W
Nils Brunsson is Professor of Management at Uppsala Universi ty and associated to the Stockholm Centre for Organizational Re search (Score). He has authored or coauthored more than twenty books and numerous articles in the field of organizations. His latest books include Mechanisms of Hope (Liber/Copenhagen Business School Press 2006), The Consequences of Decision-Making (Oxford University Press 2007), Meta-Organizations (w. G. Ahrne; Edward Elgar 2008), and The Reforming Organization (Oxford University Press 2009).
Best.nr 47-06591-2 Tryck.nr 47-06591-2-02
9
Hypocrisy - omslag.indd 1
n io
Hypocrisy – the practice of incorporating different organizational structures, processes and ideologies for internal and external use – is an important feature of viable organizations in modern societies. It is a natural and effective way of achieving organizational legiti macy in a world where organizations are exposed to an increa sing number of inconsistent and conflicting norms and demands. Legitimacy, the book suggests, is secured by conflict rather than by unity, and by dealing with problems rather than by providing solutions.
The Organization of Hypocrisy
Richard Whittington, Journal of Management Studies 1991
t uc od
«This is an attractive book, full of challenging paradoxes. Brunsson manages to overturn conventional theory again and again, each time with great élan.»
The Organization of Hypocrisy
tr in
Debra Meyerson, Administrative Science Quarterly 1991
w ne
«Nils Brunsson provides some fascinating insights.»
Nils Brunsson
a
Michael Dixon, Financial Times 1991
it h
«It may be that managers read standard management books rather as older children read adventure tales and romances, to fantasise about themselves as they would ideally like to be. If so, and they feel up to having a dose of realism thrown in, they may care to try this exceptional book.»
Nils Brunsson
About the first edition:
Talk, Decisions and Actions in Organizations
Liber • Universitetsforlaget Copenhagen Business School Press
789147 065912
11-07-04 13.32.35
Hypocrisy - s i-242.indd 1
2011-05-25 11.15
© The author and Liber AB, 2006 2:3 Cover design: Designlaboratoriet Cover illustration: Oscar Reutersvärd: Omöjliga figurer i färg © Oscar Reutersvärd/BONO 2002 Design and print: AIT Trykk Otta AS, 2006 Printed by: Sahara Printing, Egypten 2011 First edition published in 1989 by Johan Wiley & Sons ISBN 978-91-47-06591-2 (Sweden) ISBN 87-630-0103-6 (rest of the world) Distribution: Norway Universitetsforlaget AS Postboks 508 0105 Oslo Phone: +47 14 75 00, fax: +47 24 14 75 01 post@universitetsforlaget.no www.universitetsforlaget.no Sweden Liber AB 205 10 Malmö, Sweden tel +46 40 25 86 00, fax +46 40 97 05 50 http://www.liber.se Kundservice tel +46 8 690 93 30, fax +46 8 690 93 01 Denmark DBK Logistics, Mimersvej 4 DK-4600 Koege, Denmark Phone: +45 3269 7788, fax: +45 3269 7789 www.cbspress.dk North America Copenhagen Business School Press P.O. Box 605 Herndon, VA 20172-0605, USA Phone: +1 703 661 1500, fax: +1 703 661 1501 Rest of the World Marston Book Services, P.O. Box 269 Abingdon, Oxfordshire, OX14 4YN, UK phone: +44 (0) 1235 465500, fax: +44 (0) 1235 465555 E-mail Direct Customers: direct.order@marston.co.uk E-mail Booksellers: trade.order@marston.co.uk All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or used in any form or by any means - graphic, electronic or mechanical including photocopying, recording, taping or information storage or retrieval systems without permission in writing from Abstrakt forlag.
Hypocrisy - s i-242.indd 2
2011-07-04 13.31
Hypocrisy - s i-242.indd 3
2011-05-25 11.15
Hypocrisy - s i-242.indd 4
2011-05-25 11.15
Hypocrisy - s i-242.indd 5
2011-05-25 11.15
Hypocrisy - s i-242.indd 6
2011-05-25 11.15
Hypocrisy - s i-242.indd 7
2011-05-25 11.16
Hypocrisy - s i-242.indd 8
2011-05-25 11.16
Hypocrisy - s i-242.indd 9
2011-05-25 11.16
Hypocrisy - s i-242.indd 10
2011-05-25 11.16
Hypocrisy - s i-242.indd 11
2011-05-25 11.16
Hypocrisy - s i-242.indd 12
2011-05-25 11.16
Hypocrisy - s i-242.indd 13
2011-05-25 11.16
Hypocrisy - s i-242.indd 14
2011-05-25 11.16
Hypocrisy - s i-242.indd 15
2011-05-25 11.16
Hypocrisy - s i-242.indd 16
2011-05-25 11.16
Hypocrisy - s i-242.indd 17
2011-05-25 11.16
Hypocrisy - s i-242.indd 18
2011-05-25 11.16
Hypocrisy - s i-242.indd 19
2011-05-25 11.16
Hypocrisy - s i-242.indd 20
2011-05-25 11.16
Hypocrisy - s i-242.indd 21
2011-05-25 11.16
Hypocrisy - s i-242.indd 22
2011-05-25 11.16
Hypocrisy - s i-242.indd 23
2011-05-25 11.16
Hypocrisy - s i-242.indd 24
2011-05-25 11.16
Hypocrisy - s i-242.indd 25
2011-05-25 11.16
Hypocrisy - s i-242.indd 26
2011-05-25 11.16
W
Nils Brunsson is Professor of Management at Uppsala Universi ty and associated to the Stockholm Centre for Organizational Re search (Score). He has authored or coauthored more than twenty books and numerous articles in the field of organizations. His latest books include Mechanisms of Hope (Liber/Copenhagen Business School Press 2006), The Consequences of Decision-Making (Oxford University Press 2007), Meta-Organizations (w. G. Ahrne; Edward Elgar 2008), and The Reforming Organization (Oxford University Press 2009).
Best.nr 47-06591-2 Tryck.nr 47-06591-2-02
9
Hypocrisy - omslag.indd 1
n io
Hypocrisy – the practice of incorporating different organizational structures, processes and ideologies for internal and external use – is an important feature of viable organizations in modern societies. It is a natural and effective way of achieving organizational legiti macy in a world where organizations are exposed to an increa sing number of inconsistent and conflicting norms and demands. Legitimacy, the book suggests, is secured by conflict rather than by unity, and by dealing with problems rather than by providing solutions.
The Organization of Hypocrisy
Richard Whittington, Journal of Management Studies 1991
t uc od
«This is an attractive book, full of challenging paradoxes. Brunsson manages to overturn conventional theory again and again, each time with great élan.»
The Organization of Hypocrisy
tr in
Debra Meyerson, Administrative Science Quarterly 1991
w ne
«Nils Brunsson provides some fascinating insights.»
Nils Brunsson
a
Michael Dixon, Financial Times 1991
it h
«It may be that managers read standard management books rather as older children read adventure tales and romances, to fantasise about themselves as they would ideally like to be. If so, and they feel up to having a dose of realism thrown in, they may care to try this exceptional book.»
Nils Brunsson
About the first edition:
Talk, Decisions and Actions in Organizations
Liber • Universitetsforlaget Copenhagen Business School Press
789147 065912
11-07-04 13.32.35