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The Meaning of Rationalization in Europe

1930; SAGE Publishing; Volume: 149; Issue: 1 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1177/000271623014900110

1552-3349

Georges F. Doriot,

Corporate Governance and Law

T would seem logical in any discussion of rationalization to begin by defining the term itself. This, however, is an exceptionally difficult and, I believe, futile thing to do. In making a careful study of the European literature on the subject, one finds little unanimity of opinion. Inherent peculiarities of European countries are clearly and amusingly reflected in their understanding of rationalization. German works on the subject, displaying the expected German thoroughness, include reference to every single subject or topic which may be found in business life of any kind. The British, following their national policy, have refrained from giving any definition of the word and have merely stated what, from their point of view, rationalization did not include. The French have naturally spent most of their time drawing subtle distinctions, theorizing, and proving more or less conclusively that rationalization was nothing more or less than what Descartes set forth in his Discours de la Miethode.