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| Reviewed: |
Dec 10, 2001 by Business Editorial Board |
| Overview: |
This site provides an informative overview of Max Weber?s contributions to sociological thought. Weber?s concepts are presented in a succinct and clear manner, organized by themes, such as Social Action, Ideal Type, Bureaucracy, Authority, etc. These themes are very nicely summarized, complete with illustrations, and are written in a style that can be easily comprehended. The material captures the essence of Weber?s theories related to modern organizations. The author, Frank Elwell, has done a great service; providing an on-line site akin to a cliff notes approach. His efforts at crystallizing and synthesizing complex and abstracts concepts?often difficult to understand if one were to read Weber?s original works?provides students a way to appreciate these seminal ideas. |
| Learning Goals: |
: The learning goals of this module are to help students to comprehend and analyze Weber?s seminal ideas, particular how they might apply to modern institutions and organizations. Students can analyze and synthesize the material to develop a macro view of complex and often confusing sociological concepts, extending and applying such concepts to more contemporary examples and situations in modern organizational life. |
| Target Student Population: |
This site would be appropriate to both undergraduate and graduate students in sociology, management, human resource management, political science. It is specifically targeted to undergraduates, but it certainly would be of benefit to graduate level courses in management, OB, etc |
| Prerequisite Knowledge or Skills: |
An Introduction to Management Principles or Sociology would help the student to appreciate the content on this site. This site may also be used as a complement to such introductory courses. |
| Type of Material: |
Resource |
| Technical Requirements: |
Internet Browser |
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| Strengths: |
This is a well-organized site with clearly written material that summarizes Max Weber?s theories. This site is of sound academic quality, grounded in scholarship. It is designed to appeal to students. Translates what is for most an awfully dry read, and condenses it into clear and concise language. The site also contains user comments from other professors and students that have made use of and benefited from the site. |
| Concerns: |
There are no real major concerns on this dimension. |
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Potential Effectiveness as a Teaching Tool |
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| Strengths: |
Because this site provides over 13 links to Weber?s key theories, it allows the instructor to devise many possible approaches, depending on their syllabus and learning goals. Links dealing with themes of Authority, Bureaucracy, Rationalization, for example, could be incorporated easily into a Management Principles course as a supplemental on-line module. It is up to creativity and ingenuity of instructors to adapt this site to their own purposes. |
| Concerns: |
The author might add a link that provides a student site map, along with some possible ways to make use of the material, perhaps study questions, or some sampling of how the author integrates the site into his own courses |
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Ease of Use for Both Students and Faculty |
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| Strengths: |
The site is very easy to navigate and the photos and illustrations that accompany different sections adds a nice visual appeal . |
| Concerns: |
Although the site is technically very usable, the content is somewhat advanced for the novice. Some previous exposure to Weber or sociological concepts would be in order. |
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