Rational Theory

This idea introduces discerning System Perspectives in dealings to quadruplet promin ent schools of giving medication theory which argon Taylors scientific management, Fayols full general principles of management, webers theory of bureaucratism and Simons discussion on administrative doings. Rational System Perspectives There ar devil key elements characterizing perspicacious systems 1) t rever apprehendncy Specificity Specific ends support shrewd behavior in organizations by providing guideli nes on morphologic design, which leads to specify what childbeds atomic number 18 to be performe d and how resources are to be allocated. ) nutisation positiveization is an commence to make behavior more than predictable by standardizing and regulating. formalisation provides unchanging expectation, which is a precond ition to keenity. Selected schools The author link rational system perspectives to four schools of organizatio nal theories. Taylors scientific circumspec tion (1911) Taylor scientifically analyzed tasks performed by someoneist workers and disco vered the crush result that would produce the uttermost output with the minimu m input of resources.His attempts (to rationalize labor at take of the indiv idual worker )led to changes in the undefiled structure of work arrangement. Ther efore, efficiency improved. His four principles includes 1) Develop a science for separately element of an individuals work. 2) Scientifically select and train workers. 3) Heartily help with workers to ensure that all(prenominal) work is through with(p) as plan. 4) Divide work and responsibilities amidst management and workers. Taylor also proposed the use of inducing system based on transaction as a mot ivation tool.Arguments 1) Workers resisted time-study procedures that attempt to standardize every as pect of their performance. 2) Workers spurned incentive system requiring them to perform incessantly at a peak level of efficiency. Fayols Adm inistrative Theory (1916) Fayol emphasize management functions by proposing broad administrative principles as guidelines to achieve rationalization of organizational activiti es. Fayols and opposite supporters believed in two main types of management activi ties. ) Coordination includes any elements related to collaborations of individuals such as scalar chain, hotshot of command, span of control and exception princip le. 2) differentiation involves various activities distri onlyed among positions abou t how such positions crowd out most effectively be sorted into work units. For exam ple, departmentalization, line-staff principle. Arguments Herbert Simon was one of the main opponents of this theory. He commenced that so-called principles are truthful, but not realistic. Thus, they are inapplica ble (details will be discussed).Webers Theory of Bureaucracy (1922) Weber commenceed a theory of spot structures and describes organizational activity on the creation of authority relations. By building the structure, task responsibilities and close-making authorities would be clearly delimit. He proposed that rational-legal authority (the authority a individual possesses be cause of his/her position in an organization, not because of wealth, social st atus or individuals admirable character) provides the value to develop the u niversal authority structure called bureaucratism.Webers ideal bureaucratism principles includes 1) instalment of labor. Jobs are broken down into simple, routine, and well-defi ned tasks. 2) place hierarchy. Positions are organized in a hierarchy, each lower one creation controlled and supervised by a high one. 3) Formal selection. Members are selected on the substructure of technical qualificat ions (training, education of formal examination). 4) Formal rules and regulations. Managers must depend on formal rules to ensur e uniformity. 5) Im person-to-personity. There is no personal preference of employees. ) Career orientati on. Managers do not own the units they manage. They work fo r salary and pursue their careers. Arguments There are self-contradictions in Webers principles. 1) Management based on discipline individuals pursue the rules and orders becau se they regard the rules and orders as methods to execute organizational goals . Therefore, obedience is a cerebrate to an end. 2) Management based on bureaucracy individuals obey the rules because rules a re considered as commands, setting aside their judgements. Thus, obedience is an end itself.Simons Theory of Administrative manner (1958) Simon proposed a more realistic mass related to rational system perspectives b y pointing out the boundaries (limits and constraints) on how rational manager s understructure be in making decisions. He introduced the circumstance jump rationality. Rather than prosecute all alternatives to identify the best stem that would maximize returns, managers will choose the issue that appears to solve the problem , even though they agnize the chosen solution is not the best one, d ue to time/cost constraints and other limitations.Furthermore, Simon clarified the process by which goal specificity and formali zation contribute to rational behavior in organization. Goal specificity He introduced means-ends chains which hold a hierar chy of goals. gibe to organizational level, each level of activity is con sidered as an end relative to the levels below it and as a mean relative to th e level above it. Formalization Simon believed formalized structure supports rational decision making in the sense that formalization simplifies a border of responsibilities among participants and provides participants with guidelines to handle them.Conceptual model (means) (ends) Formalization Goal Specificity Input outfit Rational System Conclusion 1. cause in this paper can be viewed in two senses as follows 1. 1) skillful or operable rationality which can be attained through a serie s of actions (means) which lead to predetermined goals (ends) with maximum eff iciency. In short, Technical or Functional rationality emphasizes instrumental means-ends efficiency. Taylors and Fayols theories are related to rationa lity in this sense. 1. ) Formal rationality which can be derived through imposing rules an regulations to organization. Weber defined bureaucracy as rational in this sen se. 2. Level of depth psychology 1. 1) Social psychological level. Taylor and Simon focus on individual participants as they perform tasks or make decision. 1. 2) morphological level. Fayol and Weber attempt to analyze the characteristics of organizational structures. Direction for my further research According to the paper above, I would like to test which ideas of the above theories are still relevant to current information technology era.Furtherm ore, adding to my personal interest in strategic management, I would like to a nalyze how classical theories put to work managers on strategic decision-makin g. Please see the summarized table in the next page. slacken Summarize and compare four organization theories. Taylor Fayol Weber Simon Year introduced 1911 1916 1922 1958 Means l Scientifically analyzed tasks performed by individual workers. l Concer ned with management at the bewray levels l Generated broad administration princi ples. l Focused on activities of all managers l Described organizational activi ty on the hind end of authority relations. Proposed rational-legal authority as a value to develop bureaucracy. l Proposed bounded rationality individuals have limits (boundaries) on how rational they can be. l Introduced means-ends chains. Ends Max. efficiency by using one best way. Max. efficiencyby using management expertise Max. efficiency by using bureaucratic structure make out a fairly goo d solution, not optimal one. Assumptions Technical & Functional Rationality Technical & Functional Rational ity Formal Rationality Bounded rationalityLevel of Analysis Social Psyc hological morphologic Structural SocialPsychologic al Arguments 1) Workers resistedTime-study procedures, attempting to standardize every view of performance. 2) Workers rejected incentive system, requiring th em to perform continuously at a peak of efficiency. 1) So-called principles ar e truthful, but not realistic. 2) Simon Due to limitations & constraints, the se principles are not thoroughly applicable. Self-contradictions 1) ground on d iscipline Obedience is a mean to an end. 2) Based on bureaucracy Obedience is an end itself.