Dynamic Evolution of Rules -- Changes in Written Organizational Rules

Author: (USA) March, J.G. et al., translated by Tong Genxing
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-05-01
Features: This is a book about written rules within formal organizations. It employs a special organization: observations from Stanford University, to develop ideas about how written rules change. Written rules are a special factor in organizational history, shaping organizational events while being influenced by them. The creation, revision, and abolition of written rules leave historical traces and possess visibility and durability. Due to these characteristics, written rules provide natural data for empirical exploration of organizational historical dynamics. They are not a complete record of that history, but they form accessible archival materials that change over time. Although the research described here includes some quantitative observations of specific events in rule changes, the study in this book is primarily a quantitative investigation of the historical patterns and statistical characteristics of rule emergence and change. It is hoped that the insights derived from this data will contribute to rule theory as well as organizational change and learning theory. Compared to the substantive content of changes or the implementation of specific rules, the analysis in this book emphasizes the patterns of change rates within a group of rules.