James D. Thompson
James David Thompson
(January 11, 1920 in Indianapolis – September 1, 1973) was an American
sociologist.
In 1932, James D.
Thompson's family moved to Chicago where he went to a public high
school. He graduated from Indiana University with a B.A. in business and
served in the United States Air Force from 1941 to 1946. He obtained a
master's degree in journalism and worked half a year as an editor for
the Chicago Journal of Commerce before taking a position as a journalism
teacher at the University of Wisconsin. From 1950 to 1954, he worked on
his final degree, a Ph.D. in sociology from the University of North
Carolina at Chapel Hill.
From there, James
Thompson moved to Cornell University to teach at the School of Business
and Public Administration. He helped found the Administrative Science
Quarterly, of which he was the first editor, in 1956. He became the
director of the Administrative Science Center at the University of
Pittsburgh. In 1967, he published Organizations in Action: Social
Science Bases of Administrative Theory, one of the most influential
books on organizations.
James Thompson moved
one last time in 1968 to teach at the Department of Sociology at
Vanderbilt University. James D. Thompson was diagnosed with cancer in
1972 and died September 11, 1973.
James D. Thompson's
Typology of Decision Making
I. Where both
preferences and cause/effect relations are clear, decision making is
"computational". These decisions are often short term and information
about the decision is fairly unambiguous.
II. Where
outcome preferences are clear, but cause/effect relations are uncertain,
Thompson suggest that "judgment" takes over and you make your best
educated guess. These decisions are based on prior experience and are
often qualitative in nature.
III. When the
situation is reversed, and preferences are uncertain, then you rely on
compromise between different groups. Political coalitions may be built
which rely on negotiating and bargaining.
IV. When neither
preferences nor cause/effect relations are clear, then you rely on
"inspirational" leadership. This is where the charismatic leader may
step in and this type of decision often takes place in times of crisis.
Complete Bibliography
of James D. Thompson
"Community Patterns of
Idea Intake," in Journalism Quarterly Winter, 1951, pp. 49-57
James Thompson DBWPER PN 4700.J7 V.28
"Some Experiences with
the Group Interview," in Social Forces, Vol. 31, December, 1952, pp.
148-154.
With N.J. Dermerath DBW, RDL or BRES PER HN 51.J6 V.31
"On Building an
Administrative Science," Administrative Science Quarterly, Vol. 1, June,
1956, pp. 102-111.
James Thompson BUSPER HD 28.A25 v.1
"Authority and Power in
'Identical Organizations'," American Journal of Sociology, Vol. 62,
November, 1956, pp. 290-301.RDL HM1.A7 v.62
"Technology,
Organization and Administration," Administrative Science Quarterly, Vol.
2, December, 1957, pp. 325-343. With F.L. Bates HD 28.A25 v. 2
"Modern Approaches to
Theory in Administration," in Andrew Halpin, ed., Administrative Theory
in Education
EDU or RDL LB 2806.H3
"Organizational Goals
and Environment: Goal-Setting as an Interaction Process," American
Sociological Review, Vol. 23, February, 1958, pp. 23-31. With William J.
McEwen RDL HM1.A75 v. 23
Comparative Studies in
Administration, James Thompson, Co-editor.
HD 30.P5
"Organizational
Management of Conflict," in Administrative Science Quarterly Vol. 4,
March, 1960, pp. 389-409. James Thompson BUSPER HD 28.A25 v.4
"Common Elements in
Administration," chapter in Ella W. Reed, ed., Social Welfare
Administration .
DBWSTK HV 40.N3
"Organizational
Decision-Making," Series Research in Social Psychology, Symposia Studies
Series, Fall, 1961.
With Arthur Tuden Not available at UWO
"Disaster, Community
Organization, and Administrative Process," chapter in George W. Baker
and Dwight W. Chapman, eds., Man and Society in Disaster pp. 268-300.
With Robert W. Hawkes DBWSTK BF 789.D5B3
"Common and Uncommon
Elements in Administration," chapter in The Social Welfare Forum, 1962,
Official Proceedings of the National Conference on Social Welfare.
DBWSTK HV 88.A3
"Organizations and
Output Transactions," American Journal of Sociology, November, 1962, pp.
309-324.
James Thompson RDL HM1.A7
"A Rationale for
Viewing Organizational Conflict," chapter in Jack Culbertson and Stephen
Hencley, eds., Educational Research: New Perspectives.
James Thompson RDL LB 1028.C8
"How to Prevent
Innovations," Trans-Action, Vol.2, January/February, 1965, p.30.
Approaches to
Organizational Design, Editor, James Thompson.
BUSSTK HM131.T56
Organizations in
Action, James Thompson. BUSSTK HD38.T465 2003
"Occupations, Personnel
and Careers," Educational Administration Quarterly, Winter, 1968, pp.
6-31.
With Richard Carlson and Robert W. Avery RDL L11.E33 v.4-6
"Models of Organization
and Administrative Systems," in The Social Sciences: Problems and
Orientations. James Thompson
"Truth Strategies and
University Organization," Educational Administration Quarterly, Spring,
1969.
With Robert W. Avery and Robert W. Hawkes RDL L11.E33 v.4-6
The Behavioral
Sciences: An Interpretation, With Donald R. Van Houten.
DBWSTK H83.T45
"The Regeneration of
Social Organizations," American Sociological Review, Vol. 36, August
1971, pp. 624-637. James Thompson RDL HM1.A75 v.36
"Society's Frontiers
for Organizing Activities," Public Administration Review, Vol. 33,
July/August, 1973, pp. 327-335 James Thompson LAWPER K16.U445 v.33
"Family Economics and
the Family Life Cycle: Internal Dynamics and Social Consequences,"
Sociology and Social Research, Vol. 57, 1973, pp. 182-195. With Walter
Gove, James Grimm, and Susan Motz ARCC HM1.S75
"Technology, Polity,
and Societal Development," Administrative Science Quarterly, Vol. 19,
March, 1974, pp. 6-21, James Thompson BUSPER HD 28.A25 v.19
"Social
Interdependence, the Polity and Public Administration," Administration
and Society, Vol. 6, May, 1974, pp. 3-21. James Thompson DBWPER JA3.J65
References
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_D._Thompson
http://www.lib.uwo.ca/programs/generalbusiness/jdthompson.html |
