All Organization Theories Involve Questions of Power and Control

Organization Theory
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SECTION A
Question 1
‘All organization theories involve questions of power and control’. Critically evaluate this statement, drawing on at least two organization theories from the unit to discuss your answer.
Introduction
The statement, “All organization theories involve questions of power and control,” is complex and can be viewed from different perspectives. On the one hand, it can be seen from how organizations are hierarchical, hence allowing some individuals to hold more power than others. This is especially true for organizations that have a few people who hold so much power and control over the rest of the workers. In this regard, the higher people are on the organizational hierarchy, the more power they have, while those at the bottom of the pyramid have less power and control. On the other hand, the statement can be seen as a reflection of the idea that power and control are critical in any organizational setting. While organizations constitute individuals working together to achieve a set target, they can also be platforms for the negotiation of power and control. To provide a comprehensive analysis of the outlined statement, this paper draws on two organizational theories: the classical theory of bureaucracy and the human relations theory, which present two approaches regarding power in an organization.
The classical theory of bureaucracy
Max Weber developed the classical theory of bureaucracy as an approach that proposes a way of managing organizations. The theory indicates that the most appropriate way of running an entity is structuring it into a rigid hierarchy of individuals, who are governed by strict regulations (Andreski, 2013). Weber emphasizes that an organization should have four critical characteristics. Firstly, the theory emphasizes the need to divide labor based on expertise, where employees have specific roles and responsibilities. Individuals should be given roles based on their skills and qualifications to ensure that the business remains efficient (Lunenburg, 2017). Since employees are allocated roles and responsibilities in their area of expertise, this allows them to perform their tasks with a high level of efficiency. Secondly, Weber demonstrates the need for a set of rules and regulations. All the activities of an organization must be governed. The implementation of standardized rules ensures uniformity and consistency in making decisions. Employees are required to follow the rules and regulations when performing their duties. Control comes in when employees are expected to adhere to the laid down rules to ensure maximum compliance.
Thirdly, Weber emphasizes the importance of adhering to a set of rules and regulations. These govern the activities of the organization and ensure that there is uniformity and predictability. Employees are expected to follow the rules and regulations when performing their tasks. The rules and regulations are critical in providing a basis for the evaluation of the workers. Control comes through the adherence to adherence to the set rules and regulations (Lunenburg, 2017). The organization ensures that employees comply with the required standards by minimizing individual ...