Behavior in an organization

Introduction

The definition of bureaucracy was created by the German Social Scientist under the name of Max Weber (1864-1920). Weber had a considerable impact on the bureaucratic idea, primarily on the human judgment, the military predisposition, and the phenomenal development seen in the industrial field. The design of this method was primarily intended to help solve the management problems faced without including the societal frictions created by the feelings and human error experienced by the various organizations. The article focuses on corporate strategy and the positive and detrimental effects of red tape on the workplace (Anter 54-55). The bureaucratic theory is based on the relationship that exists in an organization and more specifically concerning the authority to delegate within an organization. Weber envisaged it as an order in structuring power in management so that some balanced behavior from the employees under a professional hierarchy can get attained. Weber identified three legitimate types of authority, traditional, charismatic and the rational-legal authority (Winkler 32). The traditional authority refers to the respect and honor that a person gets by belonging to a particular class conventionally referred to as possession of power. The charismatic authority gets derived from the fact that the people around a person believe that s/he has some unique appeal or power. The rational-legal authority is the automatic obedience arising from the fact that a person has occupied a given position of influence established by the law of that particular government or organization (Winkler 32-34).

Advantages of Bureaucracy

The system works under a well-elaborated framework of rules and regulations was well as all the administrative acts, decisions and functions based on the rules put in place in writing. There is a deliberated and systematic labor division power and right. Every member is limited to his job and duty so that there is no overlap of any activity except for the general managers or chief executive officers who are overseers. In the case, the work of Susanne Blumberg while at Upper Bay as the chief executive officer was to oversee the activities because the organization worked ninety-nine percent as a team and no one seemed to be in charge every person had a particular responsibility to fulfill (Anter 86-89). 

The bureaucracies are characterized by the hierarchy created under which each of the lower offices is to a particular person a supervisor. It is done to ensure that there is compliance with the predetermined goals, there is a regular check, and an officer manages each office. Bruce Cotting is rising in the ranks at Corting from residential account executive to a regional sales manager. There were systematic means that were used to promote a person higher level means more responsibility.  Interpersonal relationships, the managers are not to be in control for the means of production, the organizational properties are purely controlled from within the organization and completely separate and distinct from the personal properties of the managers. When Bruce leaves Corting, he leaves everything intact; the company does not wind up because its regional sales manager has just left. In this type of system, the members admitted to the administration staff are provided with some specific and particular training. The bureaucrats derive much of their authority from the technical skills obtained so far. The drivers got trained before being allowed back to their responsibility some had to go back to school to get prepared for them to be fit for service in the technical and professional service (Anter 91-94).

Disadvantages of Bureaucracy

Bureaucracy at times can have some adverse effects on the people and organizations. For example, it can cause people in different associations to pursue goals that are worthless, and it may at times overpower reason. The individuals in positions of power may wish to be glorified, or some subjects may blindly follow their seniors. It can equally hinder progress within institutions. It may at times be about rules and not results thereby blocking progress in the organization (Anter 99).

Question Two: Edgar Henry on Organization Culture

Edgar Henry Schein is a renowned professor of organizational management at the MIT Sloan School, born in the year 1928 in Zurich. According to him, organizations adopt culture over time, the employees go through some changes and always adapt to the external surroundings for them to be able to solve their challenges. The experience gained from the past becomes very instrumental in the formation of the organizational structure. New employees always try to adjust to the new culture that they find in the organization.

Schein had a strong belief on three basic levels for the organizational culture. One is on the artifacts; they are the first characteristics observed. They include the office furniture, behavior of the employees and their dress code, vision, and mission of the organization. The artifacts play a crucial role in shaping the culture of the workplace. Secondly is on the group values, the thought course and the approach of the employees play a paramount role in shaping the culture of the organization. The mindset of the workers and in the workplace significantly influence about their organization equally shape the team. Lastly is about the values that are taken and embraced in the organization. Individual beliefs and facts may be hidden, but they significantly affect the culture of the organization. The organizations that have more females compared to the males do not believe in the idea of late sittings; they are hardly comfortable with such a culture.  On the other had the male counterparts would be willing to stay late irrespective of the situation. The different organizations unconsciously follow some practices that are often not discussed but understood at the individual level. The rules will automatically form part of the organizational culture at the third level (Schein 923-926).

Goggle case

Google is one of the renowned companies in the world in the information technology sector. It operates under an adamant and reliable principle laid by the founders. The mission of the company summarizes it all, “To organize the world’s information and make it universally accessible and useful” (Noviantoro par.1). As the rest of the companies are struggling to make themselves visible to the general public, Google, on the other hand, is reaping revenue through these businesses by their online advertisements. The company stripped of any other cookies added to its page and provided the users with a blank page which has only its logo and the search box. The premise of the refusal by Google was that the cookies would automatically annoy the users (Noviantoro par.4-5).

The company has adopted one of the best organizational cultures around the globe. It values the comfortability of the employees and places it as a priority. As part of its culture, it created an attractive, motivational, and unique environment which will always retain the best players in the market. The employees have access to the gym, on the site child care, video games, shower facilities, free access to some meals and other services. In addition to that, the company offers a parental leave of up to four months that is seventy-five percent of the full pay and the party for the newborn sponsored to a tune of five hundred US dollars. At Google decisions are made in teams, even a wrong decision is equally a decision that can be recognized and appreciated. In meetings, the employees get prohibited from the use of the term I think, but instead, they should use the phrase “the data suggests” (Noviantoro par.2-3).

Question Four: Lessons from the case and Interview

Some lessons can get drawn from the interviews conducted with the various students. In the case of Upper Bay, the chief executive officer’s work was purely to oversee given the fact that the organization worked ninety-nine percent as a team and no one seemed to be in charge every person had an individual responsibility to do what s/he ought to do. We see her going through challenges especially the death of one of her clients in the first years of service she learns a lot from it; it also enabled her to understand that mistakes are common and we can always learn from them. That is why she was equally able to save a life from the brink pf of perishing. When Bruce leaves Coating, he leaves everything intact, and the company does not wind up because its regional sales manager has just left. In this type of system, the members admitted to the administration staff are provided with some specific and particular training to improve their competence. In the case of the Abuworks Fatanye, the drivers had to get trained before being given back their responsibility some had to go back to school to get prepared for them to be fit for service in the Technical and Professional Service.

Conclusion

In conclusion, different organizations are managed differently and attract different organizational cultures. The corporate culture is affected by the artifacts, values and value system of the organization. Bureaucracy has its advantages and disadvantages and can influence the chance of an organization to prosper.   

Works Cited

Anter, Andreas. Max Weber's Theory of the Modern State: Origins, Structure and Significance. Baltimore: John Hopkins University Press, 2014. Print.

Noviantoro, Tri. “Organizational Culture in Google Inc.” LinkedIn. Web. 4 Sept. 2014. https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/20140904061228-154884582-organizational-culture-in-google-inc accessed April 7th, 2017

Schein, Edgar H. “Corporate Culture.” International Encyclopaedia of the Social & Behavioral Sciences 3.1 (2015): 923-926.

Winkler, Ingo. Contemporary Leadership Theories: Enhancing the Understanding of the Complexity, Subjectivity and Dynamic of Leadership. Berlin: Springer, 2010. Print.