One of the Finalists for the 1987 European Prize for the Best Book in Sociology and Social Science
The Shaping of Social Organizations introduces a new theory--social rule system theory--and applies it to the analysis of major institutions of modern social life. The book presents social rule system theory as a framework with which to investigate these institutions. It clarifies the principles behind their formation, maintenance, and transformation.
The book draws on a wide range of case studies: from artificial insemination to energy forecasting and administration. It provides insights into wage negotiation systems, the emergence of informal rule systems, and the multiple sources of social and structural incoherence in modern societies. It advances a distinctive approach to the study of actor-structure dynamics, placing itself in a scholarly tradition developed by major thinkers such as Weber, Giddens, and Harrq.
"A book of extraordinary scope. It provides a unified theory of human activities, including not only politics and economics, but also 'science, art or everyday life'. . . . The applications are complex and rich and fit neatly into theory."
--American Journal of Sociology
"A book of extraordinary scope."
--Amitai Etzoni, George Washington University
"Changes our concepts and ways of thinking about social action."
--Organizational Studies
"An original contribution to the theory of social organization."
--International Review of Sociology
"Valuable reading for theorists, empirical researchers, and all interested in the working of contemporary societies . . . rich empirical foundations, and diverse applications."
--Piotr Sztompka
"Every topic . . . in this book turns into sociological gold."
--Hans Zetterberg
"Burns and Flam have written an important innovative work. The volume was among the finalists for the Amalfi European prize in Sociology and Social Science."
--The American Sociological Association
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