Alistair Mutch – författare

What is the enduring impact of Presbyterianism on what it means to be Scottish?Presbyterianism has shaped Scotland and its impact on the world. Behind its beliefs lie some distinctive practices of governance which endure even when belief fades. These practices place a particular emphasis on the detailed recording of decisions and what we can term a ‘systemic’ form of accountability.This book examines the emergence and consolidation of such practices in the 18th-century Church of Scotland. Using extensive archival research and detailed local case studies, it contrasts them to what is termed a ‘personal’ form of accountability in England in the same period. The wider impact of the systemic approach to governance and accountability, especially in the United States of America, is explored, as is the enduring impact on Scottish identity.This book offers a fresh perspective on the Presbyterian legacy in contemporary Scottish historiography, at the same time as informing current debates on national identity.Key Features:A novel focus on religion as social practice, as opposed to belief or organizationA strong focus on Scotland, but in the context of BritainExtensive archival work in the Church of Scotland records, with an emphasis on form as well as contentA different focus on the Church of Scotland in the eighteenth centuryOffers a detailed focus on local practice in the context of national debates

The brewing industry, through its network of public houses, has a profound impact on the lives of much of the population of United Kingdom. Exploring the shaping of this industry in the years from 1950-1990, this book shows how it has moved from being largely concerned with the technical issues of production to being a key part of the retail industries.

Drawing from theoretical traditions such as critical realism and new institutionalism, Strategic and Organizational Change demonstrates the considerable differences between major companies in the industry and the ways in which they have adopted a retailing approach. At the heart of the book is an exploration of the relationship between managerial choice and the structural constraints and opportunities in which that choice was exercised.

Providing a new model of how history can inform the analysis of organizational strategy, the book draws on extensive archival material and adopts a far more historical approach than previous accounts of the area. Above all, Alistair Mutch presents a fascinating story of change in an industry which is taken for granted, but whose actions affect, for good or ill, the lives of millions.

The brewing industry, through its network of public houses, has a profound impact on the lives of much of the population of United Kingdom. Exploring the shaping of this industry in the years from 1950-1990, this book shows how it has moved from being largely concerned with the technical issues of production to being a key part of the retail industries.

Drawing from theoretical traditions such as critical realism and new institutionalism, Strategic and Organizational Change demonstrates the considerable differences between major companies in the industry and the ways in which they have adopted a retailing approach. At the heart of the book is an exploration of the relationship between managerial choice and the structural constraints and opportunities in which that choice was exercised.

Providing a new model of how history can inform the analysis of organizational strategy, the book draws on extensive archival material and adopts a far more historical approach than previous accounts of the area. Above all, Alistair Mutch presents a fascinating story of change in an industry which is taken for granted, but whose actions affect, for good or ill, the lives of millions.

How are we to characterise the context in which organisations operate? The notion that organisational activity is shaped by institutional logics has been influential but it presents a number of problems. The criteria by which institutions are identified, the conflation of institutions with organisations, the enduring nature of those institutions and an exaggerated focus on change are all concerns that existing perspectives do not tackle adequately. This book uses the resources of historical work to suggest new ways of looking at institutional logics. It builds on the work of Roger Friedland who has conceived of institutional logics being animated by adherence to a core substance that is immanent in practices. Development of this idea in the context of organisation theory is supported by ideas drawn from the work of the social theorist Margaret Archer and the broader resources of the philosophical tradition of critical realism. Institutions are seen to emerge over time from the embodied relations of humans to each other and to the natural world on which they depend for material existence. Once emergent, institutions develop their own logics and endure to form the context in which agents are involuntarily placed and that conditions their activity. The approach adopted offers resources to ‘bring society back in’ to the study of organisations.

The book will appeal to graduate students who are engaging with institutional theory in their research. It will also be of interest to scholars of institutional theory, of the history of organisations and those seeking to apply ideas from critical realism to their research.

How are we to characterise the context in which organisations operate? The notion that organisational activity is shaped by institutional logics has been influential but it presents a number of problems. The criteria by which institutions are identified, the conflation of institutions with organisations, the enduring nature of those institutions and an exaggerated focus on change are all concerns that existing perspectives do not tackle adequately. This book uses the resources of historical work to suggest new ways of looking at institutional logics. It builds on the work of Roger Friedland who has conceived of institutional logics being animated by adherence to a core substance that is immanent in practices. Development of this idea in the context of organisation theory is supported by ideas drawn from the work of the social theorist Margaret Archer and the broader resources of the philosophical tradition of critical realism. Institutions are seen to emerge over time from the embodied relations of humans to each other and to the natural world on which they depend for material existence. Once emergent, institutions develop their own logics and endure to form the context in which agents are involuntarily placed and that conditions their activity. The approach adopted offers resources to ‘bring society back in’ to the study of organisations.

The book will appeal to graduate students who are engaging with institutional theory in their research. It will also be of interest to scholars of institutional theory, of the history of organisations and those seeking to apply ideas from critical realism to their research.