage