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Theoretical Pluralism in Organizational Analysis

The Phenomena of Work Design and Organization

University of the West Indies

This article juxtaposes the functionalist and the Marxist perspectives on organizations in an attempt to assess the feasibility of theoretical pluralism as an alternative research strategy. While the coexistence of rival modes of organizational inquiry may contribute to the stock of knowledge about organizations and facilitate theoretical confrontation, it becomes necessary to evaluate the knowledge claims made by different modes of social inquiry, in the light of their assumptions and ontological and epistemological foundations. Theoretical pluralism may have an uncertain status as a research method, since it does not constitute an unambiguous agenda for organizational intervention. Constructive dialogue across paradigms is not to be eschewed. However, theoretical pluralism as a conscious strategy may result in a compromise of fundamental values for and thus be anathema to Marxists committed to the task of demystifying production relations in society.

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