Overall I enjoyed the Organizational Communication class. I felt the readings were appropriate and interesting. The concept of keeping a blog as opposed to taking a test was very beneficial. Many times students cram and study for a test but forget the information once they leave the test. Having to develop your ideas on paper and analyze the concepts from the text gave me a better understanding of the readings. Forcing us to use quotes from the book and key terms helped in our analysis of the readings as well.
One aspect of the blog I think could be improved is the time frame in which they are due. Many times we were given an open due date and for people like me who procrastinate, it was difficult to not be held accountable with a specific dates and time when the blog was due. For future classes, I would continue the blog assignment but enforce stricter guidelines. I think it helped me learn the textual concepts more thoroughly and it also made me focus on my writing skills. Not only did I need to learn about organizational communication but also I needed to work on my grammar and sentences structure.
The class discussions were enjoyable but at times I felt they could have been a littler more interactive. Rather than lecture then entire class maybe there is a way you could incorporate other ideas or learning methods into the class period. Overall I thoroughly enjoyed this class and felt I learned a great deal of information. Professor Berdayes, thank you for a great semester!
Wednesday, December 19, 2007
Starlight Children's Foundation
Based on the themes we have discussed in class throughout the semester, describe one major change that you would make to an organization you are familiar with. This change could have to do with the organization or space or time, the use of team-based work, management practices, gender relations, or any number of other themes we have covered.
There is an organization called Starlight Children’s Foundation based in Chicago that grants critically ill children a wish of their choice. This is a great organization that does wonderful things but it follows the typical gender roles in our society. They have a wonderful human relations department, but in similar fashion as the typical stereotypes we discussed in class, the department is run by mostly women. “Human relations thinking emphasized the interpersonal and social needs of individuals” (Eisenberg, Goodall Jr., Trethewey 82). The human relations approach starts with the assumption that all people “want to feel united, tied, bound to something, some cause, bigger then they, commanding them yet worthy of them, summoning them to significance in living” (Eisenberg, Goodall Jr., Trethewey 82). Human relations have romantic ideals. The dominant metaphor is considered organization as the sum of relationships (Eisenberg, Goodall Jr., Trethewey 85).
In today’s typical human relations department women tend to fill most of the positions. It is seen as a feminist view of management that focuses on empowering workers by sharing information with them, emphasizing cooperation to solve problems, and organizing teams to accomplish tasks (Eisenberg, Goodall Jr., Trethewey 82). The Starlight Children’s Foundation follows this same trend and has women running the humans relations department.
Even though women are stereotypically considered compassionate, organized and good with motivating others I think men would be just as qualified in these typical female gendered roles. There are gender differences at work. Women use conversations to build relationships using rapport talk. Rapport talk emphasizes demonstrating equality through matching experiences, providing support and responsiveness, conversational maintenance, tentativeness, and personal, concrete details (Eisenberg, Goodall Jr., Trethewey 204). Men usually engage in report talk, a style of speaking that emphasizes a demonstration of knowledge, skill, and ability, conservational command, direct and assertive expressions, and abstract terms over personal experience (Eisenberg, Goodall Jr., Trethewey 204).
I think the human relations department at the Starlight Children’s Foundation could use a more traditional form of management and hire more men. Not only does the foundation need women who are compassionate, provide support and responsiveness but they could use men who are direct and to the point to get the job done as well. The foundation needs people who have a direct and assertive personality to work with certain types of families.
By hiring more men in the human relations department it will balance the office out, creating different points of view. Men add an entirely different element to the work atmosphere, which would benefit and diversify the foundation. In addition to hiring more men, I think the foundation should have a mix of a human relations department and classical management approach. Through scientific rationality it would lead to improved efficiency and productivity (Eisenberg, Goodall Jr., Trethewey 85). The foundation would run more like a machine and be procedurally oriented, following “rules,” (Eisenberg, Goodall Jr., Trethewey 85). By implementing some forms of the classical management approach, it would be more conducive to hiring men and the foundation would be more organized and run smoother.
There is an organization called Starlight Children’s Foundation based in Chicago that grants critically ill children a wish of their choice. This is a great organization that does wonderful things but it follows the typical gender roles in our society. They have a wonderful human relations department, but in similar fashion as the typical stereotypes we discussed in class, the department is run by mostly women. “Human relations thinking emphasized the interpersonal and social needs of individuals” (Eisenberg, Goodall Jr., Trethewey 82). The human relations approach starts with the assumption that all people “want to feel united, tied, bound to something, some cause, bigger then they, commanding them yet worthy of them, summoning them to significance in living” (Eisenberg, Goodall Jr., Trethewey 82). Human relations have romantic ideals. The dominant metaphor is considered organization as the sum of relationships (Eisenberg, Goodall Jr., Trethewey 85).
In today’s typical human relations department women tend to fill most of the positions. It is seen as a feminist view of management that focuses on empowering workers by sharing information with them, emphasizing cooperation to solve problems, and organizing teams to accomplish tasks (Eisenberg, Goodall Jr., Trethewey 82). The Starlight Children’s Foundation follows this same trend and has women running the humans relations department.
Even though women are stereotypically considered compassionate, organized and good with motivating others I think men would be just as qualified in these typical female gendered roles. There are gender differences at work. Women use conversations to build relationships using rapport talk. Rapport talk emphasizes demonstrating equality through matching experiences, providing support and responsiveness, conversational maintenance, tentativeness, and personal, concrete details (Eisenberg, Goodall Jr., Trethewey 204). Men usually engage in report talk, a style of speaking that emphasizes a demonstration of knowledge, skill, and ability, conservational command, direct and assertive expressions, and abstract terms over personal experience (Eisenberg, Goodall Jr., Trethewey 204).
I think the human relations department at the Starlight Children’s Foundation could use a more traditional form of management and hire more men. Not only does the foundation need women who are compassionate, provide support and responsiveness but they could use men who are direct and to the point to get the job done as well. The foundation needs people who have a direct and assertive personality to work with certain types of families.
By hiring more men in the human relations department it will balance the office out, creating different points of view. Men add an entirely different element to the work atmosphere, which would benefit and diversify the foundation. In addition to hiring more men, I think the foundation should have a mix of a human relations department and classical management approach. Through scientific rationality it would lead to improved efficiency and productivity (Eisenberg, Goodall Jr., Trethewey 85). The foundation would run more like a machine and be procedurally oriented, following “rules,” (Eisenberg, Goodall Jr., Trethewey 85). By implementing some forms of the classical management approach, it would be more conducive to hiring men and the foundation would be more organized and run smoother.
Saint Mary's College Dance Marathon
Think about an organization that you have been a member of or are familiar with, and discuss how organizational culture contributes to people’s sense of membership within that organization. Close by discussing whether the organization actively attempts to shape the organizational culture, as in the examples discussed in class, and what this might accomplish.
Since my freshman year, I have been the President of Saint Mary’s College Dance Marathon. It is an organization on campus that raises money throughout the year for Riley’s Hospital for Children. In April we hold a twelve-hour marathon, where students stay up all night on our feet for those children who cant. The monetary total that we raised throughout the year is then revealed in the early morning hours. For the past two and a half years, I have wondered what makes people feel connected to this cause and what gives them a sense of membership? After reading through chapter five, especially the section on organizational culture, I think I have a better understanding of why people have a sense of membership within SMC-DM.
The concepts of dance marathons throughout the state of Indiana are organized in a specific way. There is an executive council, and each member of the council has a specific committee under them such as Public Relations or Dancer Recruitment. Because the organization has such as specific structure, it gives people a “unique sense of place,” (Eisenberg, Goodall Jr., Trethewey 128).
At the beginning of the year, the SMC-DM Executive Council has a day long retreat where we spend time getting to know each other and working on ideas for the year. We meet once a week every Wednesday, this group of women becomes friends and the members can describe the organization as a “family.” This is one cultural element called a metaphor, which is “a figure of speech that defines an unfamiliar experience in terms of another more familiar one,” (Eisenberg, Goodall Jr., Trethewey 128). The weekly meetings are also an example of ritual. Meetings are run in a similar fashion each week and from year to year, each committee typically has its own rituals. Rituals “dramatize” a culture’s basic values and can range in scope from personal, day-to-day routines for accomplishing tasks to annual organization-wide celebrations of top performers, (Eisenberg, Goodall Jr., Trethewey 128). Not only are the meetings a ritual, but the actual marathon is a ritual in its self. There are numerous events throughout the marathon that we participate in because of the sense of membership and community everyone feels.
Each year, every member of the executive council receives a polo shirt. The polo’s are to be worn during the marathon with khaki pants so we are presented in a professional manner. In addition the polo’s are to be worn when we visit the hospital or make other important appearances. Having a unified shirt is an artifact, or the tangible and physical features of our organization, (Eisenberg, Goodall Jr., Trethewey 129). Our dress code of a polo shirt is a marker of the dance marathon culture. Each year, in the corner of the polo, we add a star to represent how long our marathon has existed. I believe this gives people a sense of pride in the organization as they watch is grown because of their hard work and dedication. This furthers their sense of membership within the organization.
The entire executive council and committee all share the same values such as work ethic and compassion. Values represent a shared set of beliefs about appropriate organizational behaviors. They are often derived from charismatic leaders, founders or organizational traditions. As a unit, sharing the same values creates a unity, which helps create a sense of membership as well.
Saint Mary’s College Dance Marathon actively attempts to shape the organizational culture. We want a specific look and set of standards that follow the people involved in organization. Everything from the clothing we wear to our weekly meetings contributes to our sense of membership and shape the organizational culture.
Since my freshman year, I have been the President of Saint Mary’s College Dance Marathon. It is an organization on campus that raises money throughout the year for Riley’s Hospital for Children. In April we hold a twelve-hour marathon, where students stay up all night on our feet for those children who cant. The monetary total that we raised throughout the year is then revealed in the early morning hours. For the past two and a half years, I have wondered what makes people feel connected to this cause and what gives them a sense of membership? After reading through chapter five, especially the section on organizational culture, I think I have a better understanding of why people have a sense of membership within SMC-DM.
The concepts of dance marathons throughout the state of Indiana are organized in a specific way. There is an executive council, and each member of the council has a specific committee under them such as Public Relations or Dancer Recruitment. Because the organization has such as specific structure, it gives people a “unique sense of place,” (Eisenberg, Goodall Jr., Trethewey 128).
At the beginning of the year, the SMC-DM Executive Council has a day long retreat where we spend time getting to know each other and working on ideas for the year. We meet once a week every Wednesday, this group of women becomes friends and the members can describe the organization as a “family.” This is one cultural element called a metaphor, which is “a figure of speech that defines an unfamiliar experience in terms of another more familiar one,” (Eisenberg, Goodall Jr., Trethewey 128). The weekly meetings are also an example of ritual. Meetings are run in a similar fashion each week and from year to year, each committee typically has its own rituals. Rituals “dramatize” a culture’s basic values and can range in scope from personal, day-to-day routines for accomplishing tasks to annual organization-wide celebrations of top performers, (Eisenberg, Goodall Jr., Trethewey 128). Not only are the meetings a ritual, but the actual marathon is a ritual in its self. There are numerous events throughout the marathon that we participate in because of the sense of membership and community everyone feels.
Each year, every member of the executive council receives a polo shirt. The polo’s are to be worn during the marathon with khaki pants so we are presented in a professional manner. In addition the polo’s are to be worn when we visit the hospital or make other important appearances. Having a unified shirt is an artifact, or the tangible and physical features of our organization, (Eisenberg, Goodall Jr., Trethewey 129). Our dress code of a polo shirt is a marker of the dance marathon culture. Each year, in the corner of the polo, we add a star to represent how long our marathon has existed. I believe this gives people a sense of pride in the organization as they watch is grown because of their hard work and dedication. This furthers their sense of membership within the organization.
The entire executive council and committee all share the same values such as work ethic and compassion. Values represent a shared set of beliefs about appropriate organizational behaviors. They are often derived from charismatic leaders, founders or organizational traditions. As a unit, sharing the same values creates a unity, which helps create a sense of membership as well.
Saint Mary’s College Dance Marathon actively attempts to shape the organizational culture. We want a specific look and set of standards that follow the people involved in organization. Everything from the clothing we wear to our weekly meetings contributes to our sense of membership and shape the organizational culture.
Friday, October 19, 2007
Eli Lilly and Company
After learning about all the different types of organizational communication in the workplace and throughout the semester, I searched to find a company that I thought embodied the supreme qualities of an ideal workplace. My searching brought me to a website called Eli Lilly and Company. After reading through their total compensation and benefits package and interviewing my uncle who works for the company, in my eyes Lilly gets a five-star rating.
The most appealing aspect to the Lilly Company is their human resources. They offer incredible packages to their employees. One of the first lines I saw when reading about their benefits was, “as a member of the Eil Lilly and Company you will make significant contributions that directly impact the lives of people all around the world…for your contribution, we strive to provide you with rewards that will make a difference in your life- both professionally and personally.” After reading an opening statement like that, how could you not want to immediately sign the contract?
Lilly has amazing benefits they offer their employees and an unbelievable human resource department. Lilly has great programs set up to allow their employees to reach their financial goals. Programs such as the Cash Compensation, encourage workers to believe in the company and work to their maximum potential because when the company is successful, they receive more money. Each year in the first quarter, eligible employees may receive a bonus based on the previous year’s sales growth and earning per share growth, as well as their individual performance and job level. It’s the company’s way of sharing its success with the employees who made the performance possible. These sort of benefits give the employee a sense of pride in the company because they can see first hard how their hard work is paying off. Another incentive Lilly offers their employees is a 401(k) plan. Their 401 (k) plan offers plenty of help in preparing for your retirement years. Lilly guarantees a match of 50 cents for each dollar contributed up to six percent of your monthly salary. The company’s matching contribution is invested in Lilly common stock. Lilly also offers life insurance where you receive free coverage for a death benefit equal to two times your annual base salary.
Not only is Lilly focused on increased worker production through incentives, but they allow opportunities for their employees to grow mentally. Lilly reimburses tuition for approved, job-or career- related courses successfully completed at accredited institutions. For approved non-job-related courses taken at an accredited institution, Lilly reimburses 50% of tuition. As far as Lilly is concerned, a happy employee is a productive employee. This concept follows Abraham Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. Once their basic needs are satisfied, they can move toward achieving their full human potential (Eisenberg, Goodall Jr., Tretheway 87). One of the main objectives to the human resources approach is setting up social conditions in the organization so that the goals of the individual merge with those of the organization, and Lilly strives to accomplish this (Eisenberg, Goodall Jr., Tretheway 87).
Not only does Lilly focus on the employee but they focus on what is important for the employee’s family as well. “Lilly recognizes that an employee worried about his or her kids is not only unhappy but also less productive” (Lilly benefits 4). They offer numerous services such as on-site child development centers, maternity, parenting, and dependent care leaves along with support groups and summer camps for children. Lilly also offers great vacation and holidays for their employees. During your first year at Lilly, you’ll earn eight hours of vacation for each month of service and this increases the longer you are at the company. “If designed correctly, the workplace becomes a site where individuals can realize their full potential and remain continually motivated to do so,” Lilly has worked hard to create this environment. (Eisenberg, Goodall Jr., Tretheway 88).
The classical theory that best fits the Eli Lilly Company is a bureaucracy system. According to W. Richard Scott, organizational bureaucracy has the following characteristics, a fixed division of labor, a hierarchy of offices, a set of general rules that govern performances, a separation of personal life from work life, technical qualifications, and a career path for employees (Eisenberg, Goodall Jr., Tretheway 77). The Lilly Company exemplifies all of these bureaucratic characteristics.
There is a fixed division of labor starting with the President, and CEO’s and working its way down to supervisors, managers and employees. Lilly has a set of rules and guidelines that all employees must sign and abide by. There is a clear separation of work and personal life. Lilly tries hard to promote family values and offer numerous opportunities for family bonding. Through their programs and family incentives, it proves the company’s loyalty to family and a personal life. Not only does Lilly promote education and training after you are hired for a position, but you have to be a highly qualified candidate to even apply for the job. Within the bureaucratic system you need a degree. Lilly offers numerous paths for employees to move up in their career. Incentives are offered for the pharmaceutical sales representatives to become the top seller. Employees are constantly moving throughout the different branches of the Lilly Company as they are offered better positions.
Eli Lilly and Company is a successful company because of how they train their employees. All of their pharmaceutical sales representatives are trained in their specialty. In organizational communication terms, this is considered the input. As they are trained, they are taking knowledge and information from their environment. Then there is throughput, which is the process of understanding the information. The employees process the information they were given, modify it and adapt it to their specific field. The final step is output, which is the distribution of the information to the world. The employees go out into the field and sell their product.
Along with their human resource department, Lilly works to create team projects in a democratic firm. With the establishment of these teams workers cooperatively engage in self-management because they feel personally invested in the company. Employees practice control over themselves.
After reading the articles, I think Eli Lilly and Company is an excellent corporation to work for because it offers their employees great benefits and they provide a pleasant environment for workers.
http://www.lilly.com/ www.lilly.com/careers
The most appealing aspect to the Lilly Company is their human resources. They offer incredible packages to their employees. One of the first lines I saw when reading about their benefits was, “as a member of the Eil Lilly and Company you will make significant contributions that directly impact the lives of people all around the world…for your contribution, we strive to provide you with rewards that will make a difference in your life- both professionally and personally.” After reading an opening statement like that, how could you not want to immediately sign the contract?
Lilly has amazing benefits they offer their employees and an unbelievable human resource department. Lilly has great programs set up to allow their employees to reach their financial goals. Programs such as the Cash Compensation, encourage workers to believe in the company and work to their maximum potential because when the company is successful, they receive more money. Each year in the first quarter, eligible employees may receive a bonus based on the previous year’s sales growth and earning per share growth, as well as their individual performance and job level. It’s the company’s way of sharing its success with the employees who made the performance possible. These sort of benefits give the employee a sense of pride in the company because they can see first hard how their hard work is paying off. Another incentive Lilly offers their employees is a 401(k) plan. Their 401 (k) plan offers plenty of help in preparing for your retirement years. Lilly guarantees a match of 50 cents for each dollar contributed up to six percent of your monthly salary. The company’s matching contribution is invested in Lilly common stock. Lilly also offers life insurance where you receive free coverage for a death benefit equal to two times your annual base salary.
Not only is Lilly focused on increased worker production through incentives, but they allow opportunities for their employees to grow mentally. Lilly reimburses tuition for approved, job-or career- related courses successfully completed at accredited institutions. For approved non-job-related courses taken at an accredited institution, Lilly reimburses 50% of tuition. As far as Lilly is concerned, a happy employee is a productive employee. This concept follows Abraham Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. Once their basic needs are satisfied, they can move toward achieving their full human potential (Eisenberg, Goodall Jr., Tretheway 87). One of the main objectives to the human resources approach is setting up social conditions in the organization so that the goals of the individual merge with those of the organization, and Lilly strives to accomplish this (Eisenberg, Goodall Jr., Tretheway 87).
Not only does Lilly focus on the employee but they focus on what is important for the employee’s family as well. “Lilly recognizes that an employee worried about his or her kids is not only unhappy but also less productive” (Lilly benefits 4). They offer numerous services such as on-site child development centers, maternity, parenting, and dependent care leaves along with support groups and summer camps for children. Lilly also offers great vacation and holidays for their employees. During your first year at Lilly, you’ll earn eight hours of vacation for each month of service and this increases the longer you are at the company. “If designed correctly, the workplace becomes a site where individuals can realize their full potential and remain continually motivated to do so,” Lilly has worked hard to create this environment. (Eisenberg, Goodall Jr., Tretheway 88).
The classical theory that best fits the Eli Lilly Company is a bureaucracy system. According to W. Richard Scott, organizational bureaucracy has the following characteristics, a fixed division of labor, a hierarchy of offices, a set of general rules that govern performances, a separation of personal life from work life, technical qualifications, and a career path for employees (Eisenberg, Goodall Jr., Tretheway 77). The Lilly Company exemplifies all of these bureaucratic characteristics.
There is a fixed division of labor starting with the President, and CEO’s and working its way down to supervisors, managers and employees. Lilly has a set of rules and guidelines that all employees must sign and abide by. There is a clear separation of work and personal life. Lilly tries hard to promote family values and offer numerous opportunities for family bonding. Through their programs and family incentives, it proves the company’s loyalty to family and a personal life. Not only does Lilly promote education and training after you are hired for a position, but you have to be a highly qualified candidate to even apply for the job. Within the bureaucratic system you need a degree. Lilly offers numerous paths for employees to move up in their career. Incentives are offered for the pharmaceutical sales representatives to become the top seller. Employees are constantly moving throughout the different branches of the Lilly Company as they are offered better positions.
Eli Lilly and Company is a successful company because of how they train their employees. All of their pharmaceutical sales representatives are trained in their specialty. In organizational communication terms, this is considered the input. As they are trained, they are taking knowledge and information from their environment. Then there is throughput, which is the process of understanding the information. The employees process the information they were given, modify it and adapt it to their specific field. The final step is output, which is the distribution of the information to the world. The employees go out into the field and sell their product.
Along with their human resource department, Lilly works to create team projects in a democratic firm. With the establishment of these teams workers cooperatively engage in self-management because they feel personally invested in the company. Employees practice control over themselves.
After reading the articles, I think Eli Lilly and Company is an excellent corporation to work for because it offers their employees great benefits and they provide a pleasant environment for workers.
http://www.lilly.com/ www.lilly.com/careers
Centralized and Decentralized Organizations
The United States military is a classical model of central organization. The military is under the leadership of specific generals. They are very rigid and follow specific orders. There is one centralized person or headquarters and the government and military branch off from there. In a centralized organization, there’s a clear division of roles, and when you take a unit out, the organization is harmed. Knowledge and power are concentrated and working groups communicate through intermediaries (Brafman, Beckstorm). In contrast, the terrorist’s organizations are an example of a decentralized organization. A decentralized organization has no one in charge and there are no headquarters. There’s an amorphous division of roles, and if you take out a unit, the organization is unharmed. All the knowledge and power are distributed so each individual can grow on their own. The organization is flexible and self-funding. The working groups communicate with each other directly (Brafman, Beckstorm). When these two types of organizations engage in conflict, chaos erupts.
Similar to the reading selection of “The Starfish and the Spider,” when the big music industries try and crack down on the pirating, a new player comes into the scene that’s even more decentralized and more difficult to battle (Brafman, Beckstorm 24). The first principle of decentralization is that as soon as someone or something tries to curb the decentralized organization, the organization continues to grow and is more difficult to control.
This is clearly demonstrated when the U.S. military tries to fight terrorists. Each terrorists group is separate from each other. There is no central unit to fight. The terrorists have leaders all over the world each willing to step up and fight. Similar to the music industries fight against illegal downloading, each time an Internet site gets caught a new and improved version is formed. In the reading “The Starfish and the Spider,” once Kazaa was caught, KazaaLite was formed, then eDonkey and now eMule. eMule is more decentralized than anything the music business has encountered. The software is a completely open source solution (Brafman, Beckstorm 24). Similar to the terrorist organizations, once one is shut down, two more are established except these groups are even more powerful and deadly.
As we can see in the war in Iraq today, nothing is getting accomplished. Each day, hundreds of people are dying but we are not getting any closer to defeating the terrorists. They are fighting with a passion in their hearts a desire to kill whomever they come in contact with. The U.S. military is fighting for a cause we do not fully understand, while the terrorists have lived in these war zones their entire lives. The U.S. military is similar to the analogy of the spider in “The Starfish and the Spider.” If you chop off its head, which is the centralized unit, it dies. The U.S. military has a weakness when it goes against the decentralized terrorists. On the other hand, the terrorists are similar to the starfish, which have no centralized unit or head. If you cut the starfish in half, it will not die, but you will have two starfish to deal with. (Brafman, Beckstorm 31).
I think the United States government needs to stop fighting the terrorists. If we stop adding fuel to their fire, I think the terrorist organizations would shrink. This is similar to the idea of the starfish. If you leave a starfish alone, there is only one starfish but if you start playing with it and break off a leg, you now have two starfish to deal with. The more we aggravate the terrorists, the more powerful they become.
Similar to the reading selection of “The Starfish and the Spider,” when the big music industries try and crack down on the pirating, a new player comes into the scene that’s even more decentralized and more difficult to battle (Brafman, Beckstorm 24). The first principle of decentralization is that as soon as someone or something tries to curb the decentralized organization, the organization continues to grow and is more difficult to control.
This is clearly demonstrated when the U.S. military tries to fight terrorists. Each terrorists group is separate from each other. There is no central unit to fight. The terrorists have leaders all over the world each willing to step up and fight. Similar to the music industries fight against illegal downloading, each time an Internet site gets caught a new and improved version is formed. In the reading “The Starfish and the Spider,” once Kazaa was caught, KazaaLite was formed, then eDonkey and now eMule. eMule is more decentralized than anything the music business has encountered. The software is a completely open source solution (Brafman, Beckstorm 24). Similar to the terrorist organizations, once one is shut down, two more are established except these groups are even more powerful and deadly.
As we can see in the war in Iraq today, nothing is getting accomplished. Each day, hundreds of people are dying but we are not getting any closer to defeating the terrorists. They are fighting with a passion in their hearts a desire to kill whomever they come in contact with. The U.S. military is fighting for a cause we do not fully understand, while the terrorists have lived in these war zones their entire lives. The U.S. military is similar to the analogy of the spider in “The Starfish and the Spider.” If you chop off its head, which is the centralized unit, it dies. The U.S. military has a weakness when it goes against the decentralized terrorists. On the other hand, the terrorists are similar to the starfish, which have no centralized unit or head. If you cut the starfish in half, it will not die, but you will have two starfish to deal with. (Brafman, Beckstorm 31).
I think the United States government needs to stop fighting the terrorists. If we stop adding fuel to their fire, I think the terrorist organizations would shrink. This is similar to the idea of the starfish. If you leave a starfish alone, there is only one starfish but if you start playing with it and break off a leg, you now have two starfish to deal with. The more we aggravate the terrorists, the more powerful they become.
Thursday, October 11, 2007
Human Relations vs. Human Resources
Discuss the differences between the human relations and human resource approaches to management. Pay particular attention to how they approach the issue of worker participation.
The foundation of the human relations approach began in the 1920s-1930s when Mary Parker Follett, Elton Mayo, and Chester Barnard started examining the employee-manager relationship in a completely new way (Eisenberg, Goodall Jr., Tretheway 82). Their work became the precursor of contemporary thinking about management and leadership. “Human relations thinking emphasized the interpersonal and social needs of individual and marked a clean break from earlier points of view” (Eisenberg, Goodall Jr., Tretheway 82).
The human relations approach starts with the assumption that “all people want to feel united, tied, bound to something, some cause, bigger than they, commanding them yet worthy of them, summoning them to significance in living” (Eisenberg, Goodall Jr., Tretheway 82). The key to the human relations approach is to persuade individuals to accept a common purpose, from which all else would follow. The role of management is largely communicative and persuasive. (Eisenberg, Goodall Jr., Tretheway 82). Effective managers thus strive to communicate in ways that encourage workers to identify with the organization. Management is seen as more interpersonal than economic.
In the human relations approach to management, workers are offered incentives, and they are given positive reinforcement. Under the human relations approach, workers are studied to discover what their maximum potential is. This concept is called the Hawthorne effect. When workers are given increased attention, it raises productivity (Eisenberg, Goodall Jr., Tretheway 85). Simple things such as changing the room color, or the intensity of the lights in a room can increase worker productivity.
The human relations approach identifies many important issues but falls short of truly valuing employee perceptions, worldview, and voice (Eisenberg, Goodall Jr., Tretheway 87) The human resources approach is concerned with the total organizational climate as well as with how an organization can encourage employee participation and dialogue. Three theorists were behind the original human resources movement: Abraham Maslow, Douglas McGregor, and Rensis Likert.
“According to Abraham Maslow’s hierarchy of needs people’s basic needs for food, shelter, and belonging must be satisfied before they can move toward achieving their full human potential” (Eisenberg, Goodall Jr., Tretheway 87). Conditions that foster individual health are often good for the prosperity of an organization. Under the human resources approach, management sets up social conditions in the organization so that the goals of the individual merge with those of the organization (Eisenberg, Goodall Jr., Tretheway 87). If designed correctly, “the workplace becomes a site where individuals can realize their full potential and remain continually motivated to do so” (Eisenberg, Goodall Jr., Tretheway 87).
Douglas McGregor came up with Theory Y which “builds on the best of the human relations approach to offer a fundamentally different view of employees and of their relationship with management” (Eisenberg, Goodall Jr., Tretheway 90). When employees are given more responsibility and given the ability for autonomy, they are going to perform better. “The Theory Y manager has a more participative and facilitative management style that treats employees as valued human resources” (Eisenberg, Goodall Jr., Tretheway 90). The most important part of management is to arrange things so people can accomplish their own goals by accomplishing the goals of the organization.
The third theorist Rensis Likert came up with the principle of supportive relationships. “All interactions within an organization should support individual self-worth and importance, with emphasis on the supportive relationships within work groups and open communication among them” (Eisenberg, Goodall Jr., Tretheway 90).
Another aspect to human resources is performance management: “any system that tracks and gives feedback to employees about how well they are accomplishing objectives tied to each of their key dimensions” (Eisenberg, Goodall Jr., Tretheway 312).Managers establish project teams in which people come together to create a project. Human resources approach to management works on team building throughout a company.
Human relations and human resource approaches to managements are additions to the workplace. Employees are given a high value in the company and their needs and wants are taken into consideration. Overall both approaches provide a more pleasant atmosphere for employees.
The foundation of the human relations approach began in the 1920s-1930s when Mary Parker Follett, Elton Mayo, and Chester Barnard started examining the employee-manager relationship in a completely new way (Eisenberg, Goodall Jr., Tretheway 82). Their work became the precursor of contemporary thinking about management and leadership. “Human relations thinking emphasized the interpersonal and social needs of individual and marked a clean break from earlier points of view” (Eisenberg, Goodall Jr., Tretheway 82).
The human relations approach starts with the assumption that “all people want to feel united, tied, bound to something, some cause, bigger than they, commanding them yet worthy of them, summoning them to significance in living” (Eisenberg, Goodall Jr., Tretheway 82). The key to the human relations approach is to persuade individuals to accept a common purpose, from which all else would follow. The role of management is largely communicative and persuasive. (Eisenberg, Goodall Jr., Tretheway 82). Effective managers thus strive to communicate in ways that encourage workers to identify with the organization. Management is seen as more interpersonal than economic.
In the human relations approach to management, workers are offered incentives, and they are given positive reinforcement. Under the human relations approach, workers are studied to discover what their maximum potential is. This concept is called the Hawthorne effect. When workers are given increased attention, it raises productivity (Eisenberg, Goodall Jr., Tretheway 85). Simple things such as changing the room color, or the intensity of the lights in a room can increase worker productivity.
The human relations approach identifies many important issues but falls short of truly valuing employee perceptions, worldview, and voice (Eisenberg, Goodall Jr., Tretheway 87) The human resources approach is concerned with the total organizational climate as well as with how an organization can encourage employee participation and dialogue. Three theorists were behind the original human resources movement: Abraham Maslow, Douglas McGregor, and Rensis Likert.
“According to Abraham Maslow’s hierarchy of needs people’s basic needs for food, shelter, and belonging must be satisfied before they can move toward achieving their full human potential” (Eisenberg, Goodall Jr., Tretheway 87). Conditions that foster individual health are often good for the prosperity of an organization. Under the human resources approach, management sets up social conditions in the organization so that the goals of the individual merge with those of the organization (Eisenberg, Goodall Jr., Tretheway 87). If designed correctly, “the workplace becomes a site where individuals can realize their full potential and remain continually motivated to do so” (Eisenberg, Goodall Jr., Tretheway 87).
Douglas McGregor came up with Theory Y which “builds on the best of the human relations approach to offer a fundamentally different view of employees and of their relationship with management” (Eisenberg, Goodall Jr., Tretheway 90). When employees are given more responsibility and given the ability for autonomy, they are going to perform better. “The Theory Y manager has a more participative and facilitative management style that treats employees as valued human resources” (Eisenberg, Goodall Jr., Tretheway 90). The most important part of management is to arrange things so people can accomplish their own goals by accomplishing the goals of the organization.
The third theorist Rensis Likert came up with the principle of supportive relationships. “All interactions within an organization should support individual self-worth and importance, with emphasis on the supportive relationships within work groups and open communication among them” (Eisenberg, Goodall Jr., Tretheway 90).
Another aspect to human resources is performance management: “any system that tracks and gives feedback to employees about how well they are accomplishing objectives tied to each of their key dimensions” (Eisenberg, Goodall Jr., Tretheway 312).Managers establish project teams in which people come together to create a project. Human resources approach to management works on team building throughout a company.
Human relations and human resource approaches to managements are additions to the workplace. Employees are given a high value in the company and their needs and wants are taken into consideration. Overall both approaches provide a more pleasant atmosphere for employees.
Friday, September 28, 2007
Organizational Communication and Classical Management
Discuss which approach or approaches to Organizational Communications seems most closely connected to the Classical approaches to management and discuss why this is so. Some answers to this question will be more correct than others.
There are four approaches to organizational communication, communication as information transfer, as transactional process, as strategic control, and as a balance for creativity and constraint. Communication as information transfer views communication as a metaphoric pipeline through which information flows from one person to another (Eisenberg, Goodall Jr., Tretheway 29). Communication as transactional process asserts that in actual communication, clear distinctions are not made between senders and receivers. Instead, people play both roles simultaneously (Eisenberg, Goodall Jr., Tretheway 30). The strategic control approach regards communication as a tool for controlling the environment. A concept called strategic ambiguity, describes how people can communicate unclearly but still accomplish their goals. Due to personal, relational, and political factors, perfect clarity among people is not always the main goal in interaction. Your communication is seen as having multiple goals. The final approach to Organizational Communication is communication as a balance of creativity and constraint. “Communication is the moment-to-moment working out of the tension between individuals creativity and organizational constraint” (Eisenberg, Goodall Jr., Tretheway 36).
Classical Management approaches are represented by a collection of theories that all represent the metaphor of organizations, which are modeled after efficient machines (Eisenberg, Goodall Jr., Tretheway 64). One form of management, called hierarchy refers to the vertical arrangement of power an communication that distinguishes managers from employees (Eisenberg, Goodall Jr., Tretheway 71). Another classical management approach is the development of scientific management. Management is a science based on clearly defined laws, rules and principles. Scientific management is best shown through straightforward tasks that require no flexibility and offer no opportunity for initiative (Eisenberg, Goodall Jr., Tretheway 75). The administrative theory developed by Henri Fayol, which is based on four categories: structure, power, reward, and attitude. He encouraged employee initiative and believed that supervisors should work hard to build positive employee morale (Eisenberg, Goodall Jr., Tretheway 76). The final aspect of classical management is the idea of bureaucracy. Under this system there is a fixed division of labor, hierarchy of offices, set of general rules that govern performances, rigid separation of personal life from work life, technical qualifications, and a view of employment as a career (Eisenberg, Goodall Jr., Tretheway 77).
The approaches to Organizational Communication that seem closely connected to the Classical approaches to management is the concept of communication as information transfer and idea of hierarchy. This Organizational Communication approach seems connected to hierarchy because both are a way in which information flows from one person to another. Managers are communicating to their subordinates and transferring their knowledge.
There are four approaches to organizational communication, communication as information transfer, as transactional process, as strategic control, and as a balance for creativity and constraint. Communication as information transfer views communication as a metaphoric pipeline through which information flows from one person to another (Eisenberg, Goodall Jr., Tretheway 29). Communication as transactional process asserts that in actual communication, clear distinctions are not made between senders and receivers. Instead, people play both roles simultaneously (Eisenberg, Goodall Jr., Tretheway 30). The strategic control approach regards communication as a tool for controlling the environment. A concept called strategic ambiguity, describes how people can communicate unclearly but still accomplish their goals. Due to personal, relational, and political factors, perfect clarity among people is not always the main goal in interaction. Your communication is seen as having multiple goals. The final approach to Organizational Communication is communication as a balance of creativity and constraint. “Communication is the moment-to-moment working out of the tension between individuals creativity and organizational constraint” (Eisenberg, Goodall Jr., Tretheway 36).
Classical Management approaches are represented by a collection of theories that all represent the metaphor of organizations, which are modeled after efficient machines (Eisenberg, Goodall Jr., Tretheway 64). One form of management, called hierarchy refers to the vertical arrangement of power an communication that distinguishes managers from employees (Eisenberg, Goodall Jr., Tretheway 71). Another classical management approach is the development of scientific management. Management is a science based on clearly defined laws, rules and principles. Scientific management is best shown through straightforward tasks that require no flexibility and offer no opportunity for initiative (Eisenberg, Goodall Jr., Tretheway 75). The administrative theory developed by Henri Fayol, which is based on four categories: structure, power, reward, and attitude. He encouraged employee initiative and believed that supervisors should work hard to build positive employee morale (Eisenberg, Goodall Jr., Tretheway 76). The final aspect of classical management is the idea of bureaucracy. Under this system there is a fixed division of labor, hierarchy of offices, set of general rules that govern performances, rigid separation of personal life from work life, technical qualifications, and a view of employment as a career (Eisenberg, Goodall Jr., Tretheway 77).
The approaches to Organizational Communication that seem closely connected to the Classical approaches to management is the concept of communication as information transfer and idea of hierarchy. This Organizational Communication approach seems connected to hierarchy because both are a way in which information flows from one person to another. Managers are communicating to their subordinates and transferring their knowledge.
Sunday, September 23, 2007
Productive Workers
After interviewing my dad, I found that many of his experiences matched the organizational theories we discussed in Chapter three. My dad works for a company called International Business Machines (IBM). There are numerous ways IBM tries to increase worker productivity.
IBM has divisions of labor which separate peoples tasks into distinct units. The business is laid out in a hierarchy system that is a “vertical arrangement of power and authority that distinguishes managers from employees,” (pg. 71). Each person knows his or her role in the company, which makes for a more productive atmosphere.
One of the main ways IBM promotes productivity and improves the quality of the workplace for workers is the organizational bureaucracy system they have in place. An example of the bureaucracy system is the IBM employee’s view of employment as a career path. IBM has a mentor system set up throughout each division of labor. If an employee is trying to move up through the corporate ladder, they can find a mentor who can guide them through that specific division of labor. This promotes productivity and motivation among workers.
IBM keeps order throughout the company and one of the ways their rules are upheld is through a company handbook, which can also be accessed online. These general rules that govern performances is also an aspect of bureaucracy.
For the last few years, my dad has been a part of the IBM spot awards. This is a reward system to promote a positive, productive atmosphere throughout the work place. A spot award is when someone in the company nominates a worker or manger for their outstanding performance. The recipient receives a monetary gift or can pick an object from certain websites. Gifts range from expensive watches, to leather jackets. The spot award system is effective because it promotes worker productivity and it offers people a way to do random acts of kindness.
The company also promotes family time. Each year, IBM rents out the Chicago zoo and allows free admission for all IBM workers and their families. There is a yearly picnic open to all family members of workers.
IBM proves that the bureaucracy system is positive and increases worker productivity. When a worker is rewarded for a job well done, they realize that people are taking note of their performance and it gives them an incentive to be productive. Another positive aspect of the company, which proves the strength in the bureaucracy system, is the separation of personal life from work life. Employees are given vacation time, and through yearly sponsored family events, it is obvious the company promotes the concept of family time. IBM tries to have a good human relations approach. The company works to “emphasize the interpersonal and social needs of the individual,” (pg. 82) by offering health club discounts and positions, that allow you to work from home. A negative aspect of IBM is that each year, numerous positions in the company are outsourced. The company searches for foreign employees because the wage labor is extra cheap.
Overall, I thought IBM was a positive company that tried to promote worker productivity.
IBM has divisions of labor which separate peoples tasks into distinct units. The business is laid out in a hierarchy system that is a “vertical arrangement of power and authority that distinguishes managers from employees,” (pg. 71). Each person knows his or her role in the company, which makes for a more productive atmosphere.
One of the main ways IBM promotes productivity and improves the quality of the workplace for workers is the organizational bureaucracy system they have in place. An example of the bureaucracy system is the IBM employee’s view of employment as a career path. IBM has a mentor system set up throughout each division of labor. If an employee is trying to move up through the corporate ladder, they can find a mentor who can guide them through that specific division of labor. This promotes productivity and motivation among workers.
IBM keeps order throughout the company and one of the ways their rules are upheld is through a company handbook, which can also be accessed online. These general rules that govern performances is also an aspect of bureaucracy.
For the last few years, my dad has been a part of the IBM spot awards. This is a reward system to promote a positive, productive atmosphere throughout the work place. A spot award is when someone in the company nominates a worker or manger for their outstanding performance. The recipient receives a monetary gift or can pick an object from certain websites. Gifts range from expensive watches, to leather jackets. The spot award system is effective because it promotes worker productivity and it offers people a way to do random acts of kindness.
The company also promotes family time. Each year, IBM rents out the Chicago zoo and allows free admission for all IBM workers and their families. There is a yearly picnic open to all family members of workers.
IBM proves that the bureaucracy system is positive and increases worker productivity. When a worker is rewarded for a job well done, they realize that people are taking note of their performance and it gives them an incentive to be productive. Another positive aspect of the company, which proves the strength in the bureaucracy system, is the separation of personal life from work life. Employees are given vacation time, and through yearly sponsored family events, it is obvious the company promotes the concept of family time. IBM tries to have a good human relations approach. The company works to “emphasize the interpersonal and social needs of the individual,” (pg. 82) by offering health club discounts and positions, that allow you to work from home. A negative aspect of IBM is that each year, numerous positions in the company are outsourced. The company searches for foreign employees because the wage labor is extra cheap.
Overall, I thought IBM was a positive company that tried to promote worker productivity.
Friday, September 14, 2007
Finding Your Passion
Growing up, I couldn’t wait for the day when I could wear a stylish business suit and head to work in a high rise business office in Chicago. Having business meetings and working with clients always seemed so glamorous. I have come to the realization though that things do not always seem the way they appear. As a woman, a career in a business field is not as exciting as I once thought.
After reading the articles, “White-Collar Sweatshop” by Fraser and “Work in an Alienated Society,” by Fromm, living a stress free life in the work force seems impossible. Many times one’s quest to move up the business ladder consumes their entire life. You begin to change who you are as a person without even realizing it, because the need for power and money are so prevalent. As Fromm states, “In the process of work, that is, the molding and changing of nature outside of himself, man molds and changes himself.” If you are good at your job and get recognition, you only become more alienated in your work place because you begin to sell your marketable ability for a higher wage. “Work, instead of being an activity satisfying in itself and pleasurable, becomes a duty and an obsession,” Fromm. The more your work develops, the more anal and fixated you become in moving through the ranks of your company. We found a similar situation in the article “White-Collar Sweatshop,” with the story of Catherine, a woman who grew to never have time for herself or her family because she was always chasing the next promotion. With this sort of pressure, people grow to hate their job and are in a continuing downward spiral, without no way to get out.
I have been struggling with my career path for the past few years, and even though I am not in the work force yet, I find myself alienated. Since our society is focused around material possessions and wealth, we are finding more and more students pursuing careers in a particular field due to the potential wealth they will incur. I was falling into that same trap when I was studying the sciences hoping to become a dentist. Rather than following the concept of craft ideal, working on your passion with no ulterior motives, and controlling your own activities and actions, I was setting myself up for labor alienation by perusing a career only because it had the potential to make money. I was forcing myself into something, which would of left me in an unhappy career under bad conditions.
I have realized that if I want to have a happy work life in the future I need to follow the craft ideal. If I find and develop my passion, without an ulterior motive, I will reach my goals and be happy with my job because I am satisfying myself. This will result in me being more productive for the company I am working for. Rather than spending all your time on something that you do not enjoy, producing average results, find your passion and do great things with it.
After reading the articles, “White-Collar Sweatshop” by Fraser and “Work in an Alienated Society,” by Fromm, living a stress free life in the work force seems impossible. Many times one’s quest to move up the business ladder consumes their entire life. You begin to change who you are as a person without even realizing it, because the need for power and money are so prevalent. As Fromm states, “In the process of work, that is, the molding and changing of nature outside of himself, man molds and changes himself.” If you are good at your job and get recognition, you only become more alienated in your work place because you begin to sell your marketable ability for a higher wage. “Work, instead of being an activity satisfying in itself and pleasurable, becomes a duty and an obsession,” Fromm. The more your work develops, the more anal and fixated you become in moving through the ranks of your company. We found a similar situation in the article “White-Collar Sweatshop,” with the story of Catherine, a woman who grew to never have time for herself or her family because she was always chasing the next promotion. With this sort of pressure, people grow to hate their job and are in a continuing downward spiral, without no way to get out.
I have been struggling with my career path for the past few years, and even though I am not in the work force yet, I find myself alienated. Since our society is focused around material possessions and wealth, we are finding more and more students pursuing careers in a particular field due to the potential wealth they will incur. I was falling into that same trap when I was studying the sciences hoping to become a dentist. Rather than following the concept of craft ideal, working on your passion with no ulterior motives, and controlling your own activities and actions, I was setting myself up for labor alienation by perusing a career only because it had the potential to make money. I was forcing myself into something, which would of left me in an unhappy career under bad conditions.
I have realized that if I want to have a happy work life in the future I need to follow the craft ideal. If I find and develop my passion, without an ulterior motive, I will reach my goals and be happy with my job because I am satisfying myself. This will result in me being more productive for the company I am working for. Rather than spending all your time on something that you do not enjoy, producing average results, find your passion and do great things with it.
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