Analysing organisation - Essay Example

Reading Log on Hopwood’s Model of Control Key Ideas As emphasized in management and organizational s, a manager is expected to perform functions such as planning, organizing, directing and controlling. The control function has been acknowledged as a crucial factor in the performance of expected responsibilities and in the achievement of explicitly identified organizational goals. Through Hopwood’s model of control, there were three categories of control which were noted to interact within the work setting, to wit: (1) administrative control; (2) social control; and (3) self-control.

To manifest and exemplify the level of control that interplays within the organization, it has been recognized that some form of power and politics are imbibed. The interplay of these three categories of control determines and influences the effectiveness of achieving defined organizational goals. Key Insights One strongly believes that the function of control is crucial in putting into proper perspectives and structural order the diverse facets within the work setting. Controls are mechanisms that give direction and guidance towards the defined path that the organization aims to achieve.

Aside from a pre-defined mission and vision statement, the organization needs to explicitly state objectives and goals which form the basis for the design of strategies that would facilitate their attainment. The three categories of control, as noted in Hopwood’s model, accurately illustrate that control measures come from diverse sources and techniques to ensure that all actions and responsibilities are directed and harnessed at strategic points. These control measures are also instrumental in gauging the performance of employees.

When standards or goals are appropriately set; including policies, procedures, rules and regulations, management would effectively determine if employees perform according to their job responsibilities and could accurately measure their level of performance and productivity against these standards and goals. More importantly, these control mechanisms would serve as check and balance techniques that would immediately determine deviations from original plans and could therefore apply appropriate corrections and improvements, as required.

Codes of discipline, for example, accurately provide sanctions for violations of policies and therefore serve as effective means for administrative controls. Application in Organizational Analysis The key insights noted provided information on the use of control mechanisms for corrective actions and for applying the required sanctions in cases of violations of policies, procedures or company rules and regulations. These mechanisms could also assist in the design of strategies to ensure that organizational objectives are effectively achieved.

For example, through designing codes of discipline, in conjunction with company policies and procedures, management could analyze where employees find it more difficult to adhere to specific regulations (for instance, avoiding absences or being late) and could adjust their strategies, as needed. As aptly noted in Hopwood’s Model of Control, the organization could be more stringent in their recruitment policies to “select members who display the attitudes, beliefs and values considered appropriate for effective task performance” (Johnson & Gill, 1993, p.2). If absenteeism is a perennial problem, the organization should assess the profile of current employees and determine who among them exhibit frequent absences.

As such, future recruitment could focus on demographic profiles that exemplify tendencies for least absenteeism (single, no family obligations, or at a certain age bracket) and therefore avoid occurrence of future associated absenteeism problems. References List Johnson, P. & Gill, J., 1993. Hopwood’s Model of Control. Management Control and Organizational Behavior. Sage Publications, Ltd.