This book presents an integrated view of the three main approaches to organization - classical, human relations and systems - showing what each has of value to contribute and how they complement each other. The three approaches are introduced, followed by critical analysis. The main classical problems are reviewed in the light of the systems approach. Finally there is a comparative summary in tabular form, an illustrative systems study and a decision schedule.

This book examines modern consumption, focusing on concepts of autonomy and rationality. In recent years, conventional ideas of 'free will' have come under attack in the context of consumer choice and similarly, postmodernists have sabotaged the very notion of consumer rationality. O'Shaughnessy and O'Shaughnessy adopt a moderating perspective, reviewing and critiquing these attacks in order to work towards a more nuanced view of the consumer: neither entirely autonomous nor perfectly rational. While the first part of this book concentrates on assailing critiques of 'free-will', the second part takes issue with the postmodernist emphasis on the non-rational. The authors situate these critiques in the context of key academic debate, examining the logic and empirical bases for their claims thus leading to a deeper understanding of 'bounded' rationality and the potential of the adaptive unconscious to affect consumer choice.

'Interpretation' is used as an umbrella for bringing together a wide range of concepts and developments in the philosophy of social science that provide the foundation for clear thinking about social phenomena. In his new book, John O'Shaughnessy familiarises the reader with the nature of interpretation and its importance in social life, decision making in social science enquiries and consumer marketing, thus offering a multidisciplinary approach to problems of bias and uncertainty. Thus, this book is novel in its outlook and comprehensive in its approach. Whereas past studies in interpretation have focused on hermeneutical methods, O'Shaughnessy goes further considering the role of interpretation in social interactions, in undertaking scientific work, in the use of statistics, in causal analysis, in consumer evaluations of products and artifacts and in interpreting problematic situations together with the corresponding biases arising from emotional happiness and the concepts employed.

This book is a successor to the earlier and widely-used Business Organization. In this book the author helps the student to develop his or her own critical and conceptual understanding of the subject. As the author reviews the various approaches - classical, human relations, behavioural science, systems and contingency theories - he shows that none of them offers a simple progression from error to truth, but that all of them combine to contribute to a broader view of the field. The final chapter summarizes the author's viewpoint, applying the different approaches to a particular case study.

This book presents an integrated view of the three main approaches to organization - classical, human relations and systems - showing what each has of value to contribute and how they complement each other. The three approaches are introduced, followed by critical analysis. The main classical problems are reviewed in the light of the systems approach. Finally there is a comparative summary in tabular form, an illustrative systems study and a decision schedule.

This volume is a text-book for students of marketing, providing a basic understanding of the concept and techniques of marketing. It shows how basic background information relating to the UK market may be integrated into business planning and how information from other sources should be incorporated and used.

This book is a successor to the earlier and widely-used Business Organization. In this book the author helps the student to develop his or her own critical and conceptual understanding of the subject. As the author reviews the various approaches - classical, human relations, behavioural science, systems and contingency theories - he shows that none of them offers a simple progression from error to truth, but that all of them combine to contribute to a broader view of the field. The final chapter summarizes the author's viewpoint, applying the different approaches to a particular case study.

This book examines modern consumption, focusing on concepts of autonomy and rationality. In recent years, conventional ideas of 'free will' have come under attack in the context of consumer choice and similarly, postmodernists have sabotaged the very notion of consumer rationality. Oa (TM)Shaughnessy and O'Shaughnessy adopt a moderating perspective, reviewing and critiquing these attacks in order to work towards a more nuanced view of the consumer: neither entirely autonomous nor perfectly rational.

While the first part of this book concentrates on assailing critiques of 'free-will', the second part takes issue with the postmodernist emphasis on the non-rational. The authors situate these critiques in the context of key academic debate, examining the logic and empirical bases for their claims thus leading to a deeper understanding of 'bounded' rationality and the potential of the adaptive unconscious to affect consumer choice.

First published in 1972, this book combines concepts from the philosophy of science and statistics with social science techniques to form a methodological text for all those engaged in the social sciences and in management. It details the processes of inquiry - namely description, explanation, evaluation and prediction - and shows the role they play in prescriptive decision-making. It is argued that an understanding of these processes lies behind successful inquiry and is an aid to effective decision-making. Broad in scope, this reissue will help the decision-maker avoid some of the errors that can arise in moving from a set of stated goals to the selection of the course of action that will achieve these goals. It will appeal to all those engaged in inquiry in the fields of sociology, psychology, political science, and business and management studies, as well as the manager in both the public and private sector.

First published in 1972, this book combines concepts from the philosophy of science and statistics with social science techniques to form a methodological text for all those engaged in the social sciences and in management. It details the processes of inquiry namely description, explanation, evaluation and prediction and shows the role they play in prescriptive decision-making. It is argued that an understanding of these processes lies behind successful inquiry and is an aid to effective decision-making.

Broad in scope, this reissue will help the decision-maker avoid some of the errors that can arise in moving from a set of stated goals to the selection of the course of action that will achieve these goals. It will appeal to all those engaged in inquiry in the fields of sociology, psychology, political science, and business and management studies, as well as the manager in both the public and private sector."

This volume is a text-book for students of marketing, providing a basic understanding of the concept and techniques of marketing. It shows how basic background information relating to the UK market may be integrated into business planning and how information from other sources should be incorporated and used.

'Interpretation' is used as an umbrella for bringing together a wide range of concepts and developments in the philosophy of social science that provide the foundation for clear thinking about social phenomena. In his new book, John O Shaughnessy familiarises the reader with the nature of interpretation and its importance in social life, decision making in social science enquiries and consumer marketing, thus offering a multidisciplinary approach to problems of bias and uncertainty.

Thus, this book is novel in its outlook and comprehensive in its approach. Whereas past studies in interpretation have focused on hermeneutical methods, O Shaughnessy goes further considering the role of interpretation in social interactions, in undertaking scientific work, in the use of statistics, in causal analysis, in consumer evaluations of products and artifacts and in interpreting problematic situations together with the corresponding biases arising from emotional happiness and the concepts employed.

A high level textbook discussing different perspectives in consumer behavior. Drawing on real life case studies, this book enables students to critically approach and evaluate behavioral concepts.

This book brings together and analyzes the role that emotion plays in the way companies connect with customers, develop new products, improve their strategic positioning, and increase their brand recognition.

With the globalization of markets, heightened competition within various market sectors, and more demands on companies to increase profits, it is of great importance to understand the most effective manner in which marketing managers can reach the appropriate consumer. It is also necessary to use effective systems and tools to study the actions and inactivity of potential buyers. Explaining Buyer Behavior provides the fundamentals needed to understand the various explanatory systems and methodologies used in the behavior sciences and to evaluate their findings, in particular the literature and findings on buyer behavior. The work also shows how to evaluate various findings on buyer behavior and how to discuss the strengths and weaknesses, as well as the applicability of these findings to marketing. In clear prose, John O'Shaughnessy discusses the key issues in modern philosophy, psychology, and sociology and their relevance for the student of marketing and buyer behavior. He exploits insights from many disciplines as to the many ways to derive understanding of behavioral phenomena, making it accessible not only to academics and students of marketing, but to professionals as well.