Mechanisms and the Theory of Organizations

The theory in organization theory has become increasingly hard to find in recent empirical research as most current researchers identify their work in terms of the phenomena they study rather than the theoretical tradition in which they operate. This theory drought arguably flows from the limitations that 1970s-era organizational paradigms face in explaining contemporary organizations. This article argues that the greatest strength of organization theory as a field is not particular theoretical paradigms but rather the field’s non-obvious mechanisms of aggregation that generate order, in firms and elsewhere. The thoughtful use of social mechanisms, in service of problem-driven research, can provide a unifying device for the field of organization studies.