THE HISTORY OF ORGANISATIONS STUDIES IN SOCIOLOGY AND OTHER BEHAVIORAL SCIENCES

Анотація

This article delivers an extensive historical and theoretical analysis of organizational studies as a multidisciplinary field, focusing on its evolution within sociology and the behavioral sciences. The narrative traces the origins of organizational thought from pre-industrial societies, where foundational management concepts such as leadership, efficiency, and resource allocation were already present in ancient texts and practices. Influential works from figures like Sun Tzu, Plato, Aristotle, St. Benedict, Machiavelli, and Thomas More are highlighted as early sources of organizational principles, demonstrating that the study of organizations has deep historical roots.
The article goes on to examine the profound impact of the Industrial Revolution, which necessitated systematic approaches to managing increasingly complex organizations and gave rise to classical management theories. It discusses how, in the early 20th century, the field began to solidify with contributions from sociology, psychology, economics, and management, each providing unique perspectives. Sociology introduced the study of bureaucracy and social structure through scholars like Max Weber and Emile Durkheim, while psychology contributed insights into individual behavior and motivation, particularly through the human relations movement.
The evolution of organizational studies is mapped through key theoretical shifts: from classical and bureaucratic models to the behavioral science movement and the emergence of contingency theory in the mid-20th century, which emphasized that effective management depends on organizational context. The article also addresses the influence of postmodernism and critical theory, which challenged traditional assumptions and stressed the importance of power, discourse, and social construction within organizations.
In recent decades, the field has increasingly adopted interdisciplinary and network-based approaches, integrating concepts from multiple disciplines to better understand the complexity of modern organizations. The article identifies persistent gaps, notably the need for more comprehensive, cross-disciplinary frameworks to address contemporary organizational challenges. It concludes with recommendations for future research, advocating for the continued integration of diverse theoretical perspectives and empirical methodologies to advance both the theory and practice of organizational studies.

Keywords: organizational studies, interdisciplinary, historical development, theoretical perspectives