TY - JOUR

T1 - Organization as communication

T2 - A luhmannian perspective

AU - Schoeneborn, Dennis

PY - 2011/11

Y1 - 2011/11

N2 - This article introduces Luhmann's theory of social systems as a prominent example of communication as constitutive of organization (CCO) thinking and argues that Luhmann's perspective contributes to current conceptual debates on how communication constitutes organization. The theory of social systems highlights that organizations are fundamentally grounded in paradox because they are built on communicative events that are contingent by nature. Consequently, organizations are driven by the continuous need to deparadoxify their inherent contingency. In that respect, Luhmann's approach fruitfully combines a processual, communicative conceptualization of organization with the notion of boundary and self-referentiality. Notwithstanding the merits of Luhmann's approach, its accessibility tends to be limited due to the hermetic terminology that it employs and the fact that it neglects the role of material agency in the communicative construction of organizations.

AB - This article introduces Luhmann's theory of social systems as a prominent example of communication as constitutive of organization (CCO) thinking and argues that Luhmann's perspective contributes to current conceptual debates on how communication constitutes organization. The theory of social systems highlights that organizations are fundamentally grounded in paradox because they are built on communicative events that are contingent by nature. Consequently, organizations are driven by the continuous need to deparadoxify their inherent contingency. In that respect, Luhmann's approach fruitfully combines a processual, communicative conceptualization of organization with the notion of boundary and self-referentiality. Notwithstanding the merits of Luhmann's approach, its accessibility tends to be limited due to the hermetic terminology that it employs and the fact that it neglects the role of material agency in the communicative construction of organizations.

KW - Management studies

KW - communication constitutes organization (CCO)

KW - Montreal School

KW - organizational communication

KW - theory of social systems

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=80455129485&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1177/0893318911405622

DO - 10.1177/0893318911405622

M3 - Journal articles

AN - SCOPUS:80455129485

VL - 25

SP - 663

EP - 689

JO - Management Communication Quarterly

JF - Management Communication Quarterly

SN - 0893-3189

IS - 4

ER -