Running head: ORGANIZATIONAL ANALYSIS

CSP 561: Organizational Analysis Katie Mey Western Illinois University

ORGANIZATIONAL ANALYSIS CSP 561: Organizational Analysis The Center for the Study of Masculinities and Mens Development (CSMMD) is on the

verge of closing out its second year in existence. The young organization developed when Tracy Davis, a faculty member in the College Student Personnel program, gathered Jennie Hemmingway and Jim La Prad, faculty members in other areas on campus who shared an interest in studying the development of masculinities in general as well as the development of college men particularly. These three, along with Sean Dixon, comprised the entirety of the organization initially. They began to gather other individuals around campus interested in exploring this area and the organization began to grow. As growth has occurred these four have maintained a good deal of decision making power particularly Davis, who convenes and facilitates all meetings, even those specifically designated for others to fill this role. Davis particularly maintains a great deal of power and influence within the organization, which is a large concern for two reasons. First, Davis openly admits and recognizes that the organizational culture is one that recreates a type of heteromasculine locker room discourse that encourages a type of interpersonal communication that is somewhat aggressive and may not be welcoming or comfortable to some. This concern is generally recognized within the organization, and Davis attempts to mitigate this by offering an explanation to newcomers upon their first attendance, however, it is common for the group to have individuals interested in the CSMMD not return after attending a first or second meeting with no explanation other than that they did not click with or find what they were looking for their. Second, Davis is taking sabbatical this fall and there is no clearly identified figure set to step into the void that he will leave at the core of the organization.

ORGANIZATIONAL ANALYSIS One of the initial projects undertaken by the CSMMD beyond internal development was procuring a Verizon Wireless grant to fund the implementation of a bystander intervention

violence prevention program on Western Illinois Universitys (WIU) campus, which was done in partnership with Melanie Hetzel-Riggin, a faculty member in the psychology department. Once the funds for this project were procured, this project became the domain of Hemingway and Dixon. Another of the initial projects was to develop a method of providing mentorship opportunities to underrepresented male students. Ron Pettigrew, who had joined the CSMMD early in its first year of existence, took up one element of this project and led a class on African American Mens Mentorship with a faculty member. Byron Shabazz took initiative in this area, developing a social organization dedicated to providing a safe space to explore black male identities and navigating the landscape of higher education. Pettigrew was deployed on active military duty in the fall and the organization struggled to find a replacement for his role in the course. Shabazz has received request to begin a female equivalent of his current mentorship program. Initial exploration into partnering with the Gwendolyn Brooks Cultural Center (GBCC) and the Womens Center (WC) on campus to provide this opportunity were unsuccessful. The central four decision makers were at first hesitant to proceed without the blessing of these entities, but at Shabazzs request, Davis has supported Shabazzs undertaking the project himself. Shabazz is also a leader, along with La Prad, in efforts to bring young men of color to WIUs campus to preview the institution in order to support their interest in pursing their education further at a four-year institution. Another area of interest at the CSMMD is the gathering and production of research on a variety of issues pertaining to masculinites and mens development. Craig Tollini - who joined the organization at the outset of its second year - and Hemmingway initially headed up this

ORGANIZATIONAL ANALYSIS

effort. Tollini is currently in the process of research with a graduate student, as well as gathering sources for the literature collection. Hemmingway has switched gears slightly to take on the area of data collection and program assessment for the bystander intervention program and other assessment efforts. Initially the responsibility of Hetzel-Riggin, this area, which is of crucial importance to the bystander intervention grant, was going to be left vacant upon Hetzel-Riggins exit from WIU to pursue her academic career. Other areas of interest currently being pursued by the all-volunteer staff of the CSSMD include a speaker series, continuing dialogue, and other programmatic efforts on relevant topics such as masculities and non-violence efforts. This project is currently the domain of Dixon (who may be leaving the institution in the fall of 2013) and La Prad, and formerly had the support of two graduate students who have since moved on from the CSMMD. The organization is also pursuing a narrative gathering project called the my masculinites blog project for which they are currently holding writing workshop events, soliciting submissions, and developing electronic publishing capacity and infrastructure. This project is being lead by a committee comprised of Burt Sorkey, (a psychologist who joined the group in its first year,) Tollini, and a graduate student. Currently, the CSMMD attempts to address issues of importance related to all of these various areas of interest at each staff meeting. Some members of the staff have voiced concern that this type of official bussiness should not dominate the groups collective time. These individuals have advocated for a return to a focus on internal development of the group and would like to use a significant portion of the groups time together as a safe space for discussion. Other members of the group resent the use of their volunteered time for the purpose of what they see as directionless discussion that continually rehashes similar issues. At points during any

ORGANIZATIONAL ANALYSIS given meeting, the division between the two perspectives on this issue is clear from a glance

around the room. Davis has effectively served as a moderator of thee tensions thus far, however, when he is not present or when others attempt to facilitate meetings, they often become heavily dominated by the perspective that is held by the majority of the staff able to be present at that particular meeting. Unfortunately, it is to address this point of tension that Davis often steps in for the person trying out the position of meeting facilitator. Given this pattern, there is a real threat that the use of meeting time will become a hot button issue when Davis leaves for sabbatical in the fall. Diagnostic Read Elements of several different metaphors of organization can be seen in the origin, organization, and operation of the CSMMD. The metaphor of organizations as brains can help to describe the holographic style extension of the central organization into its subunits through a transmission of core concerns and methods as each area of concern - non-violence, mentorship, research, and programming - is taken up by different work units. The metaphor of flux and change can shed light on how and why several different areas of interest have begun to pull the attention and resources of the organization in different directions. The lenses of culture and politics can present two different but complimentary perspectives on power and authority within the groups. I will discuss these lenses in more detail in the following diagnostic read. Brains The metaphor of an organization as a brain brings the concept of emergent order to bear on an understanding of the CSMMD. There is little formal structure imposed on the organization and members of the organization are constantly redefining aspects of their position within the organization. In fact, when administrators request an organizational chart and position titles for

ORGANIZATIONAL ANALYSIS the CSMMD the staff struggle to provide one. This is because the organization actively resists solidifying into any kind of rigidity, despite the comfort or predictability that this might offer.

Instead, the staff defined its vision early on and returns to this continually, struggling to maintain a kind of purposeful chaos with reference points that facilitate space in which may possible actions and behaviors can emerge including those that can questionthe limits being imposed (Morgan, 2006 p 92) at any particular time. This resistance of any kind of standard or imposed ideas of structure which would perhaps provide a modicum of easy but may not be the best fit for the CSMMD helps to allow the flexibility necessary for the organization as it seeks to adapt to its environment and establish its purpose and identity. This is particularly useful for the CSMMD as a young organization in the emerging field of the study of men and masculinities. This resistance to structure and preference for emergent organization also encourages the concept of double-loop learning, as continued operation without structure to organize the expected process for operation means that there is consistent attention paid to the type of processes and tentative organizational structures that are forming to facilitate the attainment of goals. The environment of higher education, broadly speaking, has been relatively stable for many years and is often characterized as slow to change. However, at the forefront of any new area of academic exploration lies a boarder land in which relatively rapid development occurs that necessitates the kind of risk taking and the ability to function in domains of uncertainty. This environment has facilitated the development of consistently self- reflective practices in many domains of the CSMMD. There is a system of framing and reframing that allows the organization to adjust quickly in order to adapt to a changing intellectual, personnel, or fiscal landscape. As a leader, Davis is capable of riding the kind of creative chaos on which innovation thrives (Morgan, 2006 p 91) and allowing the framing and reframing of the current

ORGANIZATIONAL ANALYSIS situation to occur as many times as necessary in order to shape intelligent action based in consensus among the group. These concepts from the brain metaphor can help to illustrate and understand weak points of the organization as well. For example, it is essential for successful operation that function be decentralized according to the brain metaphor. In some ways the CSMMD can be said to have achieved a degree of this decentralization, as it has divided itself in a fashion

resembling the holographic design. This is illustrated in the subdivision of the organization into various work groups that, though functioning ostensibly separate from the larger organization, still function in a manner consistent with the reference points and identity of the CSMMD through the successful transmission of the organizational DNA. However, in this regard, the CSMMD is in some ways failing to meet the requirements of success laid out in the brain metaphor, as it maintains a certain level of power or control centrally, primarily with Davis, that can sometimes be prohibitive to the autonomous functioning of the various subunits of the organization. Davis is a single constant reference point and gatekeeper of a kind of power and control via influence. He serves in this role despite not being able to devote full attention to management of the CSMMD and be available to all subunits equally or at a rate that would allow them to work with. This slows the double loop process, which can be helpful in that it allows for more debate and brainstorming at times but is often simply frustrating and prohibitive of the expression of the will of the subunit, as Daviss opinion is weighted equal to or greater than the collective attitude of the group and thus he often holds sway over the final decision. The oversight of what the four initial directors of the organization can also be prohibitive for similar reasons none are highly available to approve or facilitate pursuit of initiatives and they are often not on the same page prior to general discussion at business meetings, which some

ORGANIZATIONAL ANALYSIS

members convey frustration with given the demands on the time and the volunteer nature of staff commitment. There is the desire to support risk, but some hesitance to do so depending on who is proposing the risk, which does not encourage the lateral structure that is touted as the preferred mode of operation of the CSMMD and which is most in line with the styles of decision making and structure associated with success in this metaphor. The lateralization of power and collective decision making process, or the striving towards one, is an area in which the brain metaphor can again be drawn on to understand the organization. It appears that the desired model of decision making is reminiscent of the ringi ritual of repetitive revision until consensus is reached discussed in this metaphor. This process can be said to occurs in the center occasionally and take the form of a document or idea arising between a couple staff, who then discuss it until they reach a point of agreement, at which point it is brought to either a board meeting or a general meeting and discussed until most are happy with the result, at which time it is rested and then distributed via email to be discussed and further refined electronically with the resulting drafts brought to the following meeting for reconciliation. At each stage of this idea and rarely occurring process, elaborations and amendment of the idea or document happen. Though this does sometimes occur, the tone in recent meetings especially has shifted towards the achievement of various projects or the coverage of what might be considered traditional content and process of a business meeting in order to accommodate the preferences of some newer members of the staff. The space for this elaborate and time intensive decision-making process is disappearing, and with it potentially an important organizational practice for success. These types of discussions have been relegated to smaller groups, where a more whole general idea is hammered out before being aired to the whole group at a meeting due to the pressure on time and the outside demands on those involved

ORGANIZATIONAL ANALYSIS that preclude much being done outside of meetings. This has altered the process of decision making to be less inclusive and open toward the end of being more efficient, but has increased

the feeling of hierarchy in decision making and vertical power within the CSMMD. Furthermore, it has only exacerbated the developing gatekeeper system of power, which seems to serve as functional mid point between the rinig like process and lateralized power desired within the subgroups and the hierarchical power and attempts to impose structure that are being imposed as necessary by others in order to interact with other entities on campus. However, as the group grows and so do the number and nature of its projects, this adaptation may be nearing the end of its usefulness and needs to return to the double loop process and towards innovation via emergent, internal structure. With Tracys absence in the fall, there may be a built in impetus to adapt in a fashion that moves away from this current status quo. Politics The metaphor of politics can serve as a means of understanding the elements of power and influence that are seen as merely disruptive or maladaptive elements within the brains metaphor of organization. The political lens helps to illustrate the way that authority has shaped some facets of the CSMMD, particularly the decision-making process and information control. Though the organization has - in large part successfully attempted to avoid the development of formalized structure and authority, this does not mean that no power or authority are exercised within the organization. One of the most easily identifiable features of authority is the access to resources within the CSMMD. The organization has successfully received space, computers, and some other functional office materials in order to allow it to grow and establish it at WIU. However, the keys that allow access to this space and other resources are quite literally only held by a few individuals, two of whom can be identified as holding position on the directing board,

ORGANIZATIONAL ANALYSIS one of whom has been deemed worthy in the eyes of these two individuals, and another person who is not, in actuality, a member of the CSMMD staff but who holds a key in order allow the rest of the staff some access to the space when the others are occupied with their outside

10

responsibilities. This scarcity of access and need to depend on the whim of others for said access helps to create power and authority derived from control of scarce resources in those who have independent access and a sub status for those who do not Another quite visible feature of the organization that the politics metaphor can help illustrate is the gatekeeper like system of organization that maintains a great deal of decision making power with the directing board and with Davis in particular. This kind of power withing the CSMMD is derived partially derived from Daviss status as a formal authority in realms external but related to the CSMMD. This external authority, as well as a particular performance of gender that plays into the pervasive ideals of leadership, power, and authority, help to position Davis as the primary decision maker within the organization. Davis influence on the group decision-making lies primarily in his control of the premises and processes for decision-making within the CSMMD. Due in part to his formal authority as well as his leadership in the founding of the organization, Davis has been able to exert a great deal of (well intentioned) control over the organizations fundamental assumption that all will be involved in the decision making process at the CSMMD. In an interesting reverse of this desired outcome, though, as a result of Davis assertion and defense of this premise of decision-making he has been elevated to a role as a primary decision maker and the weight of his opinions has become immense within the organization. In a similar way, Davis has been heavily involved with shaping the aspirational goal of consensus based, ringi like decision making processes discussed in the brain metaphor section, above. Again, as a result of his role in asserting and attempting to maintain such

ORGANIZATIONAL ANALYSIS

11

practices within the organization, Davis has been vested with an imbalanced proportion of power and influence within these decision-making processes. The maintenance of this authority is perpetuated in part by the small group and high rate of turn over in the first two years of the CSMMDs existence. The high number of graduate students who have been involved in the ground level development of the organization has resulted in a turn over in the membership of the group and the need for integration of new members by someone influential within the CSMMD. This person has become Davis, whos personality lends itself to such a role as much as his status as a decision making authority. Cultures The cultures metaphor can help understand the role of the masculine locker room discourse in structuring the organization in ways that may subvert the efforts to allow emergent organization discussed in the brains metaphor as well as instantiate the imbalance of power and authority discussed in the politics metaphor. The pervasiveness of patriarchy and the preference for masculine behaviors and discourses, which are associated with legitimate authority in broader culture, can be seen clearly playing out in the internal culture and dynamics of the CSMMD. The use of what Davis, Sorkey, and others refer to as playful irreverence, or the practice of teasing as a means of initiating individuals into and recognizing the maintenance of their status as group members, plays very much into the aggressive and competitive elements of a masculine conception of leadership. Within the organization there is a recognition that it is expected that anyone wishing to participate in the CSMMD and hoping to have a voice in the collaborative decision making processes must be able to play with the boys. This is evident in the way that Davis and other group members greet new members at the staff meetings, pronouncing a disclaimer of this is the way we do things here to anyone interested in the organization. This

ORGANIZATIONAL ANALYSIS organizational culture is not comfortable for those who do not enjoy an environment in which

12

masculine cultural norms are not only present but quite dominate and places anyone possessing or preferring a feminine identity of cultural structure at a disadvantaged position in terms of equity of power and authority in participation in this organization. Whereas in larger organizations or where there is a stronger extrinsic motivation for involvement a feminine subculture might arise naturally, the voluntary, interested based nature of involvement with the CSMMD does not encourage this as gaining the critical mass to establish such a subculture is difficult. The lack of disruption of this masculine and in some ways hyper-masculine culture serves to discourage those who do not appreciate this set of norms from participating, which serves to undermine any possibility of developing a more feminine friendly culture or subculture. The masculine discourse around power and leadership also serves to prevent the organization from achieving a decentralized structure that would allow it to function in a lateralized way that is more in keeping with the criteria for success provided in the dominant frame of organizations as brains. Furthermore, this masculine culture may play a part in keeping the organization small, as some may perceive it as unwelcoming. Flux and Change The metaphor of organizations as flux and change can also make an important contribution to the process of developing a more complete view and understanding of the CSMMD. The concept of attractors can provide a means of understanding the pull of attention and resources towards so many areas of interest within the organization. As discussed in the section on the metaphor of organizations as brains, the CSMMD manages to resist imposed or external structure and sustain the level of chaos necessary for emergent organization to occur. This allows for what the metaphor of flux and change discusses as a sufficient degree of internal

ORGANIZATIONAL ANALYSIS

13

complexity [to allow] randomness, and diversity and instability to become resources for change. (Morgan, 2006 p 252) This is manifest within the organization in the continuing development of new areas of interest and projects to be pursued as new members bring fresh perspectives, talents, and interest to the organization and old members gain new perspective on the realm of the study of masculinities and mens development. The overall purpose of the organization is not contradicted by any of these diverse areas of interest despite their apparent diversity. Also, none of these projects contradict one another, though they can seem as in the case with theoretical research and the development of preview programs for African American Youth - to be on opposite poles of the umbrella topic that contains them all. What they represent is the function of feedback loops that react to being pulled in one direction by pulling against this force in order to create equilibrium. Each of the attractors that evolves within the CSMMD represent potential points or paths of future evolution. Thus, the recent rise in interest and devotion of resources to Shabazzs mentorship programs, including the commitment to risk showed by the organizations choice to move forward on the female mentorship program without campus partners, represents an attractor growing in strength. It is pulling away from the original project of bystander intervention training that had previously received the majority of organizational resources and support. Another emerging attractor is the interest in research, which is being pursued by new members of the group in a way that is drawing an increasingly large pool of resources. It is possible that the organization will becomes engaged in pursuing any combination of these various attractors in the future. The path that the organization will follow, according to this metaphor, will only come to fruition once the chaos cannot sustain equilibrium and pushed over a proverbial edge in the direction of a new configuration of interests and balance achieved by self-organization. Reaching this organization precipice may be just around the corner, as

ORGANIZATIONAL ANALYSIS

14

Davis, who currently uses his power and authority as a mechanism to maintain a sense of balance among the various other attractors in the organization, is set to take sabbatical in the fall semester. Without this mediating influence, the organization may be able to push itself to its limits in such a way that a new, clearer (if relatively temporal) sense of purpose and identity emerges from the chaos. Critical Evaluation A concept that is common in two of the four lenses which I found useful in the diagnostic read of the organization the metaphors of organizations as brains and as flux and change is the management of chaos to allow emergent principles of organization to arise. Another theme that is common throughout the diagnostic read is the potential for change and organization evolution that the organization is facing as several members are in the process of or have transitioned out of the organization and Davis prepares to take sabbatical in the fall. I will focus on the organizational strength that can be identified in the theme of emergent organization through chaos in developing a plan for addressing the primary impending difficulties that the organization is likely to face in the fall semester. Plan of Action Given that the CSMMD is an organization that allows structure to evolve from within based on the individuals who enter the organization, the door is open for one such member to introduce change or lead the evolution of the organization by asserting it as an interest. Morgan (2006) notes, using the metaphor of a butterfly flapping its wings, that organizations that lend themselves to analysis via the metaphor of flux and change may be particularly vulnerable to small adjustments and alterations. To this end, it is my suggestion is that the following changes be pursued via small initial actions and that, after an appropriate amount of time has passed, the

ORGANIZATIONAL ANALYSIS change agent participate in the process of double loop learning in order to reassess the organization before deciding what actions are likely to further their agenda in the reconfigured organization. The first small change that I would suggest making is to subtly challenge the current decision making processes in the deference that they make to Davis authority. One way that

15

this might be achieved is to disrupt the process by directly contradicting the opinion offered by Davis after it has been offered. Another possible strategy would entail encouraging the group to proceed with plans that have not yet received his opinion or approval. It is likely that Davis will not respond to such actions by seeking to regain control or imposing his authority right away, as his authority is derived in large part from the control he exerts over the premises and process of decision-making and thus this is not a direct challenge to this. While leaving his authority mostly intact, the change agent may be able to subtly disrupt the thinking of other staff enough to encourage them to reframe the decision making process via the same double-loop learning processes that are used in other domains. In this way, the change agent can hope to effectively make change through little actions that are in line with the overall organization and its preexisting strengths. Also, asserting ones ideas within the masculine culture of leadership will not seem out of place to other members of the organization, and thus the change agents suggestion is likely to be taken up as it does not contradict cultural norms surrounding leadership within the CSMMD. Such a change will not only be beneficial to the organization currently by encouraging a new type of self-organization of process to arise, but also has the potential to prepare the organization to transition more easily into the fall semester and deal effectively with the power vacuum that the loss of Davis is likely to create by aiding others in seeing themselves as decision makers and leaders.

ORGANIZATIONAL ANALYSIS The second small change that I propose a change agent take up is the suggestion of imposing specific purpose on the time designated for the staff meeting. As discussed above, some in the CSMMD staff believe that the purpose of the meeting time should be to deal with

16

pragmatic business of the organization whereas others believe that the work of the organization is to continue the dialogue of internal development of the organization and further articulate the goals, mission, and vision of the group in order to guide practice. Given that this divide is already existent and also given that Davis will soon not be present to orchestrate a mediation between these two perspectives, it seems likely that this discussion about the fundamental work of the organization though already undertaken a few times under his direction could be a bifurcation point at which the organization must be pushed in order to chose a fork in the road down which to turn as it continues to develop. This strategy is also a small action, though the challenge it posses to the current order is quite a bit larger and more direct. However, I propose that the change agent make this suggestion in order to once again facilitate the development or emergence of new leadership within the organization. As previously discussed, Davis withdraw from the day-to-day operations of the CSMMD will likely leave a power vacuum at the core of the organization. In order for the CSMMD to continue evolving, and particularly if the desired path of evolution lies in furthering its success as a decentralized, learning oriented organization, the CSMMD must continue to lateralize its decision making processes and further share power and responsibility among the staff. This decision, though large in terms of its potential implications, seems to be presenting itself as a natural fork in the road at which a change agent can push for an alteration in course away from the centralization of power and authority that currently lies with Davis and towards a future of success for the organization.

ORGANIZATIONAL ANALYSIS

17

Issue 1: Centralized decision making authority Issue 2: Divided focus of the CSMMD- use of meeting time

Suggestion: Challenge group to proceed without approval from director

Suggestion: Offer counter points to opinions presented by director or other authority figueres

Suggestion: Represent the topic for discussion sans Davis' moderating influence

Issue 1: Though the organization by in large undertakes most decision making processes via a collaborative dialogue and consensus building, in the end, there seems to be a centralization of authority in Tracy Davis such that he holds ultimate decision making power. In order to bring the organization in line with itself - as well as to ensure that the CSMMD can continue to function while Tracy is on sabbatical in the fall I suggest that individuals take responsibility for challenging the group to move past looking to Tracy for final approval of all decisions.

Issue 2: The focus, and therefore resources, of the CSMMD are divided across many different areas of interest and opinions about the appropriate use of group time. I suggest that in order to push the group to make strategic choices regarding collective priorities the discussion be posed to the group in Tracys absence in order to further develop the groups functionality in his absence.

ORGANIZATIONAL ANALYSIS Reference Morgan, G. (2006). Images of organization. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications, Inc.

18