L1: Intro Flashcards
(28 cards)
define organisation
A consciously coordinated social entity, with a relatively identifiable
boundary, which functions on a relatively continuous basis to achieve a common goal or set of goals
also master economic reality
what are the different ways to analyze organisations?
- as systems (closed or open ones)
- as life cycle
- through metaphors
- through behaviours vs org theory (macro, micro etc)
what does the sytems perspective on organisations emphasize?
Organizations are systems that interact with their environment in a repetitive cycle of inputs, transformation, and outputs.
What does the life-cycle perspective on organisations emphasize?
Organizations grow like living organisms, passing through predictable stages and transitions; they deteriorate if they don’t receive new energy or input.
How does the systems perspective on organisations help understand organizations?
It highlights how inputs from the environment are transformed and returned as outputs, influencing future inputs—a feedback loop.
What is the difference between open and closed systems?
Open systems interact with their environment; closed systems do not.
Why is an open-systems approach to organisations useful?
It provides a more realistic and dynamic understanding of organizational behavior and adaptation.
What benefit does the systems perspective offer to managers?
it helps them see the organization as interdependent subsystems and understand their connection to the environment.
How does the systems view prevent a narrow managerial focus?
It discourages managers from viewing their roles as managing isolated parts and instead promotes awareness of system-wide dynamics.
Why is understanding environmental interaction important in the systems view?
Because the environment both nurtures and threatens the organization; recognizing this helps in strategic adaptation.
How does the systems perspective explain resistance to change?
It frames organizations as stable patterns within boundaries, helping explain why changes are often resisted.
What does the life-cycle perspective add to our understanding?
It shows that organizations go through predictable stages—from startup to maturity and possibly decline—requiring different strategies at each phase.
what are the 8 metaphors of organisations?
- machine
- organism
- brain
- cultural system
- political system
- psychic prison
- instrument of domination
- flux and transformation
how does the machine metaphor see an organisation?
dehumanizes work & the work force. includes:
clear hierarchy, discipline, control, routine, people are expected to fit the requirements of the machine (are replaceable)
how does the organism metaphor see organisations?
organisams die, organizations dont have to. includes
flexibility, survival, environment,
effectiveness, adaptable
how does the psychic prison metaphor see organisations?
individuals rarely erase their identity to this extent.
restrictions and constraints, repression, becoming trapped in
ways of thinking, roles become reality
how does the political system metaphor see organisations?
highlights conflicts more than collarboration. includes (competing and conflicting) interests, power as medium to resolve conflict, organizational politics
how does the organisation as cyborg metaphore work?
- describes how modern organisations integrate human & machien elements during the 4th industrial revolution
- cyborg organisation: integrates human workerzs & ai devices or systems (anastomosis)
- human workers become t-employees: technologically augmented & monitored
guiding purpose: reducing human error & workforce costs
what are the 4 features of cyborg organisations?
- organisational internal eyes (OIEs): constant surveillance through data colleciton; raises ethical concerns (privacy, burnout, resistance)
- bifurcated structure impacting org structure: split into Human Domain (HD) & Machine Domain (MD), humans handle strategic decisions, machines handle execution
- techno empowerement: machines are autonomously making decisions; growing trust leads humans to give machines more control
- technoization/ techno integration: use of AI & robotics, real time data monitoring, biometric surveillance
what does technoization refer to?
how technology is more integrated in orgainsation
it refers to a potential future phase:
- fully autonomous organisation
- humans only at the strategic apex (if at all)
- driven entirely by AI, sensors, and algorithms
- considered impractical long term due to high costs & risk
what are the implications of the cyborg org for employees?
work changes, required KSAOs change: leads to challenges & opporunities on the ind situation & perception of the changes
what are the managerial implications of the cyborg metaphor?
leaders must
- decide how much autonomy to give machines
- protect data & maintain cybersecurity
- train humans to critically interpret algorithmic decisions
- avoid blind trust in tech: hire skeptics & algorithm interpreters
what are the pros & cons of cyborg organisation for management?
pros=
- quick adaptation based on real time data
- market responsive development
- reduced cost of employees
cons
- ethical issues: surveillance, control, dehumanisation
- overreliance on machines -> unrealistic info bubbles
- digital sabotage by external entities aka risk of cyberrattacs
define organisationl culture
- The accumulated shared learning of a group as it solves its problems of external adaptation and internal integration; which has worked well enough to be considered valid, and therefore, to be taught to new members as the correct way to perceive, think, feel, and behave in relation to those problems.
This accumulated learning is a pattern or system of beliefs, values, behavioral norms that come to be taken for granted as basic assumptions and eventually drop out of awareness.
