Briefly describe two of the main perspectives in organization theory (Modernist, Postmodern) and discuss how each of these perspectives can guide managerial practice in contemporary organizations.

Topics/keywords/info:

1. Modernism associated with rationalism, progress, intellect, about universalism and objective truth (which can be accessed via scientific method)
   Was driven by utopian social and political agendas
   Ideal visions of human life and society
   Belief in progress
   Impose order
   Commitment to rationalism, systems and science
   Positivist epistemology and realist ontology
   One best way of doing things
2. Post modernism is the opposite – its about multiple truths or that almost nothing is true/false
   Started in 1980s
   Flexible accumulation of capital (David Harvey)
   Post industrialism, post bureaucratic organization
   It’s a cultural/ economic change/ comes after modernism/it’s a philosophical movement
   Developed across philosophy, arts, architecture, criticism
   Scepticism towards grand narratives, ideologies and the trends of enlighment rationality
   No objective reality of absolute truth
   Knowledge and truth are the product of systems of social, historial, political discourse
   Less optimistic
   Form over function
   Different epistemological and ontological foundation – relativist ( multiple realisites which depend on subject position), interpretivist (subjectivity), qualitative methods.

Keyworsd – post-structuralism, deconstruction, moving to consumerism
Jameson – new form of capitalism, new international division of labor.
Stability after ww2, things have become more global, mobile ( result of deregulation and globalization), increases rate of innovation, change, decreases permanence.
Post-Fordism (modernism) – particular mode of organizing which is typified by the car industry, mass production and consumption, workers were well paid,
World went from oil to technology
Mass customization, multiple tasks for workers, diversified investments, focus on developing and marketing, flexible specialization, new structural forms of organisations
Nothing is permanent, family is changing, social and economic life changing, capital moves very fast, emphasis on superficiality,
Theories – language, power, meaning, subjectivity

Articles to read/use – in the attachment

STRUCTURE OF THE ESSAY:

Intro (with THESIS STATEMENT) – 250 words

1st body – modernist – 300 – brief overall description of the theory
2nd body – postmodern – 300 – brief overall description of the theory
3rd body – guidance in managerial practice – 300 – discuss how each of these perspectives can guide managerial practice in contemporary organizations. Very important to use an example about today – for example how does covid affect all of this.

Conclusion (summary) – 250

Harvard referencing style, only academic sources, textbook – Organization Theory McAuley