Management between Rationality and Irrationality

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Cene Bavec (2012)
  • Journal: Management, volume 7, issue 4, pages 351-365
  • Subject: management, rationality, irrationality, classical theories, theories of complexity, social context
In the paper, we discuss theoretical and practical aspects of management and its rational and irrational behavior in the light of traditional management theories and contemporary social theories and theories of complexity. We exposed differences between middle and top management, where rationality is ascribed mainly to middle management, while top management often acts on seemingly irrational way. For the part of this irrationality, we cannot blame management because it originates from the nature of the complex dynamic systems, as human organizations are. However, a significant part of an apparently irrational behavior of management should be attributed to its particular and personal goals that deviate from the goals of organization in which top management absconded to the control of owners and even social norms.
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