The sociology of organizations: alternative perspectives

The aim of this article is not so much to account for classical and contemporary theories of the sociology of organizations in France but to integrate new approaches. Whether they are recent or old, these theories have in common the fact that they renew reflection on organizations by focusing on other problems and new references. An initial approach focuses on the organization as a "heterogeneous assembly" that insists on justifying organizations and the existence of numerous systems of action. A second approach conceives organizations as a "field" that appears to be a structured and hierarchized system peopled by those in control and those who are controlled. They are found in the public administration and in public policies. A third approach likens organizations to networks, which makes it possible to specify the strategic analysis and renew the study of innovations. A fourth and final approach looks into the extreme cases of total institutions.