Abstract
According to the traditional ‘stable-process’ problem (i.e. macro–micro problem), the firm’s structure (i.e. stable) and production (i.e. process) cannot interact (e.g. Bakken and Hernes 2002a). Conceptually, they both remain distinctly different entities, and the differences stem from epistemologically different theoretical projects. However, the complexities of business organizations demand that we are able to analyse them at different levels – i.e. the organization’s structure and production levels – and that we are able to relate processes at different levels to one another.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
References
Bakken, T., & Hernes, T. (2002a). Introduction: Niklas Luhmann’s autopoietic theory and organization studies – a space of connections. In T. Bakken & T. Hernes (Eds.), Autopoietic organization theory: Drawing on Niklas Luhmann’s social systems perspective pp. 9–22). Oslo: Abstrakt.
Bakken, T., & Hernes, T. (2002b). The macro–micro problem in organization theory: Luhmann’s autopoiesis as a way of handling recursivity. In T. Bakken & T. Hernes (Eds.), Autopoietic organization theory: Drawing on Niklas Luhmann’s social systems perspective pp. 53–74). Oslo: Abstrakt.
Giddens, A. (1984). The constitution of society. Cambridge: Polity Press.
Koskinen, K. U. (2010b). Recursive view of the project-based companies’ knowledge management. Journal of Knowledge Management, 14(2), 258–268.
Luhmann, N. (1995a). Social systems. Stanford: Stanford University Press.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2013 Springer International Publishing Switzerland
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Koskinen, K.U. (2013). Micro–Macro Problem. In: Knowledge Production in Organizations. Springer, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-00104-3_10
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-00104-3_10
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Heidelberg
Print ISBN: 978-3-319-00103-6
Online ISBN: 978-3-319-00104-3
eBook Packages: Business and EconomicsBusiness and Management (R0)