Classical Theories of Organizations

PREVIEW

      Review Chapter One
      Theoretical Relevancy
      Minimizing Misunderstandings
      Classical Theories of Organizations
      Taylor’s Theory of Scientific Management
      Fayol’s Administrative Theory
      Weber’s Theory of Bureaucracy


Organizational Communication Foundations REVIEW

      “…the process of creating, exchanging, interpreting (correctly or incorrectly), and storing oral, nonverbal, and written messages within (and across the boundaries of) a system of interrelated and interdependent people working to accomplish common tasks and goals within an organization.”
      MESSAGE-CENTERED DEFINITION
Assumptions and Features

      Communication is central to the existence of the organization
      Organizational communication is a complex process (creating, exchanging, interpreting, and storing messages)
      Misunderstandings occur


Misunderstandings

  “Instances in which people who are communicating don’t share meanings as well as situations in which features of organizational life serve to impinge upon the efficient and effective functioning of organizational members.”


Three Important Constructs
      Organizational Identification (process & product)
      An active process by which individuals link themselves to elements (people, policies, products, services, customers, values) in the social scene.
      Involves an individual’s sense of membership in and connection with an organization.
      Job Satisfaction
      The degree to which employees feel fulfilled by their job and related experiences.
      A pleasurable or positive emotional state from the appraisal of one’s job or experiences
      Linked to absenteeism and turnover
      Communication Satisfaction
      The degree to which employees feel that communication is appropriate and satisfies their need for information and work relationships
Communication Satisfaction (CSQ)

      Eight Factors concerned with communication information, relationships, channels, and climate
      Communication Climate
      Relationship to Supervisors
      Organizational Integration
      Media Quality
      Horizontal and Informal Communication
      Organizational Perspective
      Relationship with Subordinates
      Personal Feedback
      Communication satisfaction is often considered the “sum” of an individual’s satisfaction with the above dimensions.


Primary Goal

  Reduce misunderstandings through communication.
Theory
  An explanation for how or why something occurs. . .
   Question:  What is the most efficient and effective means of running an organization?
Functions of Theory

      Describe
      Explain
      Predict
      Control
      Classical approaches to organizational management  and early organizational theories were designed to predict and control behavior in organizations.

Classical Theories of Organizations

      Emerged in early part of the twentieth century.
      Models were military and the Catholic Church.
      Features
      Strict CONTROL of workers
      Absolute CHAINS of COMMAND
      PREDICTABILITY of behavior
      UNIDIRECTIONAL downward influence


Classical Theories of Organizations:  Relevancy and Metaphor

      How and Why does studying classical theory help us to understand how modern organizations function and particularly the role that communication plays in effective organizing?
      What is the metaphor which characterizes the classical approach to organizations?


The Metaphor of the Machine
      Organizations are viewed as if they are machines.
      Managerial principles
      Modes of operation
      Treatment of workers
      Communication in the organization
      Properties of Machines
      Very predictable
      Rarely deviates from the norm
      Replace defective parts with other “standard” parts
      Specific rules exist regarding repair and specific roles
      Organizational Application
      Workers behave predictably-management knows what to expect
      Workers operating outside expectations are replaced


Minimizing Misunderstandings
      Simple:  Promote principles of SPECIALIZATION, STANDARDIZATION, and PREDICTABILITY
      STRICT RULES & REGULATIONS regarding . . .
      how work is accomplished,
      who could speak to whom and when, and
      managing through fear.
      PROBLEMS
      Creativity and intelligence are underutilized
      Increased dissatisfaction
      Decreased motivation and commitment to task and organization
      Decreased communication effectiveness and satisfaction


Distinguishing Classical Theories

      “Creative Application Skit”
      Theory “Matchbook Definition”
      Describe the theory “in a nutshell”
      Principles of Management        
      Major Elements of the Theory
      Application in the Modern Workplace
      Personal Example(s)    
      How are misunderstandings minimized?
      What new forms of misunderstandings are created?
      Unintentional by-products
      Contributions to occurrences of different problems


Taylor’s Theory of Scientific Management
      Frederick Taylor (1856-1915)
       “The Father of Scientific Management”              
      Maximize worker capacity and profits
      PROBLEM:  Get employees to work at their maximum capacity
      PRIMARY FOCUS:  TASKS
      http://www.northstar.k12.ak.us/schools/ryn/projects/inventors/taylor/taylor.html
      Systematic Soldiering
      Deliberately working slowly as to avoid expanding more effort than deemed necessary
      ReasonsElements of Scientific Management
      Scientific design of every aspect of every task
      Time and Motion Studies
      Careful selection and training of every task
      Proper remuneration for fast and high-quality work
      Maximize output - increase pay
      Equal division of work and responsibility between worker and manager
      Underlying Themes
      Managers are intelligent; workers are and should be ignorant
      Provide opportunities for workers to achieve greater financial rewards
      Workers are motivated almost solely by wages
      Maximum effort = Higher wages
      Manager is responsible for planning, training, and evaluating

      Reduction in workforce due to decreased need
      Piecework system of remuneration - raise production requirements without increasing pay
      Rule of thumb training methods - inefficient
      Application in the Modern Workplace
      Assembly Line  Plants as Prototypical Examples
      “Prisoners of Taylorism”
      System of Remuneration (quotas - commission)
      Re-Design - Reengineering
      Benchmarking
      Data are used to refine, improve, change, modify, and eliminate organizational processes
      Lean Manufacturing
Fayol’s Administrative Theory

      Henri Fayol (1841-1925)                                              
      General and Industrial Management
      Principles and Elements of Management - how managers should accomplish their managerial duties
      PRIMARY FOCUS:  Management
                (Functions of Administration)
      More Respect for Worker than Taylor
      Workers are motivated by more than money
      Equity in worker treatment
      More PRESCRIPTIVE
      http://www.lib.uwo.ca/business/fayol.html
      Five Elements of Management -- Managerial Objectives
      Planning
      Organizing
      Command
      Coordination
      Control
      Keep machine functioning effectively and efficiently
      Replace quickly and efficiently any part or process that did not contribute to the objectives
      Fourteen Principles of Management  (Tools for Accomplishing Objectives)
      Division of work - limited set of tasks
      Authority and Responsibility - right to give orders
      Discipline - agreements and sanctions
      Unity of Command - only one supervisor
      Unity of Direction - one manager per set of activities
      Subordination of Individual Interest to General Interest
      Remuneration of Personnel - fair price for services
      Centralization - reduce importance of subordinate’s role
      Scalar Chain - Fayol’s bridge
      Order - effective and efficient operations
      Equity - kindliness and justice
      Stability of Tenure of Personnel - sufficient time for familiarity
      Initiative - managers should rely on workers’ initiative
      Esprit de corps - “union is strength”  “loyal members”
      Positioned communication as a necessary ingredient to successful management
      Application in the Modern Workplace
      Fayol’s elements of management are recognized as the main objectives of modern managers
      Planning - more participatory
      Organizing - human relationships and communication
      IMPORTANT TABLE 2.1 Comparison of Managerial Skills (p. 32)
      Especially applicable for large organizations (military)

Weber’s Theory of Bureaucracy

      Max Weber (1864-1920)
      German Sociologist
      Theory of Social and Economic Organization (1947)
      Principles and Elements of Management - describe an ideal or pure form of organizational structure (general policy and specific commands
      PRIMARY FOCUS:  Organizational Structure
      Worker should respect the “right” of managers to direct activities dictated by organizational rules and procedures
      More DESCRIPTIVE
      http://www2.pfeiffer.edu/~lridener/DSS/Weber/WEBRPER.HTML
      Bureaucracy allows for the optimal form of authority - “rational authority”
      Three types of Legitimate Authority
      Traditional Authority - past customs; personal loyalty
      Charismatic Authority - personal trust in character and skills
      Rational Authority - rational application of rules or laws
      Tenets of Bureaucracy
      Rules
      Specified sphere of competence
      Hierarchy
      Specialized Training
      Workers do not own technology
      No entitlement to “official position” by incumbent
      Everything written down
      Maintenance of  “ideal type” - bureaucracy
      Concerned with describing the ideal structure of an organization
      Cornerstone:  existence of written rules
      The rational application of written rules ensures the promotion of legitimate authority  and the effective and efficient functioning of the organization.
      Application in the Modern Workplace
      Large organizations guided by countless rules are bureaucracies
      Linked with inefficient, slow-moving organizations
      Organizations have several characteristics of bureaucracies


SUMMARY

      Classical Theories of Organizations (p. 36)
      Taylor’s Theory of Scientific Management
      Fayol’s Administrative Theory
      Weber’s Theory of Bureaucracy
      All 3 theories attempt to enhance management’s ability to predict and control the behavior of their workers
      Considered only the task function of communication (ignored relational and maintenance functions of communication)
      Designed to predict and control behavior in organizations

NEXT WEEK

      Read CHAPTER 3:  Humanistic Theories of Organizations
                (pp. 39-62)
      Human Relations Theory
      The Hawthorne Studies
      McGregor’s Theory X and Theory Y
      Human Resources Theory
      Likert’s Systems Theory (Four Systems of Management)
      Blake and Mouton’s (a.k.a. Blake and McCanse) Managerial Grid