Organizing Within Dynamic Ecosystems

Abstract

This article argues that direct ecological impact needs to be incorporated into research on organizations and the natural environment, as complementary to conceptualizations of ecological impact as a social construction. Building on work in analytical sociology, it proposes to study socio-ecological mechanisms and thus enhance the understanding of processes of organizing within dynamic ecosystems. Three categories of socio-ecological mechanisms are introduced and illustrated with examples. The article concludes with reflections on the expected increase of direct ecological impact on organizations.