Comm 342 Midterm Flashcards
Jonestown Case
how organizational culture can be a negative, people were so influenced and so they formed a line as the leader told them to drink the punch and they were killed due to the poison as they were so wrapped up in the organizational culture the values became their own 990 some people were killed while the others ran to tell the story. Jim Jones was the head of the cult started in Indiana and moved to California, eventually moved the members to a small country in South America “GUYONA”. He came across as a idealistic church leader, and asked to build a church within the forest of the new country. Many members felt cognitive dissonance during this time. Fallacy of Uniqueness- many individuals in the group did not share their doubts as they were worried they were the only one who felt doubts as no one shared them worrying about being punished. Isolation- many members were so isolated from the other outside world communication was cut out from the outside world, as many members lived together.
How much Respect Do you want Article- Power Distance- Long Answer 1
Power distance, unwritten rules, learning to challenge peers, problems occur when people move from one organizational culture to another. Examples include how much respect you show your boss or how the organization views them the article states “how god like is the boss” or what gives the boss an image of being an authority figure; being a team player or having power over the staff. extent to which the less powerful members of organizations accept and expect that power is distributed unequally
Equalitarian- low power distance the best boss is a facilitator among employees. Hierarchical- the boss is a strong director who leads from the front, more of a important status that matters.
Organizations Larger/Bigger-Long answer 2
Large: lead to organizational culture, following the rules and not being creative. Takes longer to create change ex; Mcdonald’s Pizza
Small: respond quicker to change and product changes in the market, few levels in the hierarchy, spirit is alive
Organizational Lifecycle- long answer 2
Organizations will go through the states differently than others may be faster or slower, while they reach these crisis points they may die off or continue to grow
1. Entrepreneurial Stage- starts a company and an individual realizes there is much more innovating and being creative to operate a business
2. Collectively Stage- Rapid growth, employees are excited and structure is informal
3. Formalization Stage- addition of staff groups, formalization of procedures, major goals and market expansion
4. Elaboration Stage- large and burreaucratic
CN Parkinson- long answer 2
created a law; work expands to fill the time available. This means work will expand if you have the time and if you do not have the time you will do things quicker and more efficient. Most famous for the data he collected about the British Navy.
Bureaucratic Bloat- long answer 2
- Focus layoffs on the bloated administrative segment of the organization, or better yet, prevent “bureaucratic bloat” in the first place.
Organizational Atrophy- long answer 2
organization becomes older and more inefficient, ability to adapt to its environment deteriorates, this comes after a long period of success, or success taken for granted
Taylor and Weber Long Answer 3
Fredrick Taylor created scientific management, divided work into the smallest units as possible, timing tasks and assigning them a piece rate, this required an office bureauccarcy wasnt liked
o One group of workers – time study
o Another group – teach workers how to do their tasks efficiently
o Toolroom group
o Clerks – plan work, record earnings, etc.
Max Weber- created bureaucracy, From Germany he knew that the government needed to change and be modernized. He wanted to reduce inefficient governments
* According to Max Weber: rules and procedures,
* specialization and division of labour: this meant that they were now able to better track where errors came from
* hierarchy of authority: a chain of command responsibility of those who you are responsible for their mistakes are yours
* technically qualified personnel: you get the job because you are the best candidate for the job not because of any special treatment,
* written communications and records: makes it easier to see who was doing their job poorly
* separate position from position holders: this means you do not own your job you do not treat it as property that you can get money from the only money you can get is from your salary.
Fredrick and Weber Similarities Long Answer 3
Both approaches contributed to the industrial revolution, both increased job efficiency, both focused on written approaches
Fredrick and Weber Differences Long Answer 3
Taylor wrote about business and Weber focused on government, Taylor believed in performance pay and Weber did not
Icebreaker Metaphor SA
Top focuses on observable symbols, ceremonies, stories, slogans, behaviours, dress, physical settings
Bottom focuses on: Underlying values, assumptions, beliefs, attitudes and feelings
Institutional Theory
How various institutes scare one another by intimating other organizations
Clan Control SA
another word for organizational culture,
Use of social characteristics (organizational culture, shared values, commitment, traditions, beliefs) to control behaviour
Requires shared values and trust among employees
Important when ambiguity and uncertainty are high
Most often used in small, informal organizations or in those with a strong culture
Fallacy of Uniqueness SA
Assuming your the only unhappy person in a group even though it is false; like in the Jonestown case nobody wanted to say they were unhappy as they were scared of the punishments that may happen if word got out
Max Weber SA
Created Bureaucracy, From Germany he knew that the government needed to change and be modernized. He wanted to reduce inefficient governments
