Advanced Introduction to the Economics of Organization

Elgar Advanced Introductions are stimulating and thoughtful introductions to major fields in the social sciences, business and law, expertly written by the world’s leading scholars. Designed to be accessible yet rigorous, they offer concise and lucid surveys of the substantive and policy issues associated with discrete subject areas.

This incisive book presents a succinct overview of the economics of organization. Combining traditional approaches with more challenging, cutting-edge perspectives, Richard N. Langlois critically examines the ways in which tasks and transactions in the economy are organized.



Drawing on a diverse array of historical and real-world examples, chapters outline key principles of the field including division of labor, transaction costs, moral hazard, and asset specificity. This Advanced Introduction investigates ‘organization’ more broadly, delving into underexplored areas such as capabilities and routines, evolutionary selection, dynamic transaction costs, and modular systems.



Key Features:







Emphasizes narrative and storytelling to convey technical concepts


Deconstructs popular misconceptions and didactic fables in the field


Provides an engaging, non-technical analysis of the economics of organization



The Advanced Introduction to the Economics of Organization is an invaluable resource for academics and students in economics, business and management, sociology, finance, and accounting, as well as instructors in graduate-level microtheory courses.