Mobilization is "the process of forming crowds, groups, assiciations,
and organizations for the pursuit of collective goals" (Oberschall
quoted in Scott p. 169). Organizations do not "spontaneously emerge"
but require the mobilization of resources.
In modern capitalistic society, these resources are more "free flowing"
and are easier to mobilize than in more traditional societies. Many factors
impact the development of the oranization:
Initial Resource Mix
There are various resource needs in a starting organization (technology,
labor, capital, organizational structure, societal support, legitimacy,
etc.). But the right mix of resources are not always available, leading
Stinchcombe to note that organizational development seems to occur in spurts
followed by long periods of stability (Stinchcombe, 1965).
One of the most important determininants of new organizations is technological
change. Some are "competency-enhancing" which strengthen
existing firms, and some are "competency-destroying" which
cause upheavals in existing institutions and spur the creation of new organizations
(Tushman and Anderson, 1986).
Organizations which form at the same time often have similar structures
(organizational cohort) because they are created out of the same mix of
social resources (Stinchcombe, 1965). Furthermore, their form is imprinted
and it's likely they will retain that form as they grow.
Balance of Contributions and Inducements
The most important resource of an organization is it's people. Barnard (1938)
stressed that motivating participants to continue to make contributions
is one of the most important activities of managment. Simon built Barnard's
observations into the Barnard-Simon theory
of organizational equilibrium, which refers to the organization's ability
to attract sufficient contributions to ensure it's survival (Scott p. 171).
Clark and Wilson (1961) differentiate between three types of incentives--
material, solidary, and purposive, and note that different types of
organizations rely on different incentives systems.
Membership Demographics
The demographics of the particpants has a lasting impact on organizational
structure (McNeil and Thompson, 1971). It's affected by the growth rate
of the organization and the industry in general, personnel hiring practices,
and promotion norms (from within, without) and unionization (Pfeffer, 1983).
Kanter (1977) found that racial, gender, age demographics has an impact
on attitudes and performance of a group. For example, women at the top of
management are often "tokens" with higher pressures to perform.
Reed (1978) looked at the impact of cohorts (a population that experiences
the same events at the same periods of their life). Cohorts can influence
careers and affect organizational behavior (especially the cohort-in-charge).
Acquisition of Resources
Researches have found that discontent is only secondary to the emergence
of insurgency -- available resources and the power of the aggrieved are
more important (Scott p. 176). Another example is ethnic enclaves, where
discrimination in larger society fuels the development of a sub-market based
on ethnicity and social ties.
New organizations often fail. 54% of the failed organizations during 1980
were 5 years old or less (Scott p. 177).