Ostrom, Vincent. 1969. "Organization." Workshop in Political Theory and Policy Analysis, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN (Series: Workshop Working Paper, no. W69-2). (Working Paper)

Abstract

(From pp. 2-3):

"Every development--street sweeping, production of fertilizers, irrigation works, the development of new seed stocks--has a component to it that is concerned with how the activities of people are organized in relation to another.

"Our effort will be to clarify the essential structure of relationships that apply to institutions of all types and to indicates some of the variations that apply to institutions of different types. However, our focus will be upon the practical implications that are relevant to the man of action who is concerned with knowing what he is doing. As a result, we shall focus upon those who are attempting to do something which involves the activities of many other persons. We shall refer broadly to such individuals as organizers or entrepreneurs. Business entrepreneurs are only one type of organizer. In speaking of organizers we shall refer to all of those who struggle with the practical problems of how to organize the activities of the diverse individuals who become associated with the operation of diverse undertakings or enterprises. Enterprises may be organized as a family endeavour, individual proprietorship, business corporation or stock company, cooperative society, public enterprise, government agency, political party, outlaw society, or revolutionary group. In the rare case, individuals may be concerned with the organization of a nation-state or an international organization.

"To pose some of the practical problems involved in organizing human activities, we shall look at the efforts of Vladimir Ilyich Lenin. Lenin was both a practical and highly successful organizer. His enterprise was political revolution. As a successful revolutionist he was also confronted with the task of organizing a nation-state as an enterprise for translating his revolutionary objectives into reality."