Chapter 6 Critical Approaches Flashcards
Frames of reference dominate each organizational paradigm; Unitary
Emphasis on common goals.
- Conflict is destructive and non-productive
- Classical, human relations, human resources
Frames of reference dominate each organizational paradigm; Pluralist
Emphasis on divergent groups.
- Conflict is normal
- System, cultural
Frames of reference dominate each organizational paradigm; Radical
Emphasis on struggle between opposing forces for incompatible goals
Purpose of organizational research -
Classical, human relations, and human resources:
increased organizational efficiency
Purpose of organizational research -
Systems and cultural:
Understand and/or explain organizational dynamics
Purpose of organizational research -
Radical (critical):
Active role in changing organizational dynamics caused by inequalities in power
Roots in work of Karl Marx: repression of workers by those that control modes and means of production
Modes: economic conditions that underlie production processes (capitalism)
Means: actual work processes: dehumanization, alienation
All critical theorists agree:
Societal forces and structures create imbalance of power
Imbalance of power lead to oppression
Explore and reveal imbalances to free the oppressed
Key element of critical theory is power - Traditional:
Resources, status
Key element of critical theory is power - Symbological (interpretive):
Control of communication, symbols, relationships
Key element of critical theory is power -
Radical-critical:
“deep structures” (which conflict with surface structures) produce and maintain organizational power relationships through economic, social and communicative processes
Deep Structure
Unquestioned (and unquestionable) beliefs, values and assumptions of “how things really are” upon which the taken for granted surface structure rests
Happens below our awareness
Control of discourse:
Organizational reality is socially created through discourse.
Becomes the “site of domination”: control of discourse is control of power
Words: “real job,” “accident”
Narratives: “bottom line” thinking, heroes
Ideology is shaped by processes of control
“Taken for granted assumptions” that influence organizational “reality”
-What exists? What is good, possible?
Leads to “hegemony”: process in which dominant groups get subservient groups to accept the power imbalances as “normal”
-Workers become complicit in their own domination
Emancipation
freedom from the ideologies, identity issues, assumptions, power relations, etc.