What is Organizational Theory

Classical organization theory evolved during the first half of this century. It represents the merger of scientific management, bureaucratic theory, and administrative theory.

Classical organizational theory supports two views. Scientific management which focuses on managing work and employees and administrative management which addresses issues which

Classical organizational theories: As a group, we do not feel that the classical organizational theory complies with the six core values of the NASW code of ethics. We did not feel that the classical organization theory provided any help, support, or benefits to help the members reach their maximum potentials, other than those who are already at the top. We also felt that this theory did not provide equal rights, protection, or social benefits as a part of the social justice perspective of the core values. Where the power and resources rest at the top of the agencies who utilize this theory, we feel that those at the bottom are not held in high esteem, valued, or appreciated. We also feel that the importance of human relationships is dismissed

          An organization, in its simplest form, is comprised of people brought together to achieve a common goal whether it be solving a problem, selling a product or providing a service. The existence of the organization is wholly dependent on the collective body of individuals involved and it is these individuals that are the driving force behind the success or failure of a company. The relationships that connect the people within the organization dictate how the culture is developed and perceived.

However, they tend to have a focus on certain organizational aspects making the modern organization system be a blend of the three major perspectives. Based on organizational science that was formulated in the early 20th century there has been an emergence of rational, open and natural system theorists that explain the functioning of the organizations.

The Contingency theory, developed in 1950s, argues that there is no 'one best way ' to structure an organization and we face different possibilities when determining how it should be structured and how it should be managed. Successful organizations adopt structures that are an appropriate response to a number of variables, or contingencies (Enoch, 2006).

The classical or traditional approach to management was generally concerned with the structure and the activities of formal organization. The utmost importance in the achievement of an effective organization were seen to be the issues such as the establishment of a hierarchy of authority, the division of work, and the span of control.

Organizational theory as it applies to health care introduces a complex and challenging situation. The health care environment introduces challenges to a structured organization which may not be present in traditional business. For example, measuring output may be difficult in an environment of daily uncertainty, it would be nearly impossible to predict or plan for all of the specific tasks, activities and business interactions in any one unit in the hospital setting. Additional challenges include complex, variable work that cannot often be deferred, work performed under emergency circumstances, high degree of

Organizational theory studies the various variables that influence the behavior of an individual(s) working within an organization, but also, “prescribes how work and workers ought to be organized and attempts to explain the actual consequences of organizational behavior (including individual actions) on work being performed and on the organization itself.” (Milakovich & Gordon, 2013, p.145). Of the many approaches to organizational analysis, Classical Organizational theory has been, even to this day, extremely influential by focusing on more formal concepts such as bureaucracy, rationalization and scientific management. Although, over the decades organizational management has taken on a more human relations approach to getting more productivity out of employees, it is contributors like Max Webber, Fredrick Taylor, and Luther Gulick that laid down the basic foundation organizational theories by recognizing the need for control and procedures.

When looking back at all of the weekly written assignments there are a few things I should note. There were some questions like naming the ‘theories of rationality’ in the written assignments which I did not yet fully grasp at the moment of answering the questions. When I look back at the first assignment I now understand what was asked of me. To some degree, this also applies to some of the other exercises. What I have noticed is that my writing skills have improved hugely thanks to the Organization Theory course, which can be seen in the difference in quality between my first assignment and this final essay.

Organisational theory is the discipline which studies the structure and design of an organisation. It analyses the actual structure of organisations and offers suggestions on how their effectiveness could be improved.

The mechanistic view of an organization began with the industrial revolution. The view is a reflection of society's radical change from a rural agricultural base to one more impersonally based on centralized urban industry employing great numbers of people. The first changes began in the late 1600's and early 1700's with rudimentary machines replacing manual labor or accomplishing things not previously possible because of size, weight, or sheer numbers. The greatest industrial growth was during the 1800's period, which was exponential at its end and the outset of our century.

The history of management includes multiple theories and understanding them can help individuals identify the ideas their organization is built upon. Classical organizational theory encompasses several major approaches to management that continue to be influential even today. The early to mid-twentieth century included the introduction of many concepts of management theory such as scientific management, bureaucratic and administrative theory. Most of these early approaches revolved around control of employees and processes in order to achieve more

There are different interpretations of the organization theory, but this is more often seen in three perspectives that can complement or compete. Firstly, modernism which includes ontology, epistemology and technology and whose primary purpose is to improve the workers’ productivity as well as their efficiency in order to bring back the most benefit to the company while improving workers’ conditions.

Compare structure and culture of two or more firms in the same industry. Which would you prefer to work for?