On Some Social Influences of the Military Organization

Bibliographic Data

ID2301656
AuthorsSeppo Randell (corresponding author)
Year1967
Volume10
Issue3-4
Pages258-274
Publication date1967-07-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueActa Sociologica (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0001-6993 • E-ISSN: 1502-3869
PublisherSAGE Publications Inc (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1177/000169936701000303
OpenAlexW1997271704
LanguageEN
Citations received1
References cited15

The research (Randell, 1964) summarized here tries to describe and explain some of the influences on draftee behavior of their experiences during the eleven months compulsory National Service Finland. Although the research focuses on the military there is some basis for contending that we are here concerned with certain aspects of organization theory general. While the typical sociological analysis has emphasized authoritarian, hierarchical, and other traditional variables as factors supposed to differentiate military organizations from non-military organizations, many writers (e.g., Janowitz, 1959, p. 17), have pointed out that the military has changed drastically becoming, during the past 150 years, more and more similar structure to non-military organizations. Thus, for example, the United States the social background of officers shows a closer approximation to the whole population than the past, and more and more tasks of a nonmilitary nature are required at different levels of the organizational ladder (Janowitz, 1961, pp. 79-101, 64-68). During the American Civil War, 93 percent of officer duties were based on traditional military functions, as compared with 29 percent 1954. This is mainly due to developments the natural sciences which have led to specialization and division of labor all organizations, including the armed forces. More and different kinds of technical, administrative, and public relations personnel are needed. Jean Blanchais (1963) has similarly emphasized the importance of the same trend France, and according to Vilho Tervasmiki (1962), only about one third of all Finnish officers are engaged traditional activities in the field. Data of this sort suggests that many respects military organizations do not differ fundamentally from other organizations, and it follows that there are many common problems which fall within the purview of general organization theory. In any typology of organizations, therefore, the military may be selected out as a representative example of a given category; and to the extent that is properly re

Political science · Social organization · Social science · Sociology · Military History and Strategy · Military Strategy and Technology · Research in Social Sciences

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