Abstract
This chapter acknowledges and demonstrates A.K. Rice as a shaper of the organization that became the Tavistock Institute of Human Relations (TIHR, London, UK) and as an essential co-creator of the fields of study and practice that underpin TIHR’s influence. Using information only recently available via archives, we trace his legacy embedded in ideas captured in articles, books, and other source documents. From Rice’s work, change-related practices, traditions, and, above all, institutions still operating effectively on principles and assumptions he developed during two decades of active scholarship. Thus, this chapter reclaims him as a forgotten giant. Based on his understanding of action research as prototyping and customizing methodologies, A.K. Rice combined group dynamics, organizational design, and consultancy practice into a unique blend of both a theory of change and a systems theory of organizations. We summarize his extraordinary work into four streams based on seminal action research projects: postwar reconstruction and innovations in industrial work organizations (Bion); productivity and social organization (Glacier); enterprise and its environment (Ahmedabad); and group relations integrating systems psychodynamics and socio-technical systems (Leicester). Throughout, we draw attention to an underlying paradigm that we label socio-technical systems psychodynamics (STSP) that can be credited to A.K. Rice and his colleagues.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Argyris, C. (2003). A life full of learning. Organization Studies, 24(7), 1178–1192.
Bion, W. R. (1961). Experiences in groups and other papers. Tavistock Publications.
Bridger, H. (1990). The discovery of the therapeutic community. The Northfield experiments. In E. Trist & H. Murray (Eds.), The social engagement of social science: The socio-psychological perspective (Vol. 1, pp. 68–87). Free Association Books.
Evans, J. (2017). Personal conversation.
Gould, L. J. (1995). A. K. Rice in America: Leadership and legacy. Paper presented at the 12th scientific meeting of the A. K. Rice Institute, May 10–13, 1965,
Miller, E. J., & Rice, A. K. (1967). Systems of organization: The control of task and sentient boundaries. Tavistock Publications.
Murray, H. (1990). The transformation of selection procedures: The war office selection boards. In E. Trist & H. Murray (Eds.), The social engagement of social science: The socio-psychological perspective (Vol. I, pp. 45–67). Free Association Books.
Neumann, J. E. (1999). Systems psychodynamics in service of political organizational change. In R. French & R. Vince (Eds.), Group relations, management and organization (pp. 54–69). Oxford University Press.
Rice, A. K. (1949). The role of the specialist in the community. An illustration of the relations between personnel and executive managers. Human Relations, 2(2), 77–184.
Rice, A. K. (1951). An examination of the boundaries of part-institution. An illustrative study of department turnover in industry (The Glacier Project – VI). Human Relations, 4(4), 393–400.
Rice, A. K. (1952). The relative independence of sub-institution as illustrated by departmental turnover (The Glacier Project – VII). Human Relations, 5(1), 83–90.
Rice, A. K. (1958). Productivity and social organization: The Ahmedabad experiment: Technical innovation, work organization and management. Tavistock Publications.
Rice, A. K. (1963). The enterprise and its environment: A system theory of management organization. Tavistock Publications.
Rice, A. K. (1965). Learning for leadership: Interpersonal and intergroup relations. Tavistock Publications.
Rice, A. K. (1969). Individual, group and intergroup processes. Human Relations, 22(6), 565–584.
Rice, A. K., Hill, M. M. J., & Trist, E. L. (1950). The representation of labour turnover as a social process. Studies in the social development of an industrial community (The Glacier Project – II). Human Relations, 3(4), 349–372.
Sahlin-Anderson, K. (1996). Imitating by editing success: The construction of organizational field. In B. Czarniawska & G. Sevón (Eds.), Translating organizational change (pp. 69–92). Walter de Gruyter.
Trist, E., & Murray, H. (Eds.). (1990). The social engagement of social science: The socio-psychological perspective (Vol. 1). Free Association Books.
Trist, E., & Murray, H. (Eds.). (1993). The social engagement of social science: The socio-technical perspective (Vol. 2). University of Pennsylvania Press.
Further Reading
Colm, A. D., & Bexton, W. H. (Eds.). (1975). Group reader 1. A.K. Rice Institute.
Colm, A. D., & Bexton, W. H. (Eds.). (1985). Group reader 2. A.K. Rice Institute.
Gould, L. J. (1995). A. K. Rice in America: Leadership and legacy. Paper presented at the 12th scientific meeting of the A. K. Rice Institute, May 10–13, 1965,
Gould, L. J. (2000). AK Rice in America: Leadership and legacy. Organizational and Social Dynamics, 1(1), 42–53.
Gould, L. J., Stapley, L. F., & Stein, M. (Eds.). (2001). The systems psychodynamics of organizations: Integrating the group relations approach, psychoanalytic, and open systems perspectives. Karnac Books.
Gould, L. J., Stapley, L. F., & Stein, M. (Eds.). (2004). Experiential learning in organizations: Applications of the group relations approach. Karnac Books.
Holti, R. (2011). Understanding institutional change in project-based organizing. The Journal of Applied Behavioral Science, 47(3), 360–394.
Miller, E. J. (1993). From dependency to autonomy: Studies in organization and change. Free Association Books.
Miller, E. J. (1999). The Tavistock Institute’s contribution to job and organizational design (Vol. 1–2). Aldgate.
Miller, E. J. (2002). The strengths and limitations of a psychodynamic perspective in organizational consultancy. In S. F. Nolan & P. Nolan (Eds.), Object relations and integrative psychotherapy: Tradition and innovation in theory and practice (pp. 186–198). Whurr Publishers.
Miller, E. J., & Rice, A. K. (1967). Systems of organization: The control of task and sentient boundaries. Tavistock Publications.
Miller, E. J., & Rice, A. K. (1988). The family business in contemporary society. Family Business Review, 1(2), 193–210.
Neumann, J. E. (1999). Systems psychodynamics in service of political organizational change. In R. French & R. Vince (Eds.), Group relations, management and organization (pp. 54–69). Oxford University Press.
Neumann, J. E. (2007). Becoming better consultants through varieties of experiential learning. In M. Reynolds & R. Vince (Eds.), The handbook of experiential learning and management education (pp. 258–273). Oxford University Press.
Neumann, J. E., Holti, R., & Standing, H. (1999). Change everything at once: The Tavistock Institute’s guide to developing teamwork in manufacturing. Management Books 2000.
Rice, A. K. (1949). The role of the specialist in the community. An illustration of the relations between personnel and executive managers. Human Relations, 2(2), 77–184.
Rice, A. K. (1951a). An examination of the boundaries of part-institution. An illustrative study of department turnover in industry (The Glacier Project – VI). Human Relations, 4(4), 393–400.
Rice, A. K. (1951b). Book review: Pattern for industrial peace. Human Relations, 4(4), 413–413.
Rice, A. K. (1951c). The use of unrecognized cultural mechanism in an expanding machine-shop. With a contribution to the theory of leadership (The Glacier Project – III). Human Relations, 4(2), 143–160.
Rice, A. K. (1952a). Book review: Joint consultation in British industry. Human Relations, 5(3), 319–320.
Rice, A. K. (1952b). The relative independence of sub-institution as illustrated by departmental turnover (The Glacier Project – VII). Human Relations, 5(1), 83–90.
Rice, A. K. (1953). Book review: Human problems in technological change. Human Relations, 6(4), 411–412.
Rice, A. K. (1955a). Productivity and social organization in an Indian weaving mill. II: A follow-up study of the experimental reorganization of automatic weaving. Human Relations, 8(4), 399–428.
Rice, A. K. (1955b). The experimental reorganization of non-automatic weaving in an Indian mill: A further study of productivity and social organization. Human Relations, 8(3), 199–249.
Rice, A. K. (1958). Productivity and social organization: The Ahmedabad experiment: Technical innovation, work organization and management. Tavistock Publications.
Rice, A. K. (1963). The enterprise and its environment: A system theory of management organization. Tavistock Publications.
Rice, A. K. (1965). Learning for leadership: Interpersonal and intergroup relations. Tavistock Publications.
Rice, A. K. (1969). Individual, group and intergroup processes. Human Relations, 22(6), 565–584.
Rice, A. K. (1970 – posthumous). Modern university: Model organization. Tavistock Publications.
Rice, A. K., Hill, M. M. J., & Trist, E. L. (1950). The representation of labour turnover as a social process. Studies in the social development of an industrial community (The Glacier Project – II). Human Relations, 3(4), 349–372.
Rice, A. K., Jacques, E., & Hill, J. M. M. (1951). The social and psychological impact of a change method of wage payment (The Glacier Project – V). Human Relations, 4(4), 315–340.
Rice, A. K., & Trist, E. L. (1952). Institutional and sub-institutional determinants of change in labour turnover (The Glacier Project – VIII). Human Relations, 5(4), 347–371.
Rioch, M. J. (1970a). Group relations: Rationale and technique. International Journal of Group Psychotherapy, 20(3), 340–355.
Rioch, M. J. (1970b). The work of Wilfred Bion on groups. Psychiatry Interpersonal and Biological Processes, 33(1), 56–66.
Rioch, M. J. (1979). The A. K. Rice Group relations conferences as a reflection of society. In W. Lawrence (Ed.), Exploring individual and organizational boundaries. Routledge.
Trist, E., Emery, F., & Murray, H. (Eds.). (1997). The social engagement of social science: The socio-ecological perspective (Vol. 3). University of Pennsylvania Press.
Trist, E., & Murray, H. (Eds.). (1990). The social engagement of social science: The socio-psychological perspective (Vol. 1). Free Association Books.
Trist, E., & Murray, H. (Eds.). (1993). The social engagement of social science: The socio-technical perspective (Vol. 2). University of Pennsylvania Press.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2020 The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Switzerland AG
About this entry
Cite this entry
Sama, A., Neumann, J.E. (2020). Rice, Albert Kenneth: Forgotten Giant, Shaper of a Field. In: Szabla, D.B. (eds) The Palgrave Handbook of Organizational Change Thinkers. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-49820-1_108-1
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-49820-1_108-1
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Publisher Name: Palgrave Macmillan, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-319-49820-1
Online ISBN: 978-3-319-49820-1
eBook Packages: Springer Reference Business and ManagementReference Module Humanities and Social SciencesReference Module Business, Economics and Social Sciences