The Poetic Logic of Administration: Styles and Changes of Style in the Art of Organizing

This volume is an investigation of the most important organizational forms of our time, both theoretically as well as practically. Central to this investigation are four main trends; the rational bureaucracy, the human network, the harmonious system, and the strong culture. The Poetic Logic of Administrationoffers a new and challenging picture of these organizational forms. Dificult to capture in common logical terms, they appear to follow a certain pattern - a "poetic logic". The forms are enacted in various ways and are marked by different conceptions of the world, such as the metaphorical and the ironical, and by different explanatory ideas. In this way, Kaj Skoldberg's book contains a rhetorical analysis of the styles of modern administration and their charges. Interpretations and critical re-evaluations of individual approaches, including their "gurus" and current importance, are included in an overarching analysis. Various forms of efficiency and effectiveness are discussed, andexamples are given from both the private and public sectors.

Kaj Skoldberg is Professor in Business Adminstration at the School of Business, Stockholm University.