Qualitative Studies of Organizations

Book excerpt: This text is the first in a series sponsored by the "Administrative Science Quarterly" designed to focus and stimulate thinking on those areas of administrative science which have most profoundly shaped the development of orgnaizational theory and behaviour. In this volume, the editor has selected and introduced the compendium of ASQ articles on qualitative research. The articles represent a broad range of research styles, methods, topics and level of analysis. The studies are spread across four areas of research: organizational process; groups in organizations; organizational identity and change; and the societal and institutional environment. Organizations studied include factories, churches, universities, engineering groups, fisheries, voluntary organizations, basketball teams, pop music recording firms and others. The authors of the works represent a variety of disciplinary backgrounds, including sociology, political science, communications, management studies and history.