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The impact of ideology on organization theory
Author(s) -
ALVESSON MATS
Publication year - 1985
Publication title -
scandinavian journal of psychology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.743
H-Index - 72
eISSN - 1467-9450
pISSN - 0036-5564
DOI - 10.1111/j.1467-9450.1985.tb01150.x
Subject(s) - ideology , legitimation , epistemology , sociology , relevance (law) , systematic ideology , politics , order (exchange) , social organization , social psychology , social science , psychology , political science , law , economics , philosophy , finance
The article examines the relationship between the need for ideology and legitimation in society and organizations, and the forms of research and texts in organizational behavior theory. It is proposed that the political relevance of this theory makes it impossible to view it as “pure” science. The ideological features of organization theory must be considered as unavoidable parts of the theory as social and behavioral science. Special emphasis must be placed on the elements that produce unnecessary biased discriptions of actual conditions in favor of the prevalent social order and dominating interests. In the article, some societal trends are pointed to that bring about an increased need for ideological legitimation of prevalent conditions. A number of organizational texts are interpreted from a ideology‐critical position and ideological themes in organization theory are thereby illuminated and exemplified.