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Organizational Theories Flashcards

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1
Q

Classical Theory

A

Focuses on organizational structure and economic efficiency, ignoring employee needs.

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2
Q

Components of Classical Theory

A
  1. A system of Differentiated Activities- There are different activities each individual perform, and each of these activities are linked on with each other.
  2. People- Different people have different tasks and activities they need to perform.
  3. Cooperation Towards a Goal- Cooperation between these individuals is a must in order for the organization to reach their goal.
  4. Authority- This is the superior and subordinate relationship between the employees. This is important to achieve the cooperation needed.
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3
Q

Four Major Structural Principles of Classical Theory

A
  1. Functional Principle
  2. Scalar Principle
  3. Line / Staff Principle
  4. Span of Control Principle
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4
Q

Functional Principle

A

Divides organization into units with similar tasks for specialization

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5
Q

Scalar Principle

A

Refers to vertical growth and chain of command (e.g., promotions).

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6
Q

Unity of Command

A

Each subordinate reports to one supervisor to avoid fragmentation.

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7
Q

Line Functions

A

Roles directly responsible for organizational goals (e.g., managers).

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8
Q

Staff Functions

A

Support roles (e.g., HR, quality control).

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9
Q

Span of Control

A

Number of subordinates a manager supervises (flat vs. tall orgs).

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10
Q

Scientific Management (Taylorism)

A

The organization itself is a machine, the primary focus of the individuals is to run more effectively to achieve its goals

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11
Q

Taylorism

A

has a premise that there is one best way to get the job done

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12
Q

Time and Motion Studies

A

Analyzes work conditions to boost productivity (Taylor/Gilbreth).

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13
Q

Bureaucracy (Weber)

A

Formal, hierarchical, rule-based, impersonal organization.

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14
Q

What are the 6 major principles of Bureaucracy

A
  1. A formal hierarchical structure: Each level control the level below it. A formal hierarchy is the basis of central planning and centralized decision-making
  2. Rules Based Management: Strictly adheres to rules to have control within the organization.
  3. Functional Specialty Organization: Each specialization has their own activities and responsibilities.
  4. Up-focused or in-focused: If the mission of the organization is to serve the stockholders, board, or any other agency that empowered it, then it is up-focused. On the other hand, if the mission is to serve the organization itself and those within it (like generating profits, etc.), then it is in-focused
  5. Impersonal: They treat all employees equally, no matter what the circumstance of an individual, all is fair and square, they will strictly adhere to the rules.
  6. Employment-based on Technical Qualifications: Selection as well as the promotion of employees is based on technical qualifications and skills
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15
Q

Delegation of Authority

A

approach whereby supervisors assign tasks to separate employees and hold them responsible for completing these tasks

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16
Q

Micromanagers

A

information about which lower-level employees report to higher-level employees

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17
Q

Administrative Management (Fayol)

A

Aims to improve organizational productivity by focusing on methods that managers can use to synchronize internal processes

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18
Q

Division of Specialization

A

Assign each employee a task that they can become specialized and proficient with. Productivity increases as employees become more skilled, assured and efficient

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19
Q

Differentiate what is Employed, Underemployed, and Unemployed

A

a. Employed: working in the person’s chosen field of specialization
b. Underemployed: employed in a field that is not under a person’s specialization
c. Unemployed: no work

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20
Q

Authority and Responsibility

A

Managers should have the authority of issue commands, but it comes with responsibility to ensure the work gets done

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21
Q

Unity of direction

A

Each workgroup or department is working under a singular plan that coordinates effort (guided by one supervisor)

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22
Q

Subordination of Individual interest

A

interests of individuals are subordinate to the general interests of the group or department of company

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23
Q

Centralization

A

A management style where decision-making power is concentrated at the top of an organization

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24
Q

Scalar Chain

A

Hierarchy of authority that places workers below managers in the reporting structure

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25
Allowing employees to create plans and carry them out.
Initiative:
26
Establishing a sense of belonging within the organization creates a sense of unity and moral
Esprit De Corps
27
What are the Functions of Management
1. Planning: That includes a flexible action plan that considers a firm's resources, work in progress, and future market trends 2. Organizing: Laying out lines of authority and responsibility for employees. This covers recruitment and training, coordinating activities, and making employees' duties clear. 3. Staffing: Managers must know their employees' skills, delegate to tap into these skill sets. Staffing includes selection of right persons, training to those needy persons, promotion of the best persons, retirement of old persons, performance appraisal of all the personnel’s, and adequate remuneration of personnel. 4. Leading: Involves guiding, leading and motivating subordinates so that they contribute towards achieving organizational objectives 5. Controlling: Managerial technique of planning and controlling the operations of an organization.
28
It emphasizes human relations and group behavior (Mayo, Barnard).
Neoclassical Theory
29
Behavior changes when observed (Mayo’s lighting study).
Hawthorne Effect
30
Flat Structure
Shorter scalar chain; improves communication
31
Informal Organization
Social/psychological groups within formal structures.
32
Assumes employees are lazy and need supervision.
Theory X (McGregor)
33
Assumes employees are self-motivated and collaborative
Theory Y (McGregor)
34
Argyris’ Growth Perspective
- Growth was a natural and healthy experience for an individual - A mature person is characterized for being active, independent, self-confident and self-controlled. On the contrary, an immature person is passive, dependent, has lack of confidence and feels need of control by others.
35
Humanistic Theory
Prioritizes employee well-being and motivation.
36
Self-Fulfilling Prophecy
Manager expectations influence employee performance; expectation of belief that can influence your behaviors
37
Driven by internal fulfillment (e.g., enjoyment).
Intrinsic Motivation
38
Driven by external rewards (e.g., pay, praise).
Extrinsic Motivation
39
Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs
Physiological → Safety → Social → Esteem → Self-actualization.
40
Self-Esteem
How the person view themselves as valuable and worthy.
41
Consistency Theory:
Individuals who are motivated to maintain a consistent view of themselves, their capabilities, and their performance.
42
Chronic Self-Esteem:
The overall feeling of an individual.
43
Situational Self-Esteem
What they feel in a particular situation
44
Socially influenced Self-Esteem
What they feel about themselves based on the expectation of others
45
Galatea Effect
The belief and trust in oneself and one's abilities and potential to succeed
46
Golem Effect
Low expectations from others leads to poor performance
47
Pygmalion Effect/Rosenthal Effect
Their performance depends on the expectations of others
48
Differentiate Intrinsic and Extrinsic Motivation
- Intrinsic: Because of their motivation and the self-fulfillment they feel within themselves, they enjoy doing the tasks just because they do. - Extrinsic: They do the tasks since they receive some type of reward or praises from others.
49
a type of tool that measures the intrinsic and extrinsic motivation
Work Preference Inventory
50
Needs for Achievement and Power
Motivated by jobs that are challenging and over which they have some control.
51
Need for Affiliation
motivated by jobs in which they can work with and help other people.
52
Need for Power
motivated by a desire to influence others rather than simply to be successful.
53
Job Expectation Theory
When the employee has a set of expectations from their job vs the reality of the actual job affect their performance
54
What is a hiring technique where employers provide job candidates with both positive and negative aspects of a job
Realistic Job Interview
55
Job Enrichment
Redesigning jobs to give workers responsibility in the planning, execution, and such. This will give them the sense of fulfillment
56
Frederick Herzberg’s Two-Factor Theory
Theory that states that employee satisfaction and motivation are influenced by two sets of factors: hygiene factors and motivators
57
What are the hygiene factors and motivators for in Herzberg's theory?
Motivators - These motivators are intrinsic to the job and lead to job satisfaction because they satisfy the needs for growth and self-actualization Hygiene Factors - Related to the context in which people perform the job, e.g., benefits, working conditions, type of supervision, salary, company policies
58
Demotivators and Edward Deci
Extrinsic rewards could at times actually detract from the person’s intrinsic motivation
59
What are the three things that motivation depends on according to expectancy theory by Victor Vroom?
1. Expectancy: A person’s expectation that his or her effort will lead to performance. 2. Instrumentality: perceived relationship between successful performance and obtaining the reward. 3. valence perceived value a person attaches to the reward.
60
Premack Principle
reinforcement that if a person wants to perform a given activity, the person will perform a less desirable activity then get at the more desirable activity
61
Systems Approach
Organizations as interconnected subsystems (open/closed).
62
Open System
Interacts with environment (e.g., businesses).
63
Contingency Theory/ "It depends theory"
- Behavior must be selected to fit the particular circumstance - This answers the problem of both classical and neoclassical theories
64
Joan Woodward’s Contingency Model
For maximal performance, org structure needed to match the type of production technology
65
Organization that depends on formal rules and regulations, makes decisions at higher levels of the organization and has smaller spans of control (for stable environments)
Mechanistic Organization
66
Organization with a large span of control, less formalized procedures, and decision-making at middle levels (for unstable environments)
Organic Organization
67
Fiedler’s Contingency Model
Any individual’s leadership style is effective only in certain situations
68
Operating Core
Responsible for conducting basic work duties that give the organization its defining purpose; transform raw goods into a sellable products
69
Strategic Apex
responsible for the overall success of the entire organization; associated with executive leadership
70
Middle Line
ensures that overall goals set by strategic apex are being carried out by the operating core; mid-levels managers
71
Support Staff
aid the basic mission of the organization and typically includes the mailroom, security, and janitorial services
72
Operant Conditioning (Skinner)
Behavior shaped by rewards/punishments.
73
Positive Reinforcement
Add reward to increase behavior (e.g., bonus).
74
Negative Reinforcement
Remove unpleasant stimulus to increase behavior.
75
Path-Goal Theory (House)
Leaders adapt style (directive, supportive, participative, achievement-oriented).
76
The _____ effect occurs when workers’ behavior changes due to observation
Hawthorne
77
Fayol’s principle of _____ states each employee should report to only one supervisor.
Unity of Command
78
Weber’s bureaucracy emphasizes _____ over personal feelings
Rules
79
_____ motivation comes from internal satisfaction, not rewards
Intrinsic
80
In Herzberg’s theory, salary is a _____ factor
Hygiene
81
In Herzberg’s theory, __________ factors (like recognition) lead to job satisfaction.
motivator
82
The __________ Effect occurs when high expectations from managers improve employee performance
Pygmalion
83
Vroom’s Expectancy Theory states motivation depends on expectancy, instrumentality, and __________
valence
84
The __________ Principle states a supervisor can reinforce behavior with preferred activities.
Premack

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