This Article Full Text (PDF) References Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to Saved Citations Download to citation manager Request Permissions Request Reprints Add to My Marked Citations Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Citing Articles via Scopus Google Scholar Articles by Kieser, A. Search for Related Content Social Bookmarking                         What's this?

From Freemasons to Industrious Patriots. Organizing and Disciplining in 18th Century Germany

University of Mannheim, Germany

Formal organizations or corporate actors came into existence in the 18th century. They required from their members a radical change in behaviour. At least some members had to be able to discipline themselves and to design organizations in order to discipline other members. Based on a review of theories of disciplinization, the question of how the early organizers acquired self-discipline and organizing skills, is pursued. Associations such as freemasons' lodges, reading societies, and patriotic societies which were founded in Germany in the 18th century are identified as the first formal organizations which provided their members with platforms for training in self-discipline and for experimenting with organizational rules. This paper attempts to reconstruct how, over time, these early organizations evolved towards a more rational organizational design, and how their members developed organizational behaviour.

Key Words: disciplinization • freemasons • history of organizations • patriotic societies • reading societies

Organization Studies, Vol. 19, No. 1, 47-71 (1998)
DOI: 10.1177/017084069801900103


CiteULike    Complore    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    Twitter    What's this?

This article has been cited by other articles:

				C. Booth and M. Rowlinson Management and organizational history: Prospects Management & Organizational History, February 1, 2006; 1(1): 5 - 30. [Abstract] [PDF]

				S. Down Knowledge Sharing Review the Use of History in Business and Management, and Some Implications for Management Learning Management Learning, September 1, 2001; 32(3): 393 - 410. [PDF]

				T. Newton Organization: The Relevance and the Limitations of Elias Organization, August 1, 2001; 8(3): 467 - 495. [Abstract] [PDF]

				A. Van Iterson, W. Mastenbroek, and J. Soeters Civilizing and Informalizing: Organizations in an Eliasian Context Organization, August 1, 2001; 8(3): 497 - 514. [Abstract] [PDF]