Product Description

Providing a thorough interdisciplinary overview of organizational culture literature, this book shows how and why researchers have disagreed about such fundamental questions as: What is organizational culture? What are the major theoretical perspectives used to understand cultures in organizations? How can a researcher decipher the political interests inherent in research that claims to be politically neutral merely 'descriptive'? It will be useful for graduate students and academics in the fields of organizational culture, qualitative methods and cultural studies.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1286513 in Books
• Published on: 2001-08-23
• Released on: 2001-08-23
• Original language: English
• Binding: Hardcover
• 415 pages

From the Author
Although this book focuses theoretically on the topic of organizational culture, it could be useful to any organizational researcher interested in the debates regarding the use of qualitative methods in organizational research.

About the Author
Joanne Martin is the Merrill Professor of Organizational Behavior, and by courtesy, Sociology, at the Graduate School of Business, Stanford University. She was awarded the Distinguished Educator Award from the Academy of Management in 2000, an honorary doctorate in Economics and Business Administration from Copenhagen Business School in 2001, and the Centennial Medal from the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, Harvard University, in 2002. Professor Martin serves on Advisory Boards of Universities, in the US and abroad, and is a member of the Board of Directors of CPP Inc., a publishing company. She currently studies culture and gender in organizations.

Customer Reviews

A complex phenomenon becomes easy to grasp
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and I also used it - particularly the 3-perspective approach - as a basis for teaching a graduate course on organizational culture. I found that also for the students it was a very accessible and comprehensive volume on a rather complex research field.

Instructive though repetitive
It is a useful source of info for those who are interested in the theory and perspectives of organizational culture studies. It discusses at large, (sometimes excessively...!), past and current issues and controversies within this field of study.
The content is excellent, the repetitive style is cumbersome.

A Treasure Map
This aptly titled book is an excellent guide to research on organizational culture. Martin's three perspective theory highlights and demystifies major controversies in organizational culture scholarship. Of additional interest to doctoral students considering or engaged in qualitative research are well-written sections comparing research methods, writing styles, and commentaries from reviewers. Packed with illustrative examples throughout, the book should become a classic among students of organizational culture and organizational studies more generally. Readers may not agree with all of Martin's views, but can nevertheless expect to deepen their understanding of issues in the field and gain clarity around individual orientations within it.