The Definition of an Organization - Essay Example

Introduction The main aim of the paper will be to support the definition of an organization as a group of people who work together in an organised way for a shared purpose. To achieve this, major characteristics of an organization, such as shared mission, vision and goals, bureaucracy, inclusiveness in decision-making process, work specialization and collective bargaining power will be analysed. Shared mission, vision and goals Every formal organization has mission, which highlights the reason why such an entity exists. The mission statement explains what an organization is out to do, and to achieve (Scott, 2008, p. 90). The vision on the other hand explains what an organization plans to do in order to achieve its mission. Goals are specific, measurable and timely targets that each organization has put forwards to improve its status quo. In order to realize the mission, vision and goals, it is vital that all the stakeholders work as a team. The management ensures that every employee understands the goals clearly, and that each is working towards their realization. The shared mission, vision and goal are achieved through monitoring and evaluation. The management has a role of monitoring the performance of every employee in an effort to know whether they are working in the right direction. Any activity that employees engage in must be geared towards the achievement of the organization’s goals. With the shared vision, mission and goals, an organization is able to avoid confusion and conflicts. It also fosters discipline in the workplace, and providing employees with a sense of direction. Through evaluation, goals could be readjusted when it is determined that they are not in line with the mission and vision of an organization (Samson, 2005, p. 87). The management may measure the performance of an organization from time to time in order to know whether the goals have been achieved, and make any necessary recommendations. Decision-making With the shared vision, mission and goals, many organizations ensure that decision-making process is inclusive in nature. The relevant internal and external stakeholders are included in the decision-making processes. Allowing all the relevant stakeholders to take part in the decision-making processes has been associated with reduction of conflicts in an organization (Rogers, 2004). In his theory of change, Lewin indicated that lack of inclusiveness in decision-making was the major cause of resistance to change (Kotter, & Cohen, 2002, p.96). The stakeholders have a right to know the changes that the management seeks to introduce, and their importance. In most cases, resistance to change is caused by the fear of unknown, and vested interests (Douma, et al., 2013). For instance, many employees in the government organization have been opposed to automation of various functions. The main fear has been that the introduction of e-governance may result in job losses, hence interfering with job security. The inclusivity in decision-making process has been able to address fears by explain to stakeholders the importance of specific changes. Involving employees in decision-making process has been associated with increased morale and productivity (Kleiman, 2011, p.76). The perception is that employees are not taken to be means of production, but also an integral part of an organization. Lack of inclusiveness makes employees feel powerless, isolated and estranged. This is a common feeling in bureaucratic organizations. Due to the unequal distribution of power, those wielding more are more likely to micromanage the employees. The decision-making may be made without consultations, and this may result in conflicts. However, many business organizations have realized the importance of making decisions collectively. This has led to more productivity in such organizations (Hewlett, 2006). In many bureaucratic organizations, the turnover rate is high. When employees feel unappreciated, they may prefer to work in a different organization that fosters their creativity and innovation. The high employee turnover normally leads to increased cost of operation and losses. For instance, an organization has to recruit and hire new employees. The transfer of knowledge is also hampered, when the most experienced employees resign. As a result, it is difficult to enhance a growth and development in such organizations. While inclusivity is vital in decision-making, it also has its limitations. For instance, it may slow down the decision-making process, due to many politics and other sideshows. This explains why the top management makes many sensitive decisions. Nevertheless, it is vital to ensure that employees and other stakeholders are informed of any developments that an organization intends to undertake. Work in an organized way (bureaucracy) Working together in an organized way is another characteristic of organization. There are rules and regulations established in order to avoiding conflicts within an organization. All the internal and external stakeholders are required to adhere to such laws. Working in an organized manner ensures that harmony is fostered. Without the rules and regulations, chaos would be common and an organization may not be able to meet its mission, vision and goals (Bradford, 2003, p.87). Bureaucracy is a set of policies, procedures and rules that control all activities within an organization (Handy, 2006, p. 76). The formal organization are bureaucratic, hence employees and management are expected to work in a certain organized manner. Different organization may stipulate how employees are supposed to carry out certain functions. One of the main characteristics of bureaucratic organizations is that they are impersonal. This means that formality is expected from the employees, and discipline is strictly adhered to. Rules have been established defining what is expected of any employee, meaning that there is little interaction amongst the members. One of the main disadvantages of bureaucracy is that it can hinder creativity and innovation amongst the employees (Stroh et al., 2002, p.87). This owes to the fact that they are not allowed to deviate from the status quo. Accepting change in many organizations becomes a major challenge due to bureaucracy. Secondly, to work in an organization way, there is a power hierarchy. The most important decisions, such as those touching on expansion, finances and company policies are discoursed at the highest levels of management. Information flows from the top level to the low management level, ensuring that all the people understand why is required of them. Those wielding more power in organizations such as the government have been accused of micromanagement. They act as dictators, expecting their juniors to perform certain tasks without questions. The decision making process is normally slow in many bureaucratic organizations. For instance, prior to the implementation of proposed security laws, the lawmakers must discuss and pass the bill. Even when this is the case, such laws can be challenged in court, and nullified when they are deemed to contravene the constitution. Thirdly, there is a structure of leadership in bureaucratic organizations. Each has specific functions that are geared towards the improvement of an organization. For instance, there are directors, CEOS, senior managers and the supervisors. They work together in ensuring that an organization is able to achieve its objectives. While bureaucracy in organization has been associated with slowness in decision-making and rigidity in accepting change, it has a number of advantages (Manfred, 2003). It ensures that all the employees are focused on the set goals, and objectives of an organization. This plays an imperative role in giving an organization competitive edge. The policies and regulations also ensure that there is no conflict of interest in an organization (Craig, 2009). This includes unnecessary completion in the workplace. People follow defined procedures in performing different functions. A group of people with different functions An organization is characterised by the presence of a group of people performing different functions (Gomez-Mejia, 2009). The division of labour is a common social phenomenon in an organization. Employees are required to work in areas of their specialization. This is done to ensure that there is quality delivery of services. For instance, there are accountants, secretaries, telephone operators, typists, among others who ensure that an organization remains functional. Through the division of labour, organizations are able to perform tasks faster and delivery services to the target customers. In an effort to foster specialization in many organizations, scientific management concept is used. The scientific management is aimed at increasing efficiency in an organization (Gershon, 2001). To achieve this, wastage of resources must be controlled to foster profitability. One of the main characteristics of scientific management is automation. Automation is the process through which different functions are performed through machines. Currently, automation has become common even in government organizations. This has assisted in reducing bureaucracy, reducing time taken to perform certain functions, and increasing efficiency and effectiveness. Secondly, the scientific management emphasizes on giving remunerations that commensurate with the level of production of each employee. This is done to encourage employees to work harder. This is common in manufacturing industries, where employees who produce more units are paid more. Managers, in the selection of the most qualified employees, have applied the scientific management. For instance, they have to train workers in an effort to equip them with relevant skills to perform. The managers also play a number of functions that include coordination, planning, organization and staffing. They motivate the employees, and avail any necessary resources to foster productivity. Linked to external forces Organizations are directly linked to external forces, hence are required to behave in certain ways to prevent any conflicts. For instance, law, politics and technological advancement regulate organizations. Further, certain organizations have a role to play in improving the lives of the community, who are part of stakeholders. Organizations have been regulated to ensure that they observe environmental regulation, such as avoiding pollution. There are laws also requiring that organizations ensure equal employment regardless of gender, race, physical ability and religion. In the government sector, for instance, employment should be given on merit. Many organizations have realized their connections to the external forces, hence taking part in a number of social and economic developments (Beissinger, 1998). For instance, corporate social responsibility has become a common undertaking by many organizations. They realize that they have a responsibility to improve people’s livelihoods through a number of projects. Community members from different parts of the world have benefited from services such as clean water, clean cities, scholarships and healthcare, which are provided by different organizations. These initiatives have assisted in the improvement of the lives of the community. The fact that organizations are regulated and directly affecting lives of the community means that they strive to good. The healthcare facilities ensure that patients receive best treatment and protected from harm. It also means that people receive quality goods and services, and protected from any form of exploitation from unscrupulous businesspersons. Working together (teamwork) Teamwork is a common characteristic of an organization (Scheiber, 2009, p.90). Working together has been associated with increased synergy in an organization. The resultant effect is high productivity and motivated employees. Despite the division of labour, where employees work in areas of specialization, there is coordination and teamwork. There are several departments in an organization working in a coordinated manner to avoid chaos. For Instance, the sales department may work closely with communication department in order to provide the necessary information that ought to be published to the public. The importance of teamwork has been emphasized through various strategies by management. Firstly, lack of teamwork in an organization has been associated with conflicts among employees. Impersonal relationships, undesired aggressiveness and competition, and lack of coordination are some of the problems associated with lack of teamwork. As a result, an organization may not be able to achieve its objectives. This is attributed to lack low productivity among employees. To address this challenge management organizes several seminars, and retreats that bring employees together. Employees are trained to work together, share experiences and knowledge to improve the organization’s level of productivity. Currently, employee diversity has become a common social phenomenon in government and private organization. For instance, the number of immigrants in Europe and United States has been on the rise. A majority of the immigrant are seeking employment in different organizations. Owing to the spirit of globalization and equal employment laws, the diversity of employees has increased. While this brings creativity and innovation to an organization, it can also be a recipe for chaos. This owes to different in cultural beliefs, values and norms. Despite this, management must strive to maintain harmony, and ensuring that everyone is focused on organizational goals. To achieve this, employees have been trained to embrace diversity, and to strive to work together. Shared resources Many organizations have scarce resources, which should maximally. The resources may include vehicles, computers, office telephone and the internet. The management ensures that the resources are used maximally and efficiently (Braverman, 1998, p.97). This assists in reducing cost of operation, which is an added advantage to an organization. The management ensures that no one claims ownership of any particular asset or service. This plays an imperative role especially during employee rotation or retrenchment. Sharing resources assists in fostering relationship among the employees. As they interact, the workers form strong bonds, which has been associated with increased productivity in an organization. Employees share their experiences, express their emotion and transfer knowledge through interaction. The government is an example of a formal organization that plays different functions of improving people’s livelihoods. Teamwork in such an organization is vital, or ensures success in implementation of different policies. Lack of coordination in government may create conflicts, which may hamper foreign investment, hence affecting the economy. To foster teamwork, countries have constitutions that define how functions should be dispensed. The government also established oversight authorities that work towards monitoring and reporting any anomalies in government functions. Collective bargaining power The collective bargaining power is another characteristic of many organizations. The bargaining power is important in the sense that it ensures that rights of different stakeholders, especially the employees, are protected. With the need to protect the interest of employees, many organizations have encouraged them to join labour unions. The latter negotiate better treatment of worker in the workplace (Mullins, 2004). They also ensure that there is no discrimination against employees. For instance, labour unions have played a huge role in fighting for favorable working conditions, salary increment, and ensuring that employees on maternity leave are paid. The labour unions have also ensured that the job security of employees is safeguarded. Organization cannot just decide to sack employees or retrench them without following a specified due process. In conclusion, an organization is a complex entity that is defined by a group of people who work together in an organised way for a shared purpose. To foster productivity, efficiency and effectiveness, many organizations use scientific management. They ensure that employees are motivated, and made part of an organization. The incidences of resistance to change can be prevented by ensuring that all relevant stakeholders are involved in major decision-making processes. Organizations are characterised by shared vision, mission and goals. Each individual is expected to work towards set objectives to ensure that an organization gains a competitive edge. Teamwork, bureaucracy, working together and a link to external forces are other major components of an organization. The conclusion of the paper is that an organization is indeed a group of people who work together in an organised way for a shared purpose. References Beissinger, Mark R. 2000. Scientific Management, Socialist Discipline, and Soviet Power, London, UK: I.B. Tauris & Co Ltd, ISBN 978-1-85043-108-4. Bradford, David L.; Burke, W. 2003. 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