Management: "I think the purpose debate is exaggerated"

Organizational sociologist Judith Jules Muster argues that when companies fail, the blame is often placed on individuals, such as team members or leaders, rather than on the underlying structures that contribute to the failure. She contends that it is usually the organization's structures, rather than individual people, that are responsible for problems.

Muster identifies a phenomenon she calls "structural protection," where companies avoid examining and changing their structures, instead opting for simpler solutions like replacing leaders or introducing new methods. She suggests that organizations should examine the disconnect between their formal structures and actual practices to identify areas for improvement.