Lecture 3 - Rational Systems of organisations

Question 1

Similarities between social organisations and rational organisations?

Answer 1

• Hierachally organised
• Enable the human condition to achieve more collectively than individually
• Provides a sense of security, stability, order
• Creates morals (right/wrong)

Question 2

Differences between social organisations and rational organisations?

Answer 2

• RO does provide a sense of belonging and security, but this is not their primary concern.
• RO’s are PURPOSELY created, they aren’t organic.
• RO’s often global in reach, not communal

Question 3

The Enlightment Era

Answer 3

• (1715 - 1815)
• Rising dependance on scientific reason and mathematical logic to fill the religious gap
• The ‘liberation’ of capitalism from the bonds of religion, moral corruption to moral good.

Question 4

The Industrial Revolution

Answer 4

• (1760 - 1840)
• Structural transformation of work
• Formalisation of the division of labour
• ‘The spirit of capitalism’ (Weber, 1905)

Question 5

What are the overarching goals of rational organisations?

Answer 5

• Continuous economic growth
• Progress towards technical and human perfection

Question 6

What is the purpose of work in rational systems of organisations?

Answer 6

• Generate surplus for profit.

Question 7

What did the pursuit of profit lead to in organisations?

Answer 7

• Increased working days
• Set working hours
• Factory towns for workers
• Factories that housed machinery

Question 8

What did bureaucracy lead to, and when was it?

Answer 8

• Late 18th century
• Knowledge of files
• Unity
• Strict subordination
• Reduction of personal costs
• All said by Weber, 1978

Question 9

Who birthed scientific management and what was its mission?

Answer 9

• Frederick Taylor in 1911
• It was the ‘remedy for inefficiencies’ (Taylor)
• These inefficiencies were referred to as ‘blundering, ill directed, and lack of national efficiency’ (Taylor)

Question 10

What were the principles of scientific management?

Answer 10

1. The calcualtion and management of time (Division of labour)
2. Standardisation of the entire process of production
3. Centralised planning through speciality
4. Wage calculated according to output

Question 11

The growing complexity and size of organisations correlates with:

Answer 11

A reduction in the complexity of work