MGT5MPT: Analysis of Paradigm Wars in Organization Theory

This essay delves into the core of organization theory, specifically focusing on the 'paradigm wars' between strategic choice and determinism. It begins by defining the roles of managers in shaping organizational outcomes, highlighting the importance of this topic in understanding organizational behavior. The essay then explores the strategic choice theory, which emphasizes managerial autonomy and the ability to influence organizational practices, and contrasts it with determinism, which prioritizes the impact of the environment. Through a critical analysis, the essay argues that these two theories cannot be fully reconciled, examining the limitations of each perspective. It provides a detailed comparison of the theories, considering factors such as organizational size, time frames, industrial regulations, and internal management aspects. The essay further examines the implications of these theories on decision-making, leadership styles, and environmental impacts. Finally, the essay concludes by discussing the complexities of creating a unified theory of organization, acknowledging the strengths and weaknesses of both strategic choice and determinism.

Running Head: EXPLORING THE PARADIGM WARS IN ORGANIZATION THEORY
Exploring the Paradigm Wars in Organization Theory

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EXPLORING THE PARADIGM WARS IN ORGANIZATION THEORY
Table of contents
Introduction......................................................................................................................................3
Role of managers in shaping organizational outcome.....................................................................3
Importance of the topic....................................................................................................................3
Key issue of the choice....................................................................................................................4
Critical analysis: The theories can not reconcile.............................................................................4
Contrast between the theories..........................................................................................................6
Comparison of the theories..............................................................................................................6
Conclusion.......................................................................................................................................9
Reference list.................................................................................................................................10

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Introduction
Amidst countless debates on the organizational theories and their implementation, paradigms of
strategic choice and determinism theories have always influenced the scholars and researchers to
get insight of organizational behavior and practice. The theory of strategic choice represents the
manager as autonomic leaders modifying organizational practices and policies in order to meet
the goals whereas determinism prioritize environment to be more powerful than managers. This
essay will highlight the differences between strategic choice and determinist theories and their
contribution coarse of organization. Thus the essay helps the reader to critically analyses
paradigm wars and organization theory that decodes the paradigm contrasts.
Role of managers in shaping organizational outcome
Management is the process of learning the effective methodologies of operations and economic
planning and implementing them in appropriate circumstances. Managing an organization
involves responsibilities of planning, mentoring, decision making that shapes an organization
outcome. The essential roles of the manager are thus identified
 Performs Interpersonal roles such as Figurehead role, leadership role and liaison role
 Performs informational roles such as acting as a communicator between employees and
higher authorities
 Decisional roles involve taking decisions according to circumstances and environment
such as strikes and grievances.
Importance of the topic
The essay will consider the strategic choice theory and determinism theory as two ends of a
continuum that will draw attention to several interesting factors. However in reality, the power of
action and ability to perform does not coincide always hence the manager experience several
dilemmas (Geddes, 2018). Many researchers have published journals that point out the
differences between the two strategies but the nature of their interactions is not established
clearly. Hence this essay will try to focus on their interaction and try to choose the most

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compelling choice for the organizations. The essay will critically analyze does the two theories
reconcile with each other, if not then it will figure out the limitations of theories that restrict them
to reconcile the theories in universal theory of organization.
Key issue of the choice
In order to run a successful business organization the strategic choice theory is the widely
accepted theory. The strategic theory holds the fact that any organization has immense control
over itself in business market and its customers (Vermeulen et al. 2016). Manager of a business
organization can control the market through different promotional and marketing strategies that
helps to interconnect to collaborators and customers. Managers are able to manipulate the
structure in order to meet its objectives. Hence the strategic theory is advantageous over the
deterministic structure and they cannot reconcile.
From determinist perspective, the business organization just responds to market changes and
variability in change in consumer behavior. Such organization makes goals that aim towards
survival of firm in competitive market. As opined by Pisano, (2017) the major difference
between the two theories is capability to adapt itself. Deterministic theory aligns towards
adapting change of the organization according to market flexibility whereas strategic theory
believes in modulation of organizational structure increase brand awareness. Hence it can be said
that both the theories are of opposing views.
Critical analysis: The theories can not reconcile
Strategic theory
The strategic choice theory states that managers of any organization undertake dynamic choices
to influence organization behavior. The theory also serves to emphasis people working in an
organization to make their choices; since it forms learning process adapts itself to internal factors
as well as external environment. Fusion of intuition with rationality and chance where the
involved agents interact and act accordingly somewhat becomes opportunistic. Hence the
controlling authority and structure are confronted in non-structured autonomy.

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Strategic theory encourages decision to follow according to the order of the problem recognition
in order to i resolve it. External competitive forces have impact on the organization as a result of
which the manager tends to choose differentiation strategy that shape up organization. Hence the
competitive forces influence the manager to define generic strategies to be adopted that result in
performance of the organization (Lok, Hwang & Hollerer, 2017).
Determinist theory
Similar as strategic theory the determinism theory also use factors, organization and industry for
analysis. It states that the environmental structure is the key fit to the effectiveness of the
organization. The organization structure to yield high productivity is dependent of environment
Resource dependency theory: The theory states the effect of external resource on behavior of
organization for instance raw materials for production of goods fell short; it is likely to effect the
productivity and brand image of the organization (Shou, Zheng, & Zhu, 2016). It is an important
theory since flow of raw materials and finished products to stakeholders more than its
competitors contribute to its success.
Institutional theory: the organizational structures that include norms, rules, routines etc. are
stabilized by authority’s regulations of social behavior. The theory states that organizations do
not act as autonomous agents in order to maximize benefits, instead follow the set of social
guidelines. Organizations tend to secure public approval enhancing the legitimacy (Chitambar &
Hsieh, 2016).
Population ecology: This theory is mainly followed by small firms having higher decline rates
compared to medium or large organizations. Cafeteria is good example to follow the theory. The
theory examines the long term goal of the organization before designing any strategies. This
approach helps them to evaluate organizational behavior over time.
Contrast between the theories
 Determinists believe there is limited role for managers in organization. Population
ecologists limit the role of manager whereas contingency theorists resemble managers
whose actions are monitored by social and economic environment.

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 According to strategic theory the managers can regulate environment to operate but
determinists hold just the reverse view. According to Miles, (2017), perception of
manager on environment diverges from objectives that less affects productivity of
organization. Strategic decision process helps the manager to collect and use information
rationally without engaging into politics.
 Population ecologists believe bigger firms can’t not adapt changes easily; As opined by
Hitt, Xu & Carne (2016) these organizations study environment and when the scanning is
completed the organizations learn to integrate them their actions. Hence organizations
can collect response in order to develop the decision making process. Determinists fail to
explain the adaptation and survival of organizations during adversity.
 Strategic theorists believe that flexibility helps the managers to incorporate technical
innovations that would improve structural modification that will raise their position in
market. As per the population theories, there is considerable amount of slack in the
environment but the organizations have negligible power to adjust in adversity.
Comparison of the theories
The influencing factors playing significant role for the selection of theories are discussed.
Size of the organization
Organization size gives an idea of the scale and economic prospective of a firm. The number of
outputs determines organizational size whereas profit margin is increased by reducing the
average price. Strategic theory finds size to be an parameter for expansion of organization.
Larger organizations have more resources and ability compared to small firms. Hence the
manager requires higher skills and efficiency to manage output of larger firms.
Small firms maintain the theory of population ecology. According to Ford, (2016) small firms
are likely to decline earlier than larger firms. Organizational size has proven to influence growth
and activities. According to Lowrey, (2017) the strategic theory followed organizations are
known as generalists whereas deterministic organizations are called specialists. It is noted that
managers who follows strategic choice has greater slacks and the concerned organization has

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more capacity. These organizations can easily withstand unpredictability and environmental
uncertainty. Hence large companies should follow strategic choice theory as they are efficient
enough to deploy power over prevailing environmental conditions.
As per research conducted by many scholars it has been observed that firms following
determinist theory are controlled by national environment that shaped its performance over
managerial competence. As for example small organizations disappear during harsh economic
conditions or stagnant economic growth. Institutional support also play significant role to large
organizations during their lapse as they have the potential to exercise influence over unfavorable
environment with their external collaboration and other alliances.
Time frame
Next important influencing factor to choose organizational theory choice is the time factor. The
empirical studies conducted by different researchers have shown that strategic choice of theory
generally put emphasis on decisions of the management within short term. During unstabilized
environmental conditions for short durations, organizational leaders bring greater impacts in the
productivities, profitability and sales volume (Glinkowska & Kaczmarek, 2015).
Longitudinal study of population ecology takes larger time to view and evaluate organizations.
Such approaches help in timely comparison of grown, mortality rate. As it takes long time,
managerial actions are smoothened by environmental occurrences. But environmental
fluctuations for prolonged time reflect in organizational performances. It might led to downturn
and wiping out firms from the market.
Factors affecting management
Industrial factors
Regulation of industries in decreases discretionary power of manager. As strategic choice of the
managers is influenced by deregulation, persistent regulation and re-regulation limits the
importance of decision making. Under such circumstances environment impacts more influence
on firm performance rather than managerial discretion (Gomes, Barnes & Mahmood, 2016). The
common phases of industries are emergence, growth, saturation and death. Competition is

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affected by the intensity of these phases and it determines the extent of alteration of
organizational norms that reflect through performance.
Internal management factors
When the managers of any organization have worked coordinately sine long period, a sense of
responsibility develops within hence they are influenced by environmental cues and carry with
the existing guidelines. The team of managers develops the same action repertories as long term
coordination between the members forms common organizational perspective. According to
Foster et al. (2017), when one stays in an organization for a long time, he develops commitment
to the prior actions.
Impact on decision making and leadership
Contingency theorists and population ecologists both disregard the necessity of leadership,
decision making and organizational politics. Population ecologists believe in sociology where
organizations are just subordinate to environments. Hence environment directs the growth extent
of the organization. Population ecologists focus more in to death and natality rate of the
organization rather than internal activities.
The contingency theorists examine every phenomenon and downplay organizational importance
as decision making serves the purpose of working environment (Frankel, 2016). Manager
participates himself or encourages other members to participate so that particular decision can be
framed among array of opinion. This kind of leadership styles minimizes conflicts at workplace
along the hierarchy. It believes there are limitations in organizational options and managerial
behavior is confined within the work environment.
On contrary the strategic theory followers portrays an organizations as natural system with
compulsion and justification of decision making process. According to Miles, (2017) a jointly
taken decision is valued most as it is self-constructed, also motives the workforce.
Environmental impacts

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Determinists support the environmental impact as it takes an objective view. It refers
environment as collection of resources that limits external power and generates control over
organization. The theorists believe that organizations adjust themselves according to stability,
complexity and prevailing capacity of environment in order to sustain in the market (Chitambar
& Hsieh, 2016).
At this situation the manager action is restricted under environmental impact. There arises
competition between the organization structure and environment with negligible capacity for the
small firms to select their products.
Strategic theorists hold a subjective position here and consider environment as a media to
interpret information that would help the managers to take action. Primary focus for the strategic
theorists stand in intrinsic potential of manager for its organization, hence strategic theory has
more cache on contrast to deterministic.
Conclusion
The paper mainly examines the determinism and strategic theories on both the level of industry
and organization. The strategic theory portrays an organizational manager as proactive and
skilled to design organizational strategies. On the other hand the determinist theory portrays
manager to be restricted in his action as affected by structural and environmental actions that
limit the manager to modify organizational behavior. The industry and managerial factors
discussed show their impact on decision making process at strategic choice. The paper offer
insight to adopting the efficient view of the two theories and help the organizational stake
holders to defend their decision of the selection through rationale.

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