Given the critical role of organizations in shaping every facet of society, an enquiry into the many dimensions of society involves an examination of its organizations. Covering the civil
service, hospitals, schools, cooperatives, business firms, development agencies, and trade unions, this reader seeks to develop a distinct identity for the theme of formal organizations in the
field of sociological research. Drawing upon different disciplines, The Sociology of Formal Organizations discusses important concepts and models, and provides an insight into the
dynamics of organizations--how they experience and cope with conflicts of ideology, interests, priorities, and goals; and sustain their identities and maintain their boundaries. The essays also
examin the extent to which organizations are culture specific, and the manner in which power and politics exhibit themselves.
