Tinbergen Lectures on Organization Theory

The main emphasis in this work is on answers to such questions as: Can organizations operate efficiently or is there inevitably a loss of control? What are the principles of efficient organizational design? Do organizations operate under constant, increasing or decreasing returns to scale? In his preface Prof. J. Tinbergen writes:"In this book Professor Beckmann, with considerable ingenuity, offers a mathematical analysis of productive organizations in the widest sense... Among the organizations studied hierarchies play a predominant role and are compared with such forms of cooperation as partnerships and "ladders". A number of well-known basic concepts such as span of control, rank, line vs. staff and others serve as starting points. His analysis leads to such refinements as balance, regular or degenerated organization patterns and interesting comparisons of the efficiency of various structures... Several of the results obtained take simpler forms for very large hierarchies. The renewed interest, shown in political discussions, in the bureaucratization of both large enterprises and government machinery makes Dr. Beckmann's work highly topical". "Beckmann's microeconomic organisation theory presents...without a doubt, a very fine, formally closed and surprisingly informative conception" (Zeitschrift für Betriebswirtschaft 9/1984, original in German).Beckmann, Martin J. is the author of 'Tinbergen Lectures on Organization Theory', published 1988 under ISBN 9783540185154 and ISBN 3540185151.