Bio: (1913-2001) British sociologist. Tom Burns taught sociology at the University of Edinburgh from 1965 to 1981, where he founded the Sociology department. He has also taught at Columbia and Harvard Universities. At the beginning of his career, he studied urban sociology, primarily the post-war reconstruction of cities. He later focused on studying large organizations, such as the BBC, local governments, and companies in the electronics industry. He was especially interested in the patterns of communication in organizations, the activities of managers, as well as the effect of introducing technological innovations.

The book The Management of Innovation (1961), co-authored with psychologist George Macpherson Stalker, is one of the most influential studies in the field of organizational theory and industrial sociology. In this book, the authors divide organizations into two types: organic and mechanical. Mechanical organizations have a hierarchically organized bureaucracy, with clear vertical channels of tasks, responsibilities, and power. Each individual and each level within the organization does its part autonomously, while major decisions are made only at the top of the hierarchy. Organic organizations have a looser structure, while levels and channels of communication and decision-making are multiple. In these organizations, achieving goals is more important than respecting clearly defined bureaucratic rules. Organic organizations are more suited to companies operating in fields that are characterized by rapid market changes and major technological innovations. On the other hand, mechanical organizations are more suited to traditional and stable industries, which are not greatly affected by market changes.

Main works

Local Government and Central Control (1956);

The Management of Innovation (1961);

Industrial Man (1969);

The BBC: Public Institution and Private World (1977);

Erving Goffman (1992);

Description, Explanation and Understanding: Selected Writings: 1944 – 1980 (1995).