The Study of Organizations through a Resource—Exchange Paradigm

Abstract

Although not without its critics (e.g., Gouldner, 1970; Weick, 1974; Zaleznik, 1967), the open-systems model has been a major integrative perspective used by many contemporary students of organizations. The systems view is meaningful for many purposes, and indeed will be incorporated into what follows; however, the approach is often an empty one. Although providing an overview of entities which operate as systems, it often fails to provide a set of concepts which focus attention on specific processes which characterize any one set of systems.