Lecture 3 The politics of management and organisational change Flashcards
Four paradigms
- Functionalist
- Radical structuralist
- Political
- Interpretivist
Management
A process of control in which the application of reliable techniques leads to the achievement of indisputable desirable ends
Management theories
- Representative capital
- Rational profession
- Political wheeling and dealing
- Magical/institutional ceremonies
Core tasks rational profession
Construction, selection, evaluation and implementation of procedures to reach shared organisational goals
Core tasks representative capital
Control workforce to reach higher production
Core tasks political actor
mobilise influence in battle over contested ends and means
Core tasks magic/institutional actor
muddling through in uncertainty
Vision of organisational change for rational profession
needed for optimal ‘fit’ between organisation and environment - through rational strategising
Vision of organisational change for representative capital
Needed in capitalist competition arrangements - ‘logic’ of capitalist dependencies
Vision of organisational change for political actor
Change is the consequence of political battles in and around the organisation
Vision of organisational change for magic/institutional actor
change is the ‘ritual’ of modern management/often an optical illusion: no diversity but similarity
Isomorphism
Things become more similar
Resistance to change for rational profession
Negative, bc indicative of sticky routines, sectarianism etc. needs to be conquered for successful change
Resistance to change for representative capital
Basically positive, but insufficient due to ‘false consciousness’
Political actor
Neutral: is an expression of the political battle over ends and means
