Hi Romie,
I had the impression that this debate had been opened by Emile Durkheim
in "Les Regles de la Methode Sociologique" in 1895 (many translations in
English). Few people will argue with your point that social actors are
not like persons, but the idea that social actors tend to have dynamics
beyond the simple aggregation of individual transactions is pretty
standard in Sociology and in a bunch of other disciplines as well. That
doesn´t make it universal or right, but if it is done right it can be
quite useful
Also, and without invoking your other papers, when you say
> Moreover, the things done there (in society) are transactions that
> occur in large numbers, at the volition of many
> people and institutions, motivated by a diverse array of reasons for
> engaging in them.
aren´t you just doing the same thing you are criticizing? Institutions,
according to your argument, are nothing that the aggregation of the
things done by their members.
Best
p.
Romie Littrell wrote:
> True Prof. Mezias, I do state on p. 5., "As the world of
> international business ebbs, flows, and changes direction, the role
> of cross-cultural management remains a major issue (Cascio, 1992;
> Selmer, 1998)." which to some degree anthropromorphises the "world of
> international business". The new enlighened me might write, "The role
> of cross-cultural management has long been a major issue in the study
> and practice of international business (Cascio, 1992; Selmer, 1998)."
> Now I have to go back to all my manuscripts in progress and check for
> this kind of incorrect usage. Regards, Romie
>
> Do not accustom yourself to use big words for little matters.-Samuel
> Johnson Romie F. Littrell, BA, MBA,PhD, FIAIR, An fánaí fiáin AUT
> Business School N.Z.,
romie.littrell@aut.ac.nz
>
http://www.romielittrellpubs.homestead.com/
>
http://www.crossculturalcentre.homestead.com/ Facilitator, Leadership
> & Management in Sub-Sahara Africa Conferences Contents copyright
> Romie F. Littrell
>
> --- On Wed, 4/11/09, Professor Mezias <
adcbchair@GMAIL.COM> wrote:
>
> From: Professor Mezias <
adcbchair@GMAIL.COM> Subject: Re:
> Anthropomorphising Groups, Societies, Organisations To:
>
IMD-L@AOMLISTS.PACE.EDU Date: Wednesday, 4 November, 2009, 7:47 PM
>
> Hi Romie,
>
> I don't mean to nitpick your point, but in your own 2002 paper in
> Journal of Management Development you similarly anthropromorphize
> this monograph, the world of international business, and the
> institution of expatriate management just on the first page. I think
> readers generally understand that this is a shorthand for the
> unpacking of the agents that make up some collective, whether it is a
> multi-authored monograph, the world of international business, or the
> institution of expatriate managers.
>
>
> Steve
>
> On Wed, Nov 4, 2009 at 1:43 AM, Romie Littrell
> <
littrellaom@yahoo.co.nz> wrote:
>
>
> I’m critiquing a research paper by a post-graduate student who has
> referenced a quotation from an article by Gray, Owen & Adams (1996)
> in which they anthropomorphise “society”, explaining society as “a
> series of social contracts between members of society and society
> itself”. Society is a network of various kinds of linkages where
> people gather to do things. Society is not a conscious entity that
> does things of its own volition. Moreover, the things done there are
> transactions that occur in large numbers, at the volition of many
> people and institutions, motivated by a diverse array of reasons for
> engaging in them. People tell me what groups, societies,
> organisations did today, why it did that, what it is afraid of, what
> it is struggling to do, or what external influences are preventing it
> from accomplishing its intent. None of these statements is true. To
> re-emphasise, an organisation, group, society, or market is a place
> where people gather to do things, not a conscious entity that does
> things of its own volition that can be analysed as if it were a human
> being.
>
>
>
> Any agreement, disagreement, other ideas?
>
>
>
> Gray, R, Owen, D., & Adams, C. (1996). Accounting and Accountability;
> Changes and Challenges in Corporate Social and Environmental
> Reporting, Harlow: UK: Prentice-Hall Europe.
>
>
>
>
>
> Do not accustom yourself to use big words for little matters.-Samuel
> Johnson Romie F. Littrell, BA, MBA,PhD, FIAIR, An fánaí fiáin AUT
> Business School N.Z.,
romie.littrell@aut.ac.nz
>
>
http://www.romielittrellpubs.homestead.com/
>
http://www.crossculturalcentre.homestead.com/
>
> Facilitator, Leadership & Management in Sub-Sahara Africa Conferences
> Contents copyright Romie F. Littrell
>
>
>
>
>
>
>