organization_theory_modern_and_postmodern_perspectives.docx

Individual perspectives produce different types of knowledge. Choose two organisational theory perspectives and critically evaluate how each contributes a different understanding of…

Individual perspectives produce different types of knowledge. Choose two organisational theory perspectives and critically evaluate how each contributes a different understanding of sustainability within organisations.

Based on your selected perspectives, draw upon relevant readings out of the given list as a starting point for your essay. You should also use the textbook and other resources to assist in the development of your analysis.

1.1.1       Introduction

In this section you must provide an overview of your answer to the question; provide answers to the key what and why questions of your argument/answer. These should take the form of direct responses to the key issues raised by the question. Your argument should be informed by a critical analysis/engagement with the content of the essential readings.

Please keep in mind that in all sections of your response you must move past description to analysis, this means providing answers to the why questions that emerge from your key statements.

1.1.2       Body of the Essay

In this section of the essay you need to accomplish two tasks. 

First, you must explore the key perspectives showing how each perspective’s theoretical and metatheoretical approaches lead them to provide different insights into organisations and their relationships to the subject being studied.

Therefore each paper, what are the ontological and epistemological assertions that make the writing either modernist, symbolic interpretivist, critical theory based, or postmodern? You may think of this as identifying the “signposts”, or “clues”, that make a paper modernist, symbolic interpretivist, critical theory based, or postmodern.

What are the consequences of using a particular ontological and epistemological perspective to the debate? Is it the way in which a particular narrative is presented? How was data collected and analysed (or interpreted)?

You can address the papers sequentially; beginning with an exploration of the how and why of each of the chosen perspectives (ontology and epistemology), and then an exploration of the positions advanced by two of the perspectives (modernist, symbolic interpretivist, critical theory and postmodernism) in relation to how organisations and the concept being studied is conceived, identified and written about.

The whole response must be informed by an engagement with essential readings. You must draw upon and evaluate academic debates and arguments.

1.1.3       Conclusion

You must conclude with your general answer to the question. It should reiterate the key argument/answer to the question provided in the introduction and indicate to what extent it has been supported or challenged by your analysis of the debates and arguments of other authors.