Ebook: Socio-economic Approach To Management

Several reasons can account for the decision to devote a special issue of JOCMto the socio-economic theory of organizations (socio-economic approach tomanagement or socio-economic approach to management (SEAM) model).It constitutes an innovative theory in the field of organizational change sinceit contributes in linking together the social dimension of change and theeconomic dimension. Such a theory is not widely known in the USA although it has been appliedin 30 countries in Europe, Africa, America and Asia.It consists in a new approach based on experiments conducted in verydifferent cultural contexts: the fundamental principle of SEAM methodologygoes by the name of “generic contingency” which simultaneously addressestransferable generic knowledge and respects the specificities of eachorganizational context. We deem it necessary to clarify in the present issue the basic concepts of thesocio-economic theory and more especially its linkage with post-modernism. Infact these concepts are always present explicitly or implicitly in the overallframework of this number. The very fact that the theory we present today took its origin in France beforebeing implemented in other countries, gives it a specific touch when comparedwith management theories of Anglo-Saxon inspiration for the most part.This special issue has been edited with a view to providing the reader withvarious insights into SEAM model in different fields. Some of the articles aimto present the socio-economic theory and its model of internationaldissemination and to position it in comparison with others (socio-technicalapproach, organizational development, post-modernism, sociology andanthropology of organizations). Others allow to illustrate the way themethod is implemented in various contexts: industrial firms as well as thepublic sector in a trans-organizational context. Other articles analyze therelevance of this theory as regards specific problems such as successions ormergers and acquisitions. The articles have been arranged so as to enable the reader to progressivelydiscover the theory and its applications: . The journal starts with two articles by David Boje and Grace Ann Rosile,aimed at positioning the SEAM in relation to other methods oftransorganizational development methods and to the post-modernapproach to “organizational theatre”. . A detailed presentation of the socio-economic theory of organizations(SEAM model) is given by Henri Savall, the founder of the method. Hetakes stock of the progress of his theory 25 years after its inception, whilecapitalizing on the data base stemming from over 1,000 cases of changeactions. . An article by Michel and Monique Pe´ron aims, then, to clarifiy thecontribution of such a theory to post-modernism, by showing how themethod does not only consist in deconstructing the discourse but also inreconstructing the organization while turning towards the situationfavored by the actors as a whole. . An article by Ve´ronique Zardet and Olivier Voyant underscores the valueadded of the socio-economic theory compared with socio-technical theoryas it integrates the economic and strategic dimensions to the conduct oforganizational change. The article is illustrated with various applicationsin industry. . A current challenge to organization theories is posed by their applicationto macro-organizations and organization networks in the case of publicmanagement problems. An article by Marc Bonnet and Vincent Cristallinipresents an application of socio-economic theory in an urban area.. Sucession issues are particularly tricky examples of problems linked tothe exercise of power within firms. An article by Dominique Besson andSlimane Haddadj shows how this issue has been dealt with in the socioeconomictheory of organizations. . As for mergers and acquisitions, when financial and strategic logicsprevail, paying insufficient attention to human potential entails numerousdysfunctions. Anthony F. Buono explains how the socio-economicmethod enventually enables to conduct differently such organizationalchanges. . The heterogeneity and contradictions existing in management situationsmay seem insurmontable in the eyes of sociologists and anthropologists.Georges Trepo and Fabien de Geuser, in their article, put forward thechallenges set by the socio-economic theory with a view to overcomingthe contradictions between economic logics and the actor’s logics. . A concluding article by Henri Savall shows how ISEOR lab disseminatesthe socio-economic theory in a wide variety of organizations andconceptualizes in return the lessons drawn from knowledge transfer indifferent cultural contexts. Henri Savall Guest Editor Previously published in: Journal of Organizational Change Management, Volume 16, Number 1, 2002