Control Mechanisms - Assignment Example

According to Long et al (n.d.): "Managers within bureaucratic control systems use primarily rules and regulations, hierarchical lines of authority, and job specifications to direct subordinates in their tasks". Certain premises of the decisions on these matters are to be supplied in advance in the form of general rules or standards, and compliance with these standards is to be enforced by centralized units. All decisions for which standards have been prescribed are cleared with or reviewed by the appropriate centralized unit to assure compliance.

One way of meeting control problems of this kind is to assign specialized administrative units in their particular area of specialization. A central office enforces the rules relating to the hiring, pay, promotion, and dismissal of personnel throughout the entire organization. The College School System determines special rules and standards in order to create a unified system of education and maintain a high level of service delivery (Medeiros, Barbosa, n.d.). Also, the College School System uses some elements of clan and market mechanisms that help it to survive.

Following Long et al (n.d): "Managers within clan control systems place relatively greater emphasis on the development and actualization of common values, traditions, and beliefs". The College School System follows educational values and traditions which have a great impact on its decision-making and performance. These traditions involve equal treatment of all students and a high level of education, programs, and activities based on the human-centered approach and Christian morality. In some cases, The College School System can be seen in terms of market control mechanism when: 'managers make decisions based on price considerations" (Long et al n.d.).

Many private schools are driven by this control mechanism which helps them to maintain a high level of education and services. The main advantage of the bureaucratic control mechanism is the structure of the control procedure. Control is exercised through the executive hierarchy itself. The main limitation (negative consequences) of clan and market control mechanisms is that the executive hierarchy itself does not know and cannot be expected to know enough about all the many areas of an organization's activities to make sure that all these activities are being conducted according to the expressed wishes of those higher up in the organization, the chief executive, the legislature, or the public.

The chain of accountability is maintained by assigning different parts of the review process to centralized units whose personnel then become specialists in securing high standards in their respective fields. The effectiveness of the clan mechanism can be explained by the fact that "the traditions and norms that clan system managers use to affect subordinate behaviors are best applied before tasks are commenced" (Long et al, n.d.). The effectiveness of market control is explained by output control targets which allow the organization to evaluate the work when it completes.

The bureaucratic control mechanism determines the structure of four functions of management based on hierarchical relations. All functions and decision-making are closely connected with each other following strict rules and procedures. An important element is a mechanism employed to see that the policies laid down by the body.