Whyte, William H., Jr.

Whyte, William H. (Hollingsworth), Jr. (“Holly”) (1917–  ) urban sociologist, writer; born in West Chester, Pa. Writer and editor at Fortune magazine (1946–59), he wrote The Organization Man (1956), a popular sociological tract that identified a new type of modern men who shape their lives to the requirements of organizational employers. He explored the dangers of urban sprawl in The Last Landscape (1960) and the vitality of urban spaces in City: Rediscovering the Center (1989), both drawing heavily on his well-known tactic of "hanging around" cities to observe behavior. In later years he also became identified with his activities for conservationist and preservationist groups.