Table Of ContentSOCIAL SCIENCES IN MANAGEMENT
STUDIES
IN SOCIAL LIFE
XVI
EDITOR:
GUNTHER BEYER
ADVISORY BOARD
P. J. BOUMAN,
University of Groningen
JEAN GOTTMAN,
University of Paris
WALTER HOFFMANN,
University of Munster
LIVIO LIVI (t),
University of Rome
SOCIAL SCIENCES IN
MANAGEMENT
AN ENVIRONMENTAL VIEW
by
NARENDRA K. SETHI, PH. D.
St. John's University, New York
MARTINUS NIJHOFF / THE HAGUE /1972
© 1972 by Martinus Nijhoff, The Hague, Netherlands
Softcover reprint oft he hardcover 1st edition 1972
All rights reserved, including the right to translate or to
reproduce this book or parts thereof in any form
ISBN-13: 978-90-247-1291-5 e-ISBN-13: 978-94-010-2794-6
DOl: 10.1007/978-94-010-2794-6
This book is affectionately dedicated
to my father Seth N emichandji Sethi
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Preface
CHAPTER I. INTRODUCTION 1
General Introduction (1) - Statement of the Problem (2) - Methodology
of Research (3) - Scope and Limits of the Study (4) - Definitions of Im
portant Terms and Concepts (5) - Hypotheses of the Study (6) - Over
view of the Book (7).
CHAPTER II. SYNTHESIZING SOCIAL SCIENCES 8
Introduction (8) - Models of Organizational Systems (9) - Organi
zational Models: Overview (13) - Models of Environmental Systems (14)
- Environmental Models: Overview (17) - Summary (17).
CHAPTER III. SOCIAL SCIENCES INTEGRATION MODEL 18
Introduction (18) - Preliminary Observations (18) - Action-Orientation
of the Model (22) - Ecological Variables (22) - Socio-Economic Variables
(23) - Institutional Variables (24) - Technological Variables (25) -
Summary (26).
CHAPTER IV. SOCIAL SCIENCES INTEGRATION IN THE FUTURE 27
Introduction (27) - Preliminary Observations (27) - Directions in the
Future Environment (30) - Growth of Computerization in Newer
Application (30) - Growth of Professional Fluidity (30) - Growth of
Social Involvement (30) - Growth of Global Integration (31) - Action
Orientation of the Model (31) - Summary (34).
CHAPTER V. SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION 36
Introduction (36) - Environmental Adjustment (37) - Environmental
Structure (37) - Inter-Disciplinary Approach (38) - Social Productivity
and Profitability (39) - Human, Technological, and Organizational
Considerations (39) - Dimensions of Futurity (40) - User Reference of
the Proposed Model (41).
VIII T ABLE OF CONTENTS
CHAPTER VI. SOCIAL SCIENCES INTEGRATION MODEL DEPLOYMENT
- A HypOTHETICAL CASE STUDY 44
Introduction (44) - Methodology of Research (44) - Brief Description of
the Company, Its Organization, and Industry (45) - Analysis of the
Environment Interacting with the Firm (47) - The Dilemma (61) -
Alternatives Suggested in the Corporate Meetings (63) - The Actual
Development of the Model Scheme in the Company's Operations (65) -
Critical Analysis of the Operations (71) - The Final Outcome as Judged
by Results (74) - Guidelines from the Case Analysis for Future Policy
(75) - Conclusion (76).
CHAPTER VII. ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY 78
SUBJECT INDEX 102
AUTHOR INDEX 106
PREFACE
The study of environment in the administrative management con
text is of a relatively recent vintage. It owes much to the comparative
emphasis upon the applications of social disciplines within the organ
ization's framework. It derives much from the modem perspectives
of a total managerial strategy unrestricted by the limited internal firm
situations. Basically, environmental studies have contributed to the
incorporation of an extra-business and profit dimension in the mana
gerial functions.
Much has already been written about social sciences and their
behavioral utility for rational administration. After several years of
teaching and consulting activities focusing on this subject, I was quite
convinced, however, that an "Environmental Interaction" approach
could contribute to the effectiveness of both the practicing manager
and the preaching academician in their persuasive efforts to apply
environmental outlook in everyday business decisions and functions.
This is the basic rationale for this book.
I am grateful to a number of people who have contributed to the
direct and indirect preparation of this research study. Dean John C.
Alexion of the College of Business Administration, st. John's Uni
versity, was a source of great personal and professional help. My
several research assistants including Ronald Santangelo, Andrew
Rovegno, and Ronald De Meo tolerated with good humor my edi
torial and literary directions. Mrs. Katherine Kelly typed the manu
script dozens of times with her angelic formidability without ever
complaining about my persistent showering of corrections and re
visions upon her. Mrs. Margaret Quinn coordinated the geographical
and linguistic distance through which the book had to travel during
its conception and publication phases.
x PREFACE
Finally, I am grateful to my wife Kiran for providing the environ
ment which resulted in the completion of this study according to
schedule.
Narendra K. Sethi
St. John's University
Jamaica, New York
Spring, 1972
CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION
General Introduction
Performing in the context of a pluralistic society, different groups
interact and influence one another in the modem business environ
ment. Pluralism implies that business should be an open and dynamic
system in which several social, behavioral, ecological, and psycho
logical variables interact, having a diversity of inputs and a similar
diversity of outputs. Viewed as a whole, this interaction pattern sug
gests that in the environmental overview of management practices,
there is a linking process which integrates these diverse inputs and
their diverse organizational outputs in the totality offered by the firm
as a composite system. This total firm system consists of a duality:
(1) The internal value-system comprising of the human and organ
izational variables; (2) the external value-system consisting of tech
nological and socio-cultural variables.
The internal sub-system provides the creative energy for the firm's
administrative process.
The external sub-system puts the firm in the context of the en
vironment, which in the final analysis determines all the extra-organ
izational relationships which the enterprise establishes. When both
the internal and external sub-systems of the firm operate in a mutual
reinforced pattern of harmony, there may be said to occur an "organ
izational-environmental balance."
A combination of both the internal value system and the external
value system is necessary for the realization of the composite firm's
system. The ideal objective is to maintain a perfectly balanced re
lationship and distance between these two directions. This approach
will permit optimum effectiveness of the human, organizational, tech
nological, and socio-cultural variables.
