Chapter One

Organizations and
Organization Theory

What is an Organization?
b Definition:

1. Social entity
2. Goal directed
3. Designed as deliberately structured and
coordinated activity systems
4. Linked to the external environment

1
What is an Organization?

b Importance of Organizations
• Bring together resources to achieve desired
goals and outcomes
• Produce goods and services efficiently
• Facilitate innovation
• Use modern manufacturing and computer-
based technology

b Importance of Organizations (cont’d)

• Adapt to and influence a changing
environment
• Create value for owners, customers and
employees
• Accommodate ongoing challenges of diversity,
ethics, and the motivation and coordination of
employees

2
 An Open System
and Its Subsystems
Environment

Raw Materials Transformation

People
Products
Information Input Output
resources and
Financial Services
resources
Process

Production,
Boundary Boundary
Subsystems Spanning
Maintenance,
Spanning
Adaptation,
Management

Five Basic Parts of an

Organization
Top
Management

Technical Middle Administrative

Support Management Support

Technical Core

Source: Based on Henry Mintzberg, The Structuring of Organizations (Englewood Cliffs, N. J.: Prentice-Hall, 1979) 215-297;
and Henry Mintzberg, “Organization Design: Fashion or Fit?” Harvard Business Review 59 (Jan. – Feb. 1981): 103-116.

3
 Organization Chart Illustrating the Hierarchy of Authority
for a Community Job Training Program

Board of
Directors

Advisory Executive
Committee Committee

Level 1 Executive
Director

Level 2 Assistant Executive Director Assistant Executive Director

for Community Service for Human Services

Level 3 Director Director Director Director Director Director Director

Economic Dev. Reg. Planning Housing Criminal Justice Finance AAA CETA

Public Asst. Director Lead Lead

Info Finance Counsel Counsel
Coord.

CETA CETA CETA

CETA
Couns. Couns. Couns.
Intake
Program Contract Program Devs. Devs. Devs.
&
Housing Alcohol Spec. Fiscal Planner Title II Youth Title II D CETA
Level 4 Coord. Coord.
Account.
AAA Manager AAA
Orient
ABC IV &VI&VII Planner

Records
Level 5 Clerk
Secretary Secretary Adm. Asst Payroll Clerk Secretary MIS Specialist Staff Clerk Adm. Asst.

Goals and
Strategy
Environment Size

Culture Technology
Structure
1. Formalization
2. Specialization
3. Hierarchy of Authority
4. Centralization
5. Professionalism
6. Personnel Ratios

4
 Characteristics of three
Organizations
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TECHNOLOGY Manufacturing Retailing Government
Service
SIZE (#employees) 4,200 200,000 35

Two Organization Design

Paradigms
Mechanical System Paradigm Natural System Paradigm

Vertical Horizontal
Structure Structure

Routine Rigid Organizational Change Adaptive

Empowered
Tasks Culture in the service of Culture
Roles
performance and
survival

Formal Competitive Shared

Collaborative
Systems Strategy Information Strategy

Stable Environment Turbulent Environment

Efficient Performance Learning Organization

Source: Adapted from David K. Hurst, Crisis and Renewal: Meeting the Challenge of Organizational Change(Boston, Mass.: Harvard Business School)