ABSTRACT
In this chapter, the authors explore the range of relevant sociological perspectives available to industrial sociologists as analysts of industrial relations and examine their applications. Whilst in reality organisation of activities and their performance of analysis are closely interrelated and interdependent, confusion has arisen where attempts have been made by sociologists to refute theories of systems or activities integration by theories of human or social integration. The dilemma of the sociologist as analyst within industrial organisations is even more acute. The fragmentation of ideas created by the absence of a coherent theoretical approach in problem-solving more vividly illustrated than in studies of industrial behaviour and industrial organisation. One major theoretical perspective utilised by academic industrial sociologists and by practitioners in this context is the conceptualisation of organisations as closed or open systems. A number of differing approaches can be isolated which are broadly concerned with the integration of social action in work situations.
