Sociology of organizations: Potential and challenges

Abstract

Purpose of this study: Sociology of Organizations, as a specialization, has maintained an indefinite status, competing with other disciplinary areas regarding the study of organizations. This paper seeks to contribute to the reflection about the potential and challenges faced by the Sociology of Organizations. Methodology: For this purpose, a bibliographical research was carried out on this topic, complemented by our experience as sociologists in teaching and research on the organizational theme in some databases, such as Web of Knowledge, DOAJ, SCIELO, and institutional repositories. Findings: It is concluded that the Sociology of Organizations can provide tools for the heuristic apprehension of the organizational phenomenon, either by mobilizing instruments of a more general sociology or by fostering a certain interdisciplinarity with other disciplinary areas that deal with this phenomenon. Implications: However, this potential is generally obscured by greater visibility because it is perceived as more directly linked to the managerial phenomenon and seems to provide more illusorily practical solutions and universal recipes. It is necessary to recognize the complexity of the organizational phenomenon to advance its scientific knowledge.