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Structural Contingency Theory
The main premise in structural contingency theory is that there is no one best organizational structure; rather, the appropriate organizational structure depends on the contingencies facing the organization (Blau, 1970; Burns & Stalker, 1961; Chandler, 1962; Child, 1973; Galbraith, 1973; Rumelt, 1974; Thompson, 1967; Woodward, 1965). The theory posits that organizations will be effective if managers fit characteristics of the organization, such as its structure, with contingencies in their environment (Donaldson, 2001). Early work (Burns & Stalker, 1961; Woodward, 1965; Lawrence & Lorsch, 1967) supported the theory, and later theoretical developments helped explain those results (Thompson, 1967; Galbraith, 1977). ...
