Organization (Collector's Edition)

Name: Organization (Collector's Edition)
ISBN: 9787111422631

詹姆斯 G. 马奇 / 赫伯特A.西蒙 / 邵冲China Machine Press · ChinaNov 2025

4.4

Word count: 150K words
Chapters: 59
ISBN: 9787111422631

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Summary

The publication of this book announced the birth of organization as an independent field of study. March and Simon were two masters of the decision theory school, and Organization (Original 2nd Edition, Collector's Edition), as their only co-authored work, has attracted much attention and citation. Due to factors such as competition, cooperation, human cognition and emotion, and the external environment, control over organizational processes is relatively limited. Participants in organizations cope with these limitations in ways that are as easy to replicate as possible, and this complex organizational behavior is the focus of the book. Although most organizations have hierarchies, organizational processes can never be completed solely through commands and authority. Therefore, what this book focuses on from beginning to end is decision-making rather than hierarchy. This is also an important part of modern organization and management.

Editor's review

James G. March's Organization is a landmark in the history of management thought. This collector's edition not only preserves the essence of the original in full but also enhances the reading experience through hardcover design and high-quality paper. As a legendary Stanford professor and founder of organizational decision theory, March redefined our understanding of organizations with a grand interdisciplinary vision—he refused to reduce organizations to efficiency machines, instead viewing them as complex systems of meaning, networks of rules, and sites of identity construction.

The book's core contribution lies in its pioneering concepts such as the "garbage can model of decision making" and "organizational learning," ideas that continue to exert a profound influence in management, sociology, and political science. March's writing style combines theoretical depth with literary grace; he often cites poetry and fiction to illustrate organizational phenomena, a humanistic concern rare in management literature.

The collector's edition is particularly noteworthy for restoring the historical context—readers can clearly see how twentieth-century organization theory shifted from Weber's bureaucratic paradigm to a more open and dynamic framework of understanding. For contemporary readers, the book's discussions of "ambiguity and decision making," "the duality of rules," and "the coevolution of organizations and environments" have in fact gained greater explanatory power in the VUCA era.

Readers are advised to approach the book from two perspectives: first, as a classic theoretical text, focusing on how it challenged the mainstream management thought of its time; second, as a conceptual toolkit, considering how its ideas can be applied to understand new organizational forms such as platform organizations and networked teams. March reminds us that organizations are not only places for "solving problems" but also containers for "creating meaning"—this insight may be the fundamental reason the book remains perennially fresh.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Scholars and researchers in management and sociology
Corporate executives and organizational development practitioners
Advanced undergraduates and graduate students interested in organizational behavior
Readers who enjoy interdisciplinary thinking and seek theoretical depth

Not a good fit for

Readers looking for quick management tips or a how-to manual
Beginners who prefer light reading and are intimidated by theoretical depth

Reading tips

Begin with the appendix on the author's academic life to understand the development of March's thought
Pause after each chapter to consider: what does this theory reveal about the organization I belong to?
Extend the reading with other works by March, such as How Decisions Happen

About the publisher

China Machine Press China · Founded in 1950

In addition to science and technology and professional publishing, the books in our catalog from China Machine Press also reflect a sustained focus on psychology, computing, management, finance and economics, and social sciences. In psychology, the catalog includes works by C. G. Jung and introductions to analytical psychology, as well as applied topics such as stress and health, and addiction and healing. In computing, it features Structure and Interpretation of Computer Programs (JavaScript Edition). Management and finance titles include Administrative Behavior (4th Edition), The Price of Inequality (Collector's Edition), and This Time Is Different: Eight Centuries of Financial Folly (Commemorative Edition). In the philosophy and history of science, there is The Worldview: The Third Edition. Relevant authors include C. G. Jung, William McGuire, Sonu Shamdasani, and Gabor Maté. Public information is limited; the above summarizes the publisher's profile based solely on the books in our catalog.

版权信息
丛书赞誉
出版说明
总序
致读者
译者序
再版前言
第1章组织行为
1.1 组织作为社会机构的重要性
1.2 组织理论的文献
1.3 本书的结构
1.4 命题的类型
1.5 心理学的一些假定
第2章 “古典”组织理论
2.1 泰勒的科学管理
2.2 部门划分理论
2.3 古典管理科学的操作和经验问题
2.4 结论
第3章动机限制：组织内部决策
3.1 影响过程
3.2 官僚理论
3.3 满意与生产率
3.4 生产动机
3.5 结论
第4章动机限制：参与决策
4.1 组织平衡理论
4.2 参与者
4.3 雇员参与：参与标准
4.4 雇员参与：一般模型
4.5 影响预期离开组织的可感愿望的因素
4.6 影响离开组织的可感安逸的因素
4.7 其他参与者
4.8 机会主义与组织生存
4.9 结论
第5章组织中的冲突
5.1 个体冲突
5.2 组织冲突：组织内部的个体冲突
5.3 组织冲突：组织内部的群体冲突
5.4 组织对冲突的反应
5.5 组织间冲突
5.6 结论
第6章理性的认知局限
6.1 理性的概念
6.2 组织中的行为程序
6.3 感知与识别
6.4 分工
6.5 沟通
6.6 组织结构和理性边界
第7章组织的计划与创新
7.1 创新的概念
7.2 创新过程
7.3 创新机会
7.4 程序的详尽阐述
7.5 组织层次与创新
7.6 计划过程
7.7 结论
后记
致谢
参考文献

FAQ

How is this book different from common management textbooks?

This is not a management textbook organized by functional modules but a work of thought oriented around core theoretical questions. It focuses on meta-questions such as the nature of organizations, the logic of decision making, and the emergence of rules, rather than specific management techniques.

Is a theory first published in 1965 outdated?

On the contrary, because of its abstraction and generality, March's theory is in fact newly illuminating for understanding organizations in the digital age. For example, the concept of "loosely coupled systems" can be used to analyze distributed teams, and "organizational learning" theory can be applied to understanding the limitations of algorithmic decision making.

What prior knowledge is needed to read this book?

A basic grasp of management or sociological concepts helps but is not essential. March's writing is self-contained; the key is to approach his interdisciplinary argument with an open mind, allow yourself to set aside expectations of "practicality" for the moment, and enter the realm of theoretical reflection.

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About the author

詹姆斯 G. 马奇 Author

James G. March is an important scholar in the field of management studies, and his works have had a certain influence among Chinese readers. The library currently holds two of his books: Organization (Collector's Edition) and How Decisions Happen (Collector's Edition), commonly classified under management. Because public information is limited, details of his life cannot be elaborated here. Yet these two works show that his writing focuses on fundamental questions of how organizations operate and how decisions are made, favoring theoretical exposition and analysis of mechanisms rather than hands-on practical manuals. For readers, such works help explain why organizations act as they do and how decisions take shape within structures, making them suitable for learners and researchers who wish to explore management theory in depth.

赫伯特A.西蒙 Author

Herbert A. Simon is an important scholar in the field of management studies, and two of his representative works, Administrative Behavior (4th Edition) and Organizations (Collector's Edition), are included in our collection. Because public information is limited, his biographical details are not elaborated here; the introduction focuses instead on his works. Both books fall within the subject area of management and discuss organizational operation, decision-making processes, and management practice, reflecting a writing style that combines theoretical construction with empirical analysis. Administrative Behavior has gone through multiple revised editions, which indicates that its content has continued to attract attention in both academic and practical circles; Organizations has been circulated in a collector's edition, suggesting that the book has lasting reference value. Overall, Simon's writings are characterized by clear concepts and rigorous argumentation, providing a systematic analytical framework for understanding management activities and exerting a relatively enduring influence on management research and teaching.

邵冲 Author

Public information about Shao Chong is limited. What is known is that the author is mainly engaged in translating and introducing works on management, with three titles included in the collection: Organization (Collector's Edition) and two editions of Maslow on Management, the deluxe and collector's editions. Judging from these subjects, Shao Chong focuses on classic works of organization theory and management thought, and in particular on presenting Maslow's writings on management systematically to Chinese readers. This kind of translation and introduction plays a foundational role in spreading knowledge in the discipline of management and helps readers understand the connection between humanistic psychology and organizational management. The translations tend toward a rigorous, plain style, emphasizing conceptual accuracy and readability, and are suitable for management students, researchers, and general readers interested in how organizations operate.