System Size and Structural Differentiation in Formal Organizations: An Alternative Baseline Generator

Abstract

The baseline model of Mayhew et al. (1972) which generates Blau's (1970) two major theoretical propositions relating size and structural differentiation in formal organizations is shown to be based on an assumption which limits the model's applicability to only hierarchical organizations. An alternative baseline model is developed which does not make this assumption and which fails to yield Blau's second proposition as a logical consequence.