How do the four contingency variables influence organizations' structure?

CUMMINGS, T. G. AND WORLEY, C. G. (2001). Essentials of Organization development and change. Cincinnati: South-Western College Publishing.

Cummings, T. G.; and Worley, C. G. (2015). Organization Development and Change, (10th Ed). Mason, OH. Cengage Learning.

We can safely state that no single theory of management is universally accepted today. To provide a useful historical perspective that will guide our study of modern management, we shall discuss five different approaches to management : (1) the universal process approach, (2) the operational approach, (3) the behavioral approach, (4) the systems approach, and (5) the contingency approach. Understanding these general approaches to the theory and practice of management can help you appreciate how management has evolved, where it is today, and where it appears to be headed. Each of the five approaches to management represents a different conceptual framework for better understanding the practice of management.

In what ways are management of companies different or how are they similar to one another? And what is the importance of management in how a company runs nowadays? Many of us question about why knowing the history of management is important to Managers? According to (Samson et al, 2012, Page 53) “A historical perspective provides a broader way of thinking; a way of searching for patterns and determining whether they recur across time periods.” In the history of management, many trends have appeared. Many argue that the new techniques being introduced may not have a permanent solution. Others think that managers adapting to new techniques for continuous improvement in this ever changing world. It is important to know the background of how these management perspectives evolved and who and how is it being used now.

This is where structure comes in to play it can either be a hindrance or help in this particular process. If the organization is small or large it can gain or achieve higher sales by matching up with their needs. Individuals who work in healthcare often try to obtain an approach of understanding of the organization by observation which would involve gathering information and putting it together by analyzing the results of¬ their behaviors and future outcomes. The article below will give an overview of how management and organizational changes effect healthcare.

The twentieth century has brought in a number of management theories which have helped shaped our view of management in the present business environment. These emerging theories have enabled managers to appreciate new patterns of thinking, new ways of organising and new ways of managing organisations and people. Over the years these different theories have enabled the study

Successful management requires an understanding of the fundamental concepts of effective management techniques and principles. In order to gain such insight, and manage effectively and efficiently, managers must develop an awareness of past management principles, models and theories. From the turn of the 20th Century, the

Managing resources efficiently and effectively is the most fundamental goal for organisation which aims to maximise individual and social prosperity. Therefore, the management theory is constantly developing. In 20th century, there were several management theories proposed such as scientific management, administrative management, behavioural management, etc. as increasingly aware of human are crucial element of the organisation and vital in influencing overall organisational performance, Douglas McGregor who studied about how workers’ behaviour effect the manager’s leadership, proposed Theory X and Y (Waddell et al. 2007). It is no doubt this conventional concept still correct in 21st century, however, business environment is significant

First, the contingency paradigm, a closed system, considers uncertainty and how changes in the environment affect the internal aspect of the firm (Tolbert & Hall, 2009, p. 162). The elements can include items such as size and technology, as it relates to customer demand to name a few. Another example might be that a small firm would function better in a centralized fashion verses a large firm that would benefit more from a decentralized method, whereas, fast paced environments may require high technology and slow paced industries do not. The point here is that there is not one best practice for leading or structuring a firm, hence, the company should fit within the environment depending on internal and external factors (Long, 2014). It is important to note, hhowever, coordination can become problematic in this theory. For illustration, let’s say some environmental factor cause a company to change structure from a simple structure to a more complex one. Problems with coordination in the separate departments could present itself as communication and interaction is vastly different. The key here is for the firm to adapt to the environment, as well as, integrate the activity to make a seamless whole and reduce uncertainty. In fact, the best way to organize should be contingent upon

Organization development grew out of the human relations traditions of the 1940s and 1950s, and it has had enormous influence on management practices and thinking about how organizational effectiveness can be achieved. Critical manpower and resource shortages faced by all organizations, public and private, during World War II and in the immediate post-war years stimulated a search by social scientist and managers, separately and in cooperation with one another, for effective means to maximize the utilization of existing individual and organizational resources. (Ritcher, I 2007). Organization Development was by tradition about planned change efforts, instituted to enhance organization effectiveness within the context of the traditional, hierarchical, management-as-experts, top-down era. The legacy of leaders and organizations developed in this context remain. Organizational Development is about how organizations and people function and how to get them to function better. Organization transformation signals the need to transform mindsets, engage people and make the deep shift to the ongoing mutual learning environment needed for the long-lasting change characteristic of our world today.

Managers today have many different options when choosing a managerial theory to implement for their organizations. Knowledgeable managers must be aware of the different historical approaches and also able to determine which approach would be most effective for their unit. The established work structure of my unit currently utilizes elements of classical organizational theory, more specifically scientific management and bureaucratic theory. More recent theories, such as those that focus on human relations, are not applied as frequently. The purpose of this paper is to analyze the historical management theories utilized by my organization and determine whether they are appropriate. When areas in which my organization could be improved upon are identified, the recommendations of other management theories are considered for their possible effectiveness.

In the early 1900’s, some of the first ideas were thrown together to allow an organization to flourish in the upcoming modern era. The first theories were known as scientific and classical management, which focused on three separate theories from Frederick Taylor, Henri Fayol, and Max Weber. The three theories have similar ideology in the fact that organization is driven by management authority, employees only source of motivation is money, and organizations are machinelike with employees making up the parts of the machine (Papa, Daniels, & Spiker, 2008). In the Prophecy Fulfilled case study, Mary Ann (senior auditor) takes on a management role with subordinates similar to that of Weber’s Bureaucratic Theory (Daniels 1987, pp. 77-78).

The main focus behind the development of management theory is the quest for good ways to make use of managerial means. Management theory evolves constantly with the continuous stream of new ideas that come from the attempts to transform theory into practice, and vice versa (Aguinaldo & Powell, 2002). Progression in management theory normal happen as key personnel discover great methods to accomplish the most important management responsibilities: planning, organiz-ing, leading, and controlling human and other managerial means. This paper will show how man-agement theory having to do with suitable management processes has emerge in modern times, and view the main aspects that have led to its prosperity.

The definition of ‘management’ is controversial and subject to much debate. There have been many contradictory views on what the term ‘management’ means and accordingly how one should correctly manage an organisation. These theories have been put forward by several highly regarded management scholars over time. By taking into account past knowledge and contemporary views on management, we are able to ‘’explore how thinking has changed through time’’. (Brooks, 2006). Moreover, businesses have, and can continue to be able to adapt these theories and put them into practice. Successfully applying correct management practices is especially vital in a global business environment which is becoming very competitive. ‘’Most management theories, even those that do not resonate comfortably with the prevailing mood, have attractive and valid elements to them.’’ (Robinson, 2005). For example, some of these theories can be seen flourishing in fast food chains like McDonalds.

The history of management has been grouped into phases of development. Classical Management was introduced in the beginning of the 201th century. This addresses the organization’s search for efficiency on the basis that people will work for themselves and be economically beneficial. In other words, they work because they are determined by the economic concerns. Workers are expected to accept every opportunity that comes and they must work for it to achieve a personal and financial improvement. All of this has been supported by 3 theories in which the companies still used it today.