Document Type
Article
Rights
Available under a Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial Share Alike 4.0 International Licence
Disciplines
Business and Management., Sociology, Organisation Theory, History
Abstract
This article illustrates how the figurational sociology associated with Norbert Elias provides an alternative theoretical framework for explaining the relationship between, ‘individualorganization- society’ and organizational change, and in so doing transverses what is conceived as a false dichotomy between structure and agency. Through an historical case study of the Gaelic Athletic Association in Ireland, the ‘individual-organization-society’ relationship is conceptualized as overlapping figurations and organizational change is explained as figurational dynamics—the shifting social interdependencies between the individuals and groups comprising an organization, between that organization and other organizations, between social groups on a higher level of integration and competition. In tandem with this, the article illustrates how changes in the sources of power and identity are connected with these figurational dynamics.
DOI
10.1177/1350508412446101
Recommended Citation
Connolly, J. & Dolan, P. (2012) Re-theorizing the ‘structure–agency’ relationship: Figurational theory, organizational change and the Gaelic Athletic Association, Organization,Vol 20, Issue 4, pp. 491 - 511. doi:10.1177/1350508412446101
Included in
History Commons, Organizational Behavior and Theory Commons, Sociology Commons, Sports Management Commons, Sports Studies Commons
Publication Details
Connolly, John and Paddy Dolan (forthcoming) ‘Re-theorizing the “structure–agency” relationship: Figurational theory, organizational change and the Gaelic Athletic Association’, Organization.