Chapter 4 Contemporary Rationalisation Flashcards
What is Contemporary Rationalisation
Methods for increasing work efficiency, using techniques of bureaucracy, RWD (Taylorism and ford)
What is Mcdonaldisation (Ritzer 2019)
Perspective that recognises continued use of rationalization in contemporary organisation such as fast food
- Recognises that society is Mcdonaldized: Using hyper effiecient rationalized techniques that are rooted in scientific management and bureaucracy
- Suggests elements of bureaucracy and taylorism are both combined and extended in fast food organisations
E.g Burger making is broken into small tasks that are easily learnable by untrained staff (Like taylorism, making them easily replaceable)
E.g Work of Management involves bureaucratic rules and procedures that comes from the organisation
What are the four aspects of Mcdonaldisation?
Efficiency - Getting work done in optimum manner, with little waste in shortest time, with least cost input
Calculability - Emphasising what can be measures and calculated to achieve said efficiency
Predicability - Removing variability and unpredictability through standard work processes
Control - Commanding workers through bureacratic rules and hierarchy/ making work as simple as possible and replacing workers with tech
What is Self Discipline (Panopticon & Foucault 1977)
What is Panopticon?
Prison design that exerts power through indirect surveillance
Focault: blueprint for power and surveillance in many organisations (encourages RO effiency & control)
Design ensures that prisoners dont know whether they are being observed, but the fact that they know they might be improves their behaviour , encourages self discipline
Used in organisations so that control can be exerted over org to avoid chaos and unpredictability
Eg. Call centre: Workers less likely to misbehave as they might be watched by operator, call data is recorded, and workers have individual booths
Allows for it to be done efficiently
