Gibson Burrell

Gibson Burrell (born October 10, 1944) is a British organizational theorist and sociologist, known for his contributions to critical management studies and his work on paradigms in organizational analysis.

Burrell received his BSc in Sociology from the University of Leicester and his PhD from the University of Manchester. He has held academic positions at the University of Lancaster and the University of Warwick, where he is currently an Emeritus Professor.

Burrell is best known for his collaboration with Gareth Morgan on the book Sociological Paradigms and Organisational Analysis (1979). This influential work presents a framework for understanding organizational theory based on four paradigms: functionalist, interpretivist, radical humanist, and radical structuralist. These paradigms are differentiated along two dimensions: assumptions about the nature of social science (objective vs. subjective) and assumptions about the nature of society (regulation vs. radical change). The book argues that organizational theories can be classified according to these paradigms, offering a meta-theoretical perspective on the field.

Beyond the paradigm framework, Burrell's research interests include the sociology of organization, critical management studies, postmodernism, and the relationship between theory and practice. He has also written extensively on the works of Michel Foucault and their implications for understanding power and control in organizations.

Burrell's work has been highly influential in shaping critical perspectives on management and organization studies, challenging traditional assumptions and promoting alternative ways of thinking about organizational phenomena. His contributions have stimulated debate and research across a range of disciplines, including sociology, management, and organizational behavior.

Key Publications:

• Sociological Paradigms and Organisational Analysis (with Gareth Morgan, 1979)
• Reflexivity, Reification and Rhetoric: The Possibilities of Critical Organisation Theory (1997)