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Organization Studies
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The Ubiquity of Organization

Brian J. Loasby

University of Stirling, UK, b.j.loasby{at}stir.ac.uk

Systems consist of selected elements which are connected in particular ways, and their properties depend both on the elements which they contain and on the organization of these elements. There are many kinds of systems; formal organizations serve to develop and use knowledge, especially complex knowledge, which is itself structured. The ubiquity of organization may be explained by economizing and evolutionary principles. The microfoundations of formal organizations, and of overall economic organization, are to be found in the cognitive capacities and motivations of humans, which lead to the differentiation and integration of knowledge. This theme is explored by bringing together the work of authors spread over two and a half centuries.

Key Words: evolution • cognition • knowledge • motivation • quasi-decomposable systems

Organization Studies, Vol. 28, No. 11, 1729-1759 (2007)
DOI: 10.1177/0170840607082665
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N. Foss and M. Lorenzen
Towards an Understanding of Cognitive Coordination: Theoretical Developments and Empirical Illustrations
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