Organisation as a Machine - Coursework Example

Introduction Theorists such as Weber and Taylor came up with the concept of viewing the organisation as a machine and although this was a long time ago, this concept is still in use by modern organisations. Some may look at it as an old-fashioned concept but through digging deeper and looking at it in detail, one is able to identify it as a source of direction for the organisation and a concept that brings about unity of the different parts of the organisation. This concept of viewing the organisation as a machine was influenced by the fact that during those days, there was so much focus on building of machines. This concept therefore was developed as a result of the environment in which it was conceived. The concept of organisations as machines The operation of an organisation has routines which need to be followed to the letter. The tasks in the organisations should be performed as per the instructions and in an accurate manner. This makes the organisation very rigid and the employees less motivated (Organisation Analysis, 2009, pg 1). The operations of the employees are mechanistic and involve a lot of repetition. For those employees who are afraid of the unknown and prefer being conservative, they are happy with that state of the organisation. However, the adventurous types of employees get bored so fast and they set out in search of more interesting things to do. Everything in the organisation seems calculated and lacks the thrill of spontaneity. With the advent of the industrial revolution, trends of the organisation have progressed more and more towards routine and bureaucracy (Watson, 2001, pg 36). Taylor came up with a method of management which is scientific in nature. He outlined some steps which he considered important for an organisation to operate well. Firstly, he recommended that the responsibility for all the work to be done in the organisation should be charged to the manager. This was because the manager is considered a leader and his leadership was the determinant of how the organisation was to progress towards achieving its goals (Seel, 2008, pg 1). Secondly, he recommended that methods which were scientific in nature should be used to identify the best ways of carrying out the tasks of the organisation. It was important to use better methods because they would lead to the realisation of the best ways needed for the achievement of the goals of the organisation. There are many ways in which the organisation can carry out its tasks. All ways will lead to the achievement of the organisational goals but the best means would be to ensure minimum costs and maximum profits (Lovelock et al 2006, pg 43). Thirdly, he recommended that the best people to perform these tasks should be chosen. The best people were those who were best qualified for the performance of these tasks. Qualifications meant that the organisation would save a lot of money and time that would have been spent to try and develop these people. A person who is not well qualified is likely to spend more time performing a task than that person who is well qualified (Whyte, 2002, pg 115). The former will also suffer from lack of confidence and may end up giving up or committing a lot of mistakes. The under qualified employee would also need constant supervision and this means that a lot of time is wasted as the supervisor would have done another task instead of watching over the employee. This could also mean that the organisation will not have to hire excess workers since the workers it has are qualified enough to perform a huge load of work (Woodward, 2009, pgs 71). Fourthly, Taylor recommended that the workers should be trained so that they can perform their duties in an efficient manner. Many people go to school and other academic institutions to learn about certain jobs such as accounting, marketing, engineering etc. they acquire knowledge that is necessary for them to perform these important tasks needed by the organisation. The knowledge they have however is theoretical and they need to know how to apply this knowledge in the organisation. Training is therefore necessary for them so that they can learn how to apply the knowledge they have acquired. That is why most organisations insist on training the employees first (Gordon, 2008, pg 139). The first 3 months in most organisations are treated as probation time where the new employees are subjected to on-job training. This duration of training also gives the management time to analyse the performance of the employee and determine whether they are going to retain or do away with him or her. The training period also offers the management a chance to analyse other factors of the employees such as punctuality, respect to the leaders etc. Training is however not offered only during recruitment but also to the other employees who are still working for the organisation. This is because the business environment is dynamic and new technology keeps coming in. This new technology is essential for the better performance of the organisation and leads to higher profits. The employees will therefore need to be trained on the new methods that the company is employing due to technology. The employees will also need to be trained on how to use new machines that the company may have bought as a result of the technology that has set in. Most of these machines are hard to use and may also be delicate; they will therefore require training of the employees. The same applies to new programs (Burke, 2001, pg 67). Fifthly, the work of the employees needs to be monitored and the performance of the employees determined. Employees are different as it is known; human beings have different personalities and are of different temperaments. These differences will be reflected in their work as there are those who are hard workers whereas others are lazy and like complaining a lot. The management needs to monitor its employees and determine the character of each one of them. Determination of their characters will enable the managers to make wise decisions in regards to delegation of duties. In case there are also chances of promotions, the managers will know which employees deserve the promotions in terms of performance and dedication to their work. Monitoring the employees also helps when it comes to rewards and punishments. Monitoring will help in determining which employees performed above standards thus rewarding them and which ones were lazy and thus punishing them (Purcell, 2003, pg 231). When a department fails to achieve its target, it becomes difficult to determine who is responsible for that failure as employees are very secretive and have a kind of brotherhood or sisterhood that prevents them from ratting on the others. Monitoring will therefore be needed so as to determine the employees responsible for failure instead of carrying out an investigation later after failure has occurred. Monitoring also helps in offering guidance to the employees in case they are faced with any problems. If the managers alienate themselves from the employees and do not take a keen interest in their execution of duties, the employees are most likely to make mistakes and then actively conceal such mistakes. The employees are also likely to commit errors knowingly out of spite of the organisation. The managers should therefore monitor the employees and give them encouragement while at the same time developing their attitudes towards the organisation positively (Kotler, 2002, pg 421). The above plan by Taylor has seen the success of many organisations. It has led to increased productivity and the relationships in the organisations have really improved thus leading to unity among the employees of these organisations. The steps in the plan are very crucial for any organisation and act as a guideline towards the right path. The duties of all the employees in relation to ranks are clearly outlined and the organisation is able to move towards its goals. Tasks are executed in effective and efficient ways and these ways are determined by the scientific methods which are employed for this purpose. The best people to perform these tasks are also employed to save the company time and money. This is because these people do not have issues about their confidence. The workers are also trained so as to ensure efficiency in performance of duties. Training and development of employees has proved to be vital for the success of the organisation. Monitoring employee performance has also made it possible for the organisation to determine which employees deserve rewards and promotions. It has also enabled the employees to see that the organisation has an interest in their work and therefore, they are motivated to work hard so as to impress the managers (Cateora, 2006, pg 263). The organisation as a machine is due to its complexity and the various parts involved in the organisation also including the rigidity aspect of it. The organisation, just like a machine, has many parts which include departments, branches, employees, managers etc. All these parts of the organisation are complex and have their differences. Proper methods therefore need to be applied so as to effectively run these parts. These parts need to be satisfied in terms of their needs. The departments need to be supplied with the various materials necessary for them to perform their tasks. Sometimes, the output of one department is the input of another department. It is therefore necessary for the department supplying the input to do it on time so as to avoid lagging in the organisation’s performance. The different departments of an organisation should therefore work together and have good relationships among themselves. This ensures that the organisation’s goals are in focus and the organisation will eventually achieve them. The various branches of the organisation also need to feel as if they are part of the organisation and neglecting them will lead to the downfall of the organisation as it will seem to be operating in parts. They will therefore ignore the importance of synergy (Kotler, 2002, pg 456). The employees are part of the organisation and anything that disappoints them will be reflected in their performance and consequently, the performance of the organisation. In the same case, when a part of a machine is spoiled, broken or missing, the machine does not perform as is expected and a lot of costs are incurred. The organisation is therefore more or less like a machine. It will need all its parts for it to perform up to the expected standards. The managers are also very important and help guide the employees into the accomplishment of the objectives of the company and achievement of the organisation’s goals. The managers are important as they make decisions that are crucial in the day to day running of the business. These decisions could be in terms of which projects should be employed by the organisation and which ones should be left out. At times, the organisation wants to carry out certain projects but it is limited by funds. The decision of which project is to be chosen is made by the managers thus, their roles are very important. It is important to note that all the parts of the organisation are very important and that each part has an effect on the organisation. If any of the parts of the organisation is compromised, then the whole organisation is affected. This is the same case in which a machine operates (Palmer et al 2005, pg 152). This concept of the organisation as a machine seems old-fashioned but it is still used by the modern organisations. Organisations have a tendency to adopt new models and abandon the older ones. In this case however the concept is continuously being put into use as it applies to the organisation in a very clear way. The organisation identifies with this concept and finds it hard to refute it. However, this concept has limitations and the one that is so outstanding is the rigidity brought about by routine. The tasks are clearly laid out and the employees are supposed to operate as per the specifications. In most organisations, job rotation is not done and thus the employee performs the same task he or she was assigned for many years. This is wrong because the brain of the employee is not given a chance to be put into test. It is also monotonous for the employee and there is no excitement. The employees get bored quickly and may get the desire to move in search of other jobs which in their view provide excitement. With the current economic state, it is not easy to get jobs and many employees end up remaining in their current jobs however boring the jobs are. The employees are thus not motivated and will not perform their duties well. However, there are those employees who do not like challenges and are thus happy to work in such an environment. Working in a routinely fashion in most cases means that it is also not easy to determine which employee is hardworking as their jobs are clearly cut out for them and it is upon them to finish within the given time (Palmer et al 2005, pg 162). Some time back, I worked in a local company as an intern. This was part of the course work as recommended by my institution. All interns are allowed to rotate to the different sections of the organisation as they are considered as learners. I was staying in each section for two weeks. The tasks executed in each section were simple and took only a short time to learn. By the time the two weeks in a particular section had elapsed, I was very bored. This is because the tasks were the same each day. Considering I was an intern and bored within two weeks, what about the workers who were there for all those years and without any job rotation taking place? The rigidity is just too much and it makes the job less exciting. Conclusion An organisation as a machine is a concept which was developed by early theorists. This concept looks at the organisation as similar to a machine and therefore appreciates the value of all the parts of the organisation. If one part is affected, so is the whole organisation. There has been the trend of concepts being replaced with the development of new concepts. This concept though considered old-fashioned, is still used by modern organisations. It is a concept that provides a guideline to the organisation and enhances unity of the different parts. It however has its limitations such as routine; which hinders workers’ excitement. 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