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THE IRRATIONALITY OF ACTION AND ACTION RATIONALITY: DECISIONS, IDEOLOGIES AND ORGANIZATIONAL ACTIONS
Author(s) -
Brunsson Nils
Publication year - 1982
Publication title -
journal of management studies
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 4.398
H-Index - 184
eISSN - 1467-6486
pISSN - 0022-2380
DOI - 10.1111/j.1467-6486.1982.tb00058.x
Subject(s) - irrationality , rationality , irrational number , ideology , action (physics) , perception , organizational commitment , social psychology , positive economics , psychology , economics , political science , law , mathematics , politics , physics , geometry , quantum mechanics , neuroscience
Irrationality is a basic feature of organizational behaviour. Organizational decision making tends to be irrational, and organizational ideologies bias organizations’perceptions. Much effort has been spent on prescribing how organizations should achieve more rationality. However, rational decision making affords a bad basis for action. Some irrationalities are necessary requirements for organizational actions. Choices are facilitated by narrow and clear organizational ideologies, and actions are facilitated by irrational decision‐making procedures which maximize motivation and commitment.