Coming soon · Book Profile
Organizations_ A Very Short Introduction
A concise tour of how and why humans organize, weaving metaphors, theories, and disciplines to show that organization, organizations, and organizing are distinct yet inseparable facets of coordinated human life.
A profile of this book is on the way.
What it’s about
Mary Jo Hatch's accessible introduction reveals that organizing is something everyone does, from arranging a closet to running a multinational. Building on the reader's own experience, she distinguishes the 'three Os'—organization (a state), organizations (entities), and organizing (an ongoing process)—and uses four powerful metaphors (machine, organism, culture, psychic prison) to illuminate how scholars from economics, sociology, psychology, anthropology, philosophy, and the arts understand organizational life. Along the way she explains design, hierarchy, bureaucracy, technology, environment, institutions, culture, power, identity, and networks, while grappling with deep questions about who organizing serves and where it is heading in a globalizing, post-industrial world. Curious readers gain a stimulating conceptual toolkit for seeing organizations everywhere and thinking critically and creatively about them.
The through-line
- Who it’s for
- A curious general reader who participates in organizations daily and wants to understand how and why organizing works.
- The problem
- Organizations are everywhere yet poorly understood, leaving the reader without concepts to make sense of how they function. The reader feels that organizational life is confusing, abstract, or even oppressive, and lacks a vocabulary to think clearly about it.
- The plan
- Distinguish the three Os: organization, organizations, and organizing.
- Use the four metaphors to imagine organizations in richer ways.
- Learn how design, structure, technology, and environment shape organizing.
- Understand how meaning, institutions, and culture construct organizational reality.
- Examine power, politics, and identity to see who organizing serves.
- The payoff
- The reader gains a rich conceptual toolkit for seeing and analyzing organizations everywhere. · The reader can think critically and creatively about organizing in work and life. · The reader appreciates both scientific and artistic ways of knowing organizations.
See our guide
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Additional reading
- The Organism · Kurt Goldstein
Maslow sources the term 'self-actualization' from Goldstein and builds upon his holistic view of the organism.
- Explorations in Personality · H. A. Murray, et al.
Cited as providing an 'excellent discussion' on the basic principle of centering motivation theory on goals rather than instigation or behavior.
- Social Interest · Alfred Adler
Maslow credits Adler and his followers for stressing the importance of the 'esteem needs,' which he felt were neglected by Freudian psychoanalysts.
- Wisdom of the Body · W. B. Cannon
Provides the foundational concept of 'homeostasis,' which Maslow uses as the starting point for his discussion of physiological needs.
- Multipliers · Liz Wiseman
Explores how leaders can either amplify ('multiply') or diminish ('diminish') the intelligence and capabilities of their teams, a key concept for creating a positive, low-anxiety environment.
- The Fearless Organization · Amy Edmondson
Provides the foundational research and practical steps for creating psychological safety, which the book identifies as crucial for reducing interpersonal anxiety and encouraging people to speak up.
- Mindset · Carol Dweck
Explains the difference between a 'growth mindset' and a 'fixed mindset,' which is presented as a key tool for helping employees manage perfectionism and see failures as learning opportunities.
- Crucial Conversations · Kerry Patterson, Joseph Grenny, et al.
Recommended as a resource for employees to learn how to navigate difficult, high-stakes conversations, directly addressing the book's theme of moving from conflict avoidance to healthy debate.
- Better Allies · Karen Catlin
The author is quoted on specific, actionable steps for allyship, making her book a practical guide for implementing the principles in Chapter 7.
- Blindspot: Hidden Biases of Good People · Mahzarin R. Banaji and Anthony G. Greenwald
Explains the science of implicit bias, which is central to the book's argument that leaders need to be proactive allies because 'not being racist/sexist' isn't enough.