Images of Organization, Essay Example

The focus of chapter 6 “Organizations as Political Systems” is first viewed as the political metaphor based on the “interests, conflicts, and power plays that shape organizational activities.” (Morgan, 2006) The main purpose of this chapter is to examine the organizations as systems the government, and the aspects that shape organizational life from politics. In examining the role of an administrator, we can first look at the story of the angry factory worker that is tired of working in an oppressive organization, in which he believes his duality as a citizen and employee are in conflict with each other. While he lives as a free citizens with numerous rights, as an employee his has to comply with the employers’ rules and regulation. Morgan states that the factory worker’s situation is extreme; the context however is common in understanding the organizations as political systems. Organizations have labor/management relationships, as well as issues of power, and authority. Politics are necessary and essential part of an organization, with a variety of political rules found within organizations. Morgan points to the political philosophy by Aristotle in which politics was a means from diversity to create order, for Aristotle politics prevented totalitarian rule. More fundamentally, Aristotle politics exist because of a diversity of interests. The results of this diversity are the development of negotiations and coalitions that make up organizational life.

Morgan identified; autocracy that is power held by an individual or small group; bureaucracy that is rule exercised through use of written word; technocracy that is rule exercised through the use of knowledge; codetermination which is a rule where the opposite parties combine in the joint management of mutual interests; and representative democracy which is rule exercised through the election of offices mandated to act on behalf of the electorate. (Morgan, 2006) Much like Aristotle, the administrator finds strengths in knowing that organization can be learned from power, conflict, and interests. Interests can be further broken down into; task, career; and extramural interests in which are either connected to the job, independent of the job, or act in relation to the job performed. Conflict will always exists as results of divergence of interest, in a political or social context in organizational culture based on either collaboration of common goals, or differences in values, beliefs, and rituals. Conflicts are resolved through power, and according to Morgan, “the power to rule rests with the demos, or populace.” (Morgan, 2006, pg. 153) This can be exercised through different representatives of management that are involved in the decision-making processes, or where everyone can share in the management process.

In helping administrators, they must understand the sources of power in which; formal authority is the most dominated, and legitimized power that is respected and acknowledge by those with whom on interacts. For organizations “control of scarce resources” is fundamental, as they depends it for their survival. Within the organization, the one in the control of the resources yields the most power. Power is made up of the use of the organizational procedures, regulations, rules, and structure. In the political sense, these are best understood as products and reflections of a struggle for control. In additional they are part of power plays that limit the influence and roles of others. The administrators have the ability to influence the outcomes of the decision making process, along with control of knowledge and information, and control of boundaries. From this power, there are strengths and limitations that can either encourage organizational activity, or breed more politics. As an administrator this metaphor explanation can be applied within any organization, as it is believable in the structure of the organization’s functions of an organization and politics. The organization functions between authority and leadership, and are influence by several mitigating factors that Morgan provides to describe the political systems.

References

Morgan, Gareth. (2006). Images of Organization. SAGE Publications. California.

Organizations as political systems. (n.d). Super Business: Project Management. Retrieved from http://www.super-business.net/Knowledge-Management/845.html