Technology, Size, and Organization Structure

Abstract

A study of 82 business organizations provides data on the disputed question of whether organization technology or organization size is more closely associated with the elements of organization structure. Technological variables are found to be associated with structure in certain definable respects, but, on the whole, size enjoys a much higher relationship. Partial correlational analysis serves to clarify these patterns of association. Measures of technology used in previous studies are seen to be problematic for two reasons. They can obscure the differential elements involved in technology. Secondly, they may to an important degree be acting as surrogates for inter-industry differences which include the influence of industrial managerial ideologies and environments.