Differentiation

Release | Guiding distinctions of social theory: results from two online brainstormings and one quantitative analysis of the ISA Books of the XX Century corpus

Abstract: In this paper, we report on the results of two online brainstormings that have collected over 480 and over 219 guiding distinctions of social theory, respectively. We draw on the results of these brainstormings as well as on a quantitative analysis of the Top 100 sociological groundworks as listed in the ISA Books of the XX […]

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Release | The matrix reloaded. A revised framework for the inference of the four basic forms of social differentiation

Abstract: This paper revisits and refines Niklas Luhmann’s framework for understanding social differentiation, addressing unresolved ambiguities in his original theory. Luhmann’s approach, which initially identified three core forms of social differentiation—segmentation, stratification, and functional differentiation—expanded to include a fourth form, centralization. By critically examining the theoretical underpinnings and limitations of Luhmann’s distinctions, this study shows […]

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Release | Family businesses and business families in cultural context: interdisciplinary updates for family business research

Abstract: This article shows that business family and family business research is dominated by reductionist and biased concepts of culture that are in sharp contrast with recent advances in anthropology and the broader social sciences that would allow for more fine-grained analyses. Through an inbound theorizing approach, state-of-the-art anthropological and sociological concepts of culture are […]

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Release | N-factorial scenarios. A systems-theoretical approach to scenario-planning

Abstract: Scenarios are among the most popular techniques for managing the uncertainty and complexity of the future. Even the more sophisticated scenario designs, however, often reduce the future to a narrow set of typically only two key factors that are arranged into a four-square matrix representing four distinct yet interrelated scenarios. Consequently, scenarios have been […]

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Release | Willing unwillingness. A Luhmannian perspective on followership and leadership in organizations

We are excited to share that our paper, Willing unwillingness. A Luhmannian perspective on followership and leadership in organizations, has been published in Systems Research and Behavioral Science! This is not just another piece about leadership being a top-down power game. No, what we uncovered goes far deeper. Through our research, we explored the paradox […]

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Release | Special Issue | Scientific communication. Observed with social systems theory

Special Luhmann Conference 2022 Issue of Systemic Practice and Action Research (Vol. 37 No. 3) on Scientific communication. Observed with social systems theory Edited by Steffen Roth, Kresimir Zazar, Lars Clausen, and Tilia Stingl de Vasconcelos Guedes Introduction Steffen Roth, Kresimir Zazar, Tilia Stingl de Vasconcelos Guedes, and Lars Clausen: Scientific communication observed with social […]

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