Week 6 : Conceptual Frameworks of Analysis Definitions and Conceptions of Organization

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Week 6 Conceptual Frameworks of Analysis
Definitions and Conceptions of Organization

• Overview of Theories and Forms of Analysis
• Identification of Tensions and Paradoxes
• Appreciation of Alternative Perspectives

Much of the content of these two chapters serves
to draw together and consolidate, in more
abstract form, central themes of the course.
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Intra and Inter Organizational Analysis

• Intraorganizational
• Design
• Control
• Culture

• Interorganizational
• Relationships with suppliers, customers,
  regulatory agencies, financial institutions,
  partners, etc

• How useful is this distinction? Can the inside
  be separated from the outside, and vice-versa?

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Illustrating Tensions The Human Factor and
Differentiation/Integration (1)

• The Human Factor
• Conscious and reflective
• Imports baggage from outside the workplace
• Diversity ethnicity, gender, age, etc
• Control v. Commitment

• Differentiation/Integration
• Integration of division of labour within and
  between organizations. Use of hierarchies,
  markets, networks and clans. Issues of identity
  and power.
• Race and gender are significant factors shaping
  prior experiences, biography and orientation to
  work. Recognition of this demographic fact and
  the associated organizational challenge is
  reflected in the growing organizational and
  management literature on diversity and
  multiculturalism

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Overview of Definitions and Conceptions (1)
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Overview of Definitions and Conceptions (2)

• Difficult to devise a definition of
  organization that is inclusive of all
  perspectives
• Multiperspective or multiparadigmatic field of
  study. Should we focus upon
• Techniques that enhance organizational
  efficiency?
• Differences in power and influence between
  organizational members?
• Language and culture of the organization?
• Dehumanising aspects of bureaucratic
  organization?
• Human interactions and communications that occur
  in organizations?

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Overview of Definitions and Conceptions (3)

• There are different levels and places to look
  when we study organizations (Jaffee, pp 1-2)

Do the levels and places exist out there or
are they a product of analysts efforts to make
sense of, and control, human activity?
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Illustrating Tensions The Human Factor and
Differentiation/Integration (2)
Subjective Human Experience
-
Managerial Strategy
Performance/ Profit

Objective Structural Consequence
What problems do you identify with this diagram?
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Illustrating Tensions The Human Factor and
Differentiation/Integration (3)
Socially disintegrated
-
Division of tasks/specialization
Performance/ Profit

Efficiency / Productivity
What problems do you identify with this diagram?
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Cases of Organizational Paradox

• Quality Improvement Programme
• Programme
• Productivity Gains
• Excess Capacity
• Lay off excess labour
• Erosion of morale

• Piecework Wage System
• New Wage System
• Productivity Gains
• Increase faults and wastage
• Self-managing teams
• Productivity Gains
• Redundancy of Supervisors
• Erosion of Moral amongst Remaining Supervisors

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Summary /Take Away

• Diversity of perspectives and definitions
• Richness, confusion, challenge
• Instrumental v. moral/value rationality
• Managerial v. Social Science
• Applied/Expedient v. Pure/Disinterested?
• Tensions associated with
• Recalcitrance of human tools of action
• Differentiation v. integration
• Paradoxes of control
• Prediction v Understanding v Change
• Technocracy v Democracy