Organization and Management Research Has Lost Its Way - Coursework Example

Organization and Management Research Has Lost Its Way Name Date Organization and Management Research Has Lost Its Way Introduction Profoundly, the business world is changing at an alarming rate prompting various researchers to embark on research to incorporate these changes, especially in organization and management. What is more, there has been a growing need for the managers to comprehend scientific findings so that they can incorporate them in management particularly in decision making. Indeed, research tends to facilitate effective organization and administration. Besides, it is imperative to note that research drives every aspect of decision making. Notably, in most firms, research is so critical that they cannot make any significant decision without it. Organization and management research reduces uncertainty by providing meaningful information that guides the firm throughout the entire process of decision making.1 The research helps in developing and implementing strategies which involve interrelated stages, namely; identifying, diagnosing and assessing the opportunities or challenges, selecting and implementing the necessary course of action and finally evaluating an appropriate course of action to be taken. Both organization and management research provides managers with pertinent information which plays critical roles as far as the growth of the firm is concerned. The progress and the manner in which both organization and management research is and had been carried out has been drawing diverse scholars on board, some criticizing while others support it on various grounds.2 Truly, this area has been a discursive subject and much has been said and written about it making the study of both organization and management proceeds on a broad front in the global arena. Primarily,with an ultimate aim of providing the managers with diverse approaches to propel the firm towards success amidst the ever-changing and competitive business environment. Truly, the study of management and organization alongside their associated structures is important to the managers. However, the biggest question that has been raising concerns is that, does both organization and management researches that are currently undertaken by various scholars heading to the right direction? Organization and Management Research It is imperative to start by understanding the word organization in a more profound manner before explicating how research is being done towards the same. The word organization is derived from the word organism which means a system comprising of various dependent parts. Organization is also defined as a way through which dissimilar parts of the system are arranged and works together. Precisely, it is a grouping of various activities geared towards attaining objectives of the firm under the supervision of the manager. Organization is a system where inputs or resources are processed so as to produce the desired and worthwhile end results. The same case a strong foundation is put in place before a building is erected, strong and sound organization and management strategies that are closely guided by research need to be laid down to facilitate smooth functioning of the entire management. Markedly, organization forms the foundation of a successful management without which management tasks including; directing planning and controlling are impaired and thus fails to be implemented effectively.3 Indeed, a success of any profit or nonprofit oriented company is reliant on a group of efforts which leads to accomplishing a particular common objective. It is important to note that formation and existence of organization ought to have a benefit, identity as well as purpose for the existence. Sound organizations and management are of great impact since without them objectives cannot be achieved. The characteristics of proper administration and organization are not only evidenced in achieving the set goals but also in the overall satisfaction employees.4 Indeed, the better the organization’s operations are organized and managed, the superior the achievements will be in a more synchronized edifice. Primarily, organization concentrates on organizational life alongside human facet while at the same time creating appropriate systems. Ideally, with an ultimate aim of helping individuals work together towards the anticipated targets and enhance the capability for progressive developments. It plays critical roles in building an enduring relationship between employees. Besides, the latter provides individuals with friendliness, support as well as mutual satisfaction. Incorporation of management theories and strategies in Organization and management research The integral part regarding the study of organization and management is the development of managerial thinking which is referred to as management theory. The application of the theory brings on board a significant change in the actual behavior. Managers read the work of researchers and employ the ideas and conclusions made regarding how they should operate and behave to reach their set goals. The latter largely influences their attitudes towards management practice. The management and organization researches which have been using management theories have been asserting that it helps especially in viewing interrelationships between behavior in organizations, development of the theory and management practice. Secondly, they claim that the approach helps in having a profound understanding of the principles underlying the entire process of the directorate. The approach utilizes knowledge of the history which helps in comprehending the nature of both organizational and management behavior and as result paying attention to the main topic areas.5 The research makes use earlier ideas, conclusions, and theories to develop new researches towards organization and management.6 They believe that management theories evolve in accordance with the changes occurring in the organizational environment. Besides, they are interpretive, as well. According to McGregor, every managerial act is founded on the hypotheses, assumptions, and generalizations.7 He adds that these assumptions are frequently understood and often conflicts but at the end, they determine the predictions that if managers employ a particular strategy, a certain result will be achieved or occur. He concludes by asserting that theory and practice are inseparable as far as organization and management are concerned. Although understanding the subject matter appears to be more advanced as compared to prediction, both seems to provide an opportunity to manage or to influence the future. Utilization of the theory in organization and management researches provides a sound basis for action. However, I tend to think that for the action to be effective, the employed approach has to be appropriate and adequate to the task and augment organizational performance. Decision making, and social theories in organization and management Researches It is imperative to trace significant developments in organization and management behavior, theory and practice. Besides, identify what has made researchers to concentrate on topics such as leadership, motivation, organizational development, and structure.8 Organization and management researches date back in thousands of years. Nevertheless, systematic development of management thinking is generally viewed to have emerged and developed from the end of the ninetieth century after the industrial organizations emerged giving birth to problems associated with organization, structure, and management. Theories mentioned above have been employed by myriad researchers focusing on managerial decision making as well as how organization process makes use of the conclusions and research findings in making decisions. They claim that to have a successful management; the research has to respond to both external and internal changes.9 The latter focuses on clarification of the objectives of the firm, specification of the challenges as well as searching for and implementation of the solutions.10 What is more, both organization and management are viewed as an information processing network composed of various decision points. The ultimate purpose of the approach is to bring on board a profound understanding of how decisions are made and organizational behavior. Besides, researcher aims at establishing and explicating the mechanisms under which choices are made as well as how conflicts should be solved. The scope of researchers employing the latter approach in organization and management researches is broad, and some of their contributions are evident in the work of operation research experts including organization and management scholars.11 Some of the researchers stress the need for cooperative action in management and organization. Their assertions are driven by the dogma that, the ability of the people to communicate, commitment alongside their contribution towards achieving a common purpose is vital to the existence of cooperative system. The ultimate focus and concern is how decisions are made as well as how they can be enhanced. Also, decision-making process in management is not viewed as the achievement of optimal results but rather as satisfactory in addressing the identified challenges.12 Markedly, the economic models employed are deeply embedded on the postulation of lucid behavior selected from known alternatives to capitalize on objectives. The latter contradicts with the behavioral models which are not so much based on maximizing objectives but to the short-term expediency where choices are made to stay within the limiting constraints and keep conflicts at bay. It is rational to claim that the study is more concerned with avoiding uncertainties rather predicting for them. On the other hand, contribution from sociologists on matters regarding organization and management research argue that organization is like an individual where each person has his own goal and interpretation of work situation regarding the meaning and level of satisfaction the work has to them.13 In this regard, they suggest that individual goals, means selected and actions taken to achieve these objectives are influenced by perception of the person towards the situation. Overtly, organizational behavior is based on the individual's interpretation and definition of the situation. Besides, conflict of interest is viewed as a regular occurrence as well as part of the organizational and managerial life. The latter approach fails to provide a theory of organization and instead provides a way of analyzing social relations within organizations.14 Counter arguments The approaches mentioned above employed in undertaking organization and management researches fails to provide a satisfactory basis for the explication as well as prediction of both organizational and individual behavior. For instance, most approaches including management theories focus on needs and goals of organizations rather than on considerations of the effectiveness of the organization towards meeting them.15 Besides, they focus on indiscriminate theories of proper management and suggestion of universal needs to all. It is irrational for the researches to generalize since people are endowed with varied feelings and perceptions towards a particular task and working environment. Remarkably, people tend to have different expectations and therefore overlooking such a critical aspect derails the course of organization and management research and its authenticity.16 Therefore, for researchers to move towards a more pragmatic and realistically rational way of framing organization and management researches, a shift has to be made especially in assumptions about the diversity and social world. The latter assumptions underpin the entire edifice of organization and management researches and thinking. The manner in which organization and management researches are undertaken have been a subject of criticism and discourse. Some believe that the research has to be done incorporating the changes occurring in the contemporary world with insignificant reference to the ancient theories.17 The latter implies that they have to be replaced with new and more detailed approaches for them to address the current problems facing organization and management effectively. In concurrence with the latter, it is worth claiming that there is need for the way in which organization and management research is undertaken to change since beyond doubt theories do evolve, organizations and environments changes and consequently management techniques and practices changes as well. Conversely, it is imperative to understand that theories provide valuable insights regarding how organizations operate as well as providing a profound understanding of turbulent environments under which firm maneuvers.18 Conclusion Indeed, the business world is changing prompting various researchers to embark on research with an ultimate aim of incorporating these changes in organization and management. Consequently, there has been an increasing need for the administrators to comprehend scientific findings so that they can integrate them in management especially in decision making. Indeed, research facilitates valuable organization and management. Besides, it drives every aspect of decision-making in any organization. Notably, research is so critical in some firms where no significant decision can be made without the benefit of research. Organization and management research reduces improbability by providing vital information that guides the management throughout the entire process of decision making. Both organization and management research provides managers with relatable information which plays critical roles towards the growth and development of the firm. Nevertheless, the manner in which organization and management studies are carried out is not entirely satisfactory as they utilize theories with less consideration of the changes occurring in the contemporary world. The latter implies that they have to be replaced with new and more detailed approaches for them to address the current problems facing organization and management. In concurrence with the latter, it is worth claiming that there is need for the manner in which organization and management research is undertaken to change. Because theories do evolve, organizations and environments changes and consequently management techniques and practices change with time. Conversely, it is imperative to understand that theories provide valuable insight regarding how an organization functions as well as provide a profound understanding of the turbulent environments under which firm operates. Thus, it appears rational to assert that to some extent organization and management research has lost its way. Bibliography Alvesson, Mats, and Jörgen Sandberg. "Has management studies lost its way? Ideas for more imaginative and innovative research." Journal of Management Studies 50, no. 1 (2013): 128-152 Baskerville, Richard L., and A. Trevor Wood-Harper. "A critical perspective on action research as a method for information systems research." 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