ABSTRACT
During the first part of the twentieth century, scholars and managers thought that there was a single best way of organizing to perform a task. Researchers devoted their energies to identifying that single best way. While they searched, a set of
common-sense rules prevailed as guidelines reflecting the best wisdom and experience.1 Since the middle of this century, there has been a greater appreciation of the complexity of tasks, technologies, policies, and sociopolitical environments. A general approach referred to as contingency theory emerged to specify what types of organizations are appropriate for various situations.
