Program Session #: 1479
Scheduled: Tuesday, Aug 7 2007 4:10PM - 5:30PM at Philadelphia
Marriott in Grand Ballroom C

New Directions in Socio-Ecological Thinking
Socio-ecological thinking
Theme-oriented: Doing Well by Doing Good

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Chair: John W Selsky; U. of South Florida
Discussant: Ian Mitroff; Alliant International U./U. of California,
Berkeley

This symposium brings together twelve associates of the late Fred
Emery and Eric Trist, and highlights recent research of theirs
conducted using principles of socio-ecological thinking. Emery and
Trist were key in the development of the social-ecology school of
thought in organization studies, and much of their work was conducted
at the Wharton School in Philadelphia. Social ecology contains
important insights about the nature of human systems in environments
that are used by these and other scholars but are not widely
recognized. In five presentations the presenters highlight the
contribution of socio-ecological thinking to important theoretical and
practical issues facing organizational scholars and managers today:
the role of ideas and discourse in the co-evolution of institutional
fields and powerful actors in them; the problematic status of
corporate social responsibility; the status of adaptive capacity and
dynamic capabilities in interorganizational fields; the effects of
hierarchical control and power on workplace mental health; and the
need for managers to develop new modes of cognition when faced with
highly complex situations.

Symposium Overview
Presenter: John W Selsky; U. of South Florida;

Ideas in Philanthropic Field Building
Presenter: Thomas N. Gilmore; Center for Applied Research;
Presenter: Michellana Jester; Center for Applied Research;
Presenter: Larry Hirschhorn; Center for Applied Research;

A New Design Principle
Presenter: Oguz N Baburoglu; Sabanci U.
Presenter: Rafael Ramirez; HEC & Oxford
Presenter: John W Selsky; U. of South Florida

Reframing Corporate Social Responsibility
Presenter: Glen Stirling Taylor; Tampa U.

Mental Health in the Workplace
Presenter: Donald W. De Guerre; Concordia U.;
Presenter: Merrelyn Emery; Concordia U

Enabling More Complex Cognition
Presenter: Robert W Keidel; Drexel U.
Presenter: Joan Weiner; Drexel U