The radical rationalization of management thought: Its causes and consequences

Radical rationalization refers to the phenomenon where means are seen as ends-in-themselves. Translated to the practice of management this would mean that the exercise of techniques is absolutized to the extent that ends (goals) are lost from sight. In this article we enquire into the causes as well...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author: P. Human
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: AOSIS 1986-03-01
Series:South African Journal of Business Management
Online Access:https://sajbm.org/index.php/sajbm/article/view/1027
Description
Summary:Radical rationalization refers to the phenomenon where means are seen as ends-in-themselves. Translated to the practice of management this would mean that the exercise of techniques is absolutized to the extent that ends (goals) are lost from sight. In this article we enquire into the causes as well as the consequences of this phenomenon. It is argued that the nature of science as well as the nature of the bureaucratic organization can be seen as causal factors to the 'iron cage' of radical rationalization. Some of those familiar 'iron cages' such as strategic planning, industrial relations, behaviour modelling and the personal computer are discussed.
ISSN:2078-5585
2078-5976