Voting, 'Sounding Out', and the Governance of Modern Organizations

Bibliographic Data

ID2301858
AuthorsJ P Olsen (0000-0002-1383-8318, University of Bergen, corresponding author)
Year1972
Volume15
Issue3
Pages267-283
Publication date1972-07-01
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueActa Sociologica (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0001-6993 • E-ISSN: 1502-3869
PublisherSAGE Publications Inc (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1177/000169937201500304
OpenAlexW2136788000
LanguageEN
Citations received14
References cited21

An attempt is made to provide a theoretical framework by which one can understand variations in the procedures used in organizational decision-making. Two types are presented; a procedure of confrontation, where the use of voting is emphasized and preliminary discussions are missing, and a sounding out procedure, where voting is avoided and values and beliefs are synthesized indirectly or implicitly through social interaction. The analytical framework is a model of rational choice taking into consideration costs and benefits related to (a) the substantive goods at stake, (b) the effects upon the organization and the wider social system of which it is a part, and (c) the participants' use of time and energy (treating time as a scarce resource). Some specific hypotheses are offered concerning the conditions under which each choice-procedures will be used

Business · Corporate governance · Depth sounding · Economics · Management · Management science · Microeconomics · Political science · Positive economics · Public relations · Resource (disambiguation · Social choice theory · Sociology · Voting · Business Strategy and Innovation · Computer Science · Game Theory and Applications · Game Theory and Voting Systems · Law

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