Chapter 3: Organizational Change

What are the disadvantages of the political metaphor?

the unnecessary development of complex Machiavellian strategies, with an assumption that in any organizational endeavor, there are always winners and losers. It turns the organizational life into a political war zone.

Which metaphor do these assumptions belong to: the change will not work unless it's supported by a powerful person 2. the wider the support for this change the better 3. it is important to understand the political map, and to understand who will be the winners and losers as a result of this change 4. positive strategies include creating new coalitions and renegotiating issues.

the Political metaphor

There is another significant limitations raised by Morgan about the organizations are organisms metaphor. What is it?

the danger that this metaphor becomes an ideology. This translates that work should be designed to fully integrate individuals and it should fulfill their personal needs.

What are Morgan's (1986) eight organizational metaphors?

1. Machines 2. Organisms 3. Brains 4. Cultures 5. Political System 6. Psychic prisons 7. flux and transformation 8. instruments of domination

What are the key beliefs for the metaphor that organizations are machines?

1. each employee should have only one line manager 2. labor should be divided into specific roles 3. each individual should be managed by objectives 4. teams represent no more than the summation of individual efforts 5. management should control and there should be employee discipline.

Which four of Morgan's eight organizational metaphors is seen most often by managers?

1. machines 2. political systems 3. organisms 4. flux and transformation

What are the limitations for the organizations as organisms metaphor?

1. the idea of the organization as an adaptive system is flawed. 2. the organization is not really just an adaptive unit, at the mercy of its environment. 3. It can in reality shape the environment by collaborating with communities or with other organizations, or by initiating a new product or service that may change the environment in a significant way. 4. the idea that coherence and flow between functions and departments is too ideal and often unrealistic. Sometimes different parts of the organization need to work independently for good reason.

Under the machine metaphor, there are assumptions of organizational change that arise based on its beliefs. What are those assumptions?

1. the organization can be changed to an agreed end state by those in positions of authority 2. there will be resistance, and this needs to be managed 3. change can be executed well if it is well planned and well controlled.

What are the three key beliefs of the organizations as organisms metaphor?

1. there is no 'one best way' to design or manage an organization. 2. the flow of information between different parts of the system and its environment is key to the organization's success 3. it is important to maximize the fit between individual, team, and organization's needs.

What are the key beliefs of the political metaphor?

1. you cannot stay out of organizational politics: you're already in it 2. building support for your approach is essential if you want to make anything happen 3. you need to know who is powerful, and who they are close to 4. there is an important political map that overrides the published organizational structure 5. coalition between individuals are more important than work teams 6. the most important decisions in an organization concern the allocation of scarce resources, that is, who gets what, and these are reached through bargaining, negotiating and vying for position.

Who stated the following with regards to the organizations as organisms metaphor: "[it] suggests that different environments favor different species of organizations based on different methods of organizing...congruence with environment is the key to success."

Gareth Morgan said that shit.

Under which metaphor is change considered hard work because change is seen as highly disruptive and a major overhaul that must be carried out by strong upper management, inspirational vision, and control from the top down.

Machine metaphor

This metaphor or picture of an organization implies routine operations, well-defined structure and job roles, and efficient working working inside and between the working parts of the machine.

Organizations as machines

This metaphor of organizational life sees the organization as a living, adaptive system.

Organizations as organisms

How many assumptions are there for organizations as organisms metaphor and what are they?

There are four. 1. changes are made only in response to changes in the external environment (rather than using an internal focus) 2. Individuals and groups need to be psychologically aware of the need for change in order to adapt 3. the response to a change in the environment can be designed and worked towards 4. participation and psychological support are necessary strategies for success.

When organizations are seen as political systems, we often draw strong parallels between how organizations are run and systems of political rule such as...

democracy anarchy autocracy

Individual, group, and organizational health and happiness are essential ingredients of the _______________ metaphor.

organizations as organisms

This metaphor represents the organization as an open system.

organizations as organisms