3.1.4 Main categories of organization theory

Lecture



The categories of organization theory are the most general and fundamental concepts that reflect essential universal properties and stable relations (connections) in the processes and structure of an organization.

The main categories of the theory of organization (organizations * ) include:

  • the concept and essence of the organization;
  • types of organizations;
  • general characteristics of organizations;
  • mission of organizations * ;
  • organization life cycle;
  • principles of functioning of organizations;
  • external and internal environment of organizations;
  • organizational culture. *

The concept and essence of the organization. With the advent of man on earth, the need for organization immediately arose. Adam tried to build a relationship with Eve. The leader of the first tribe became such thanks to the organization. The first state emerged as a system organized in a certain way.

Organizations surround the modern man throughout his life. In numerous organizations - kindergartens, schools, universities, enterprises, sports clubs - most people spend most of their time. Organizations create products and services; determine the order of life in society and monitor its observance; are a means of expressing our interests and views.

Why do organizations exist? In most cases, people join forces and organize to achieve any physical, personal or economic advantage. People are organized under the influence of the belief that this is the best way to achieve their goals. At the same time, the organization strives to achieve not only its formalized goals, but also the personal goals of its members. And the latter is given no less importance than the first. Indeed, if the organization were suddenly unable to meet the goals of its employees, it would quickly lose them.

Also important is the fact that people in the process of joining the organization sacrifice part of their freedom. They do this in order to achieve personal and organizational goals. That is, the term "organization" represents a compromise between personal independence and the achievement of a goal.

Organization * is the basis of the world of managers, it is the reason for the existence of management. Therefore, it is necessary to understand what an organization is and why it should be managed.

The concept of organization comes from the French word organization - I report a slender appearance, I arrange it and has three interpretations:

  1. Internal orderliness, consistency, interaction of more or less differentiated and autonomous parts of the whole, due to its structure.
  2. The set of processes or actions leading to the formation and improvement of the relationship between parts of a whole.
  3. The unification of people jointly implementing a program or goal and acting on the basis of certain rules and procedures.

An organization is an association of people working together whose activities are consciously coordinated to achieve certain common goals.

Under the organization should be understood an enterprise, firm, educational institution, etc. labor formations. With all the differences in scale, scope and activities of various organizations, they have several common features:

  1. The presence of end goals or at least one goal for people working together;
  2. The existence of stable relationships between members of the organization and the rules governing the order of these relationships, expressed through the organizational structure * and culture of behavior;
  3. Constant interaction with the external environment;
  4. The use of all kinds of resources to achieve the goals of the organization.

Organization is a complex organism. Interests of the individual and groups, incentives and restrictions, rigid technology and innovations, unconditional discipline and free creativity, regulatory requirements and informal initiatives are intertwined and get along together. Organizations have their own appearance, their own culture, their traditions and reputation. They develop confidently when they have a sound strategy and use resources efficiently. They are rebuilt when they no longer meet their chosen goals. They die when they are unable to perform their tasks.

Without knowing the essence of organizations and without understanding the patterns of their development, one cannot either control them, use them for the benefit of each person and in the interests of all, or switch to modern technologies in their activities. Why organizations are needed, how they are created and developed, on what principles they are built, why and how they change, what opportunities they open up, why their participants act this way and not otherwise - the organization's theory, based on a synthesis of the latest world experience, is intended to provide answers to these questions.

It is difficult to overestimate the importance of the scientific substantiation of all aspects of the formation and effective functioning of organizations for the current conditions of Russia, when difficult and diverse processes of a radical change in socio-economic systems occur. New requirements for the construction and behavior of organizations impose market relations, entrepreneurial activity, the transition to various forms of ownership, changing functions and methods of government regulation and management. Organizations are experiencing the increasing pace and scale of revolutionary changes in the technological base of production. The transition to an effective organization and management built on scientific principles is not only necessary, not only possible, but has become the main condition for the successful implementation of economic reforms. The competition of products and services has become, essentially speaking, the competition of organizations, the forms used and the skill of managing them.

Types of organizations. The classification of organizations is carried out according to the following criteria:

  • relation to profits;
  • legal form (form of ownership);
  • special purpose;
  • the breadth of the production profile;
  • the nature of the combination of science and production;
  • the number of stages of production;
  • location of the enterprise;
  • size of the enterprise (Fig.2.2)

In addition, by the criterion of formalization , formal * and informal * organizations are distinguished. The above definitions of "organization" are valid for formal organization.

Formal organizations have clearly defined goals, formalized rules, structure, and connections; This includes all business organizations, state and international institutions and bodies.

Informal organizations are groups that arise spontaneously, but where people interact with each other quite regularly. And although they do not have an official leader (appointed or chosen), informal organizations are very important and exist in all formal organizations, except perhaps very small ones. They work without clearly defined goals, rules and structures; This includes all the institutions of family, friendship, informal relationships between people.

In relation to profit, organizations are divided into commercial and non-commercial. The former pursue as their main goal the achievement of a certain profit from the use of property, the sale of goods, the performance of work and the provision of services; .

By the size of the organization are grouped into large, medium and small. Small businesses include:

  • in industry, construction and transport - 100 people;
  • in agriculture and science and technology - 60 people;
  • in wholesale trade - 50 people;
  • in retail and consumer services - 30 people;
  • in other industries and in the implementation of other activities - 50 people.

The size of medium-sized enterprises by the criterion of employment is determined in the range from 100 to 300 people, large - from 300 (and in some industries - from 500) people and above. It is the latter that play the leading role in the modern economy, although their number is relatively small.

In the definition of the organization * it was said that the organization always has at least one common goal, shared and recognized by all its members. But formal management rarely deals with organizations that have only one goal. Organizations with a set of interrelated goals are complex organizations.

  3.1.4 Main categories of organization theory

Fig. 2.2. Classification of organizations by a number of signs

General characteristics of organizations. All complex organizations are not only groups of people, focused in their activities and have a specific set of interrelated goals, they also have characteristics and characteristics common to all complex organizations : resources, dependence on the external environment, horizontal and vertical division of labor, divisions. These common characteristics make it possible to understand why an organization needs to be managed in order to succeed .

Resources. In general terms, the goals of any organization include the transformation of limited resources to achieve results. The main resources used by the organization are people (human resources), money, materials, technology and information.

Dependence on the external environment. One of the most significant characteristics of the organization is its relationship with the external environment. Organizations are completely dependent on the external environment - both in terms of their resources, and in terms of consumers, users, and their results.

The term "external environment" includes consumers, suppliers, government acts, legislation, competing organizations, equipment and technology, international environment and other components.

Horizontal division of labor. The most obvious characteristic of an organization is the division of labor. The division of all work into constituent components is usually called the horizontal division of labor.

A classic example of a horizontal division of labor in a manufacturing enterprise, for example, is manufacturing, marketing, and finance. They represent the main activities that must be successfully performed in order for the firm to achieve its goals.

Divisions. Complicated organizations provide a clear horizontal division due to the formation of units that perform specific, specific tasks and achieve specific specific goals. Such units are often called divisions or services.

Like the whole organization, units are groups of people whose activities are consciously directed and coordinated to achieve a common goal. Thus, in essence, large and complex organizations consist of several interconnected units specially created for specific purposes and numerous informal groups that arise spontaneously.

Vertical division of labor. Since the work in the organization is divided into relevant parts, someone must coordinate the work of the group in order for it to be successful. Thus, in an organization there are two organic forms of the division of labor. The first is the division of labor into components that make up parts of a common activity, i.e. horizontal division of labor. The second, called vertical, separates the work of coordinating actions from the actions themselves.

The mission of the organization. * One of the main tasks of management is to establish goals, for the achievement of which the organization is formed as an integral system. The objective function begins with the establishment of the overall goal of the organization, expressing the reason for its existence. Usually it is denoted by the concept of "mission" . It details the status of the enterprise, defines the principles of its work, defines the most important characteristics of the organization. The form of the mission statement, as a rule, is a charter or another similar document in which the management of the organization determines the goals of the company and brings these ideas to all employees.

The mission details the status of the firm and provides direction and guidance for defining goals and strategies at various organizational levels. The mission statement of the organization should contain the following:

  1. The task of the company in terms of its basic services or products, its main markets and core technologies. Simply put, what kind of business does the firm do?
  2. The external environment in relation to the company, which defines the working principles of the company.
  3. Culture of organization. What type of working climate exists within the firm? What kind of people are attracted to this climate?

Although the mission is undoubtedly of extreme importance to the organization, one should not underestimate the imprint imposed on the firm by the values ​​and goals of top management. Top management preserves and respects certain values, which are manifested in the choice of management type, as well as in the organization.

The mission forms the foundation for setting the goals of the organization as a whole, its divisions and functional subsystems (marketing, production, personnel, finance, management), each of which sets and implements its goals, logically derived from the overall goal of the enterprise. Goals are the specification of the organization’s mission in a form that is available for managing the process of their implementation.

Company-wide goals are formulated and established on the basis of the overall mission of the organization and the specific values ​​and goals that top management orients. To make a true contribution to an organization’s success, objectives must have a number of characteristics.



    1. Specific and measurable goals. First, the goals must be specific and measurable. For example, the primary goal of some firms is to meet the needs of their employees. Estimated requirements to achieve the goal: to increase the satisfaction of their employees by 10% per year; increase promotion by 15% per year; reduce staff turnover by 10% per year. Such a specific statement accurately tells people that, in the opinion of management, they are the required levels of formation of satisfied employees.

Expressing their goals in concrete, measurable forms, management will create a clear base of reference for subsequent decisions and assessment of progress. Middle managers will have a guideline to decide whether more efforts should be made to educate and educate employees. It will also be easier to determine how well the organization is working towards achieving its goals.

    1. Targeting time. Goals are usually set for long or short time intervals. A long-term goal has a planning horizon of about five years, sometimes more for technically advanced firms. The short-term goal in most cases is one of the plans of the organization, which should be completed within a year. Medium-term goals have a planning horizon from one to five years.

Long-term goals usually have a very broad framework. The organization formulates them first. Then, medium- and short-term goals are developed to ensure long-term goals. Usually, the closer the target planning horizon, the narrower its scope.

  1. Achievable goals. The goal must be achievable in order to serve the effectiveness of the organization. Setting a goal that exceeds the capacity of the organization due to insufficient resources or external factors can lead to disastrous consequences.

  2. Mutually supporting goals. Finally, to be effective, the multiple goals of an organization must be mutually supportive — that is, actions and decisions necessary to achieve one goal should not interfere with the achievement of other goals. The impossibility of goals to be mutually supportive leads to a conflict between organizational units that are responsible for achieving the established goals.

The science of management has not developed any universal rules applied in the formation of the mission. Therefore, there are many different approaches to the definition of the mission and its content, reflecting the assessment of the role and importance of the organization.

There is a broad and narrow understanding of the mission. With a broad interpretation, the mission is considered as an affirmation of the philosophy and purpose, the meaning of the existence of the organization. The organization's philosophy defines the values, beliefs and principles on which the organization will focus in its activities.

In the case of a narrow interpretation, the mission is treated as a statement revealing the meaning of the existence of an organization, in which this organization is different from other similar ones.

The main thing in the mission is to answer the question: what is the main goal of the organization? As an example, the formulation of the Avtovaz company’s mission can be cited - as providing people with affordable transport. The field of activity of the company is the production of transport, with a focus on a wide range of consumers.

The mission should not depend on the current state of the organization, the forms and methods of its work, since, in general, it expresses the aspiration to the future, showing what efforts will be directed to and what methods will be given priority. Поэтому в миссии не принято указывать в качестве главной цели получение прибыли, так как миссия может существенно ограничить спектр рассматриваемых организационных путей и направлений развития и в конечном счете приведет к неэффективной работе.

Примеры формулировки миссии: акционерное общество, государственное предприятие - деятельность направлена на производство конкурентоспособной продукции, сохранение и развитие научно-технического потенциала общества, поддержание высокого уровня разработок, создание новых рабочих мест и культуры производства, сохранение и защита окружающей среды. Инвестиционная компания - инвестирование капитала в любую область, работающую прибыльно и имеющую потенциал дальнейшего роста.

Жизненный цикл организации. Жизненный цикл организации подобен жизни человека. И не случайно некоторые авторы при рассмотрении стадий развития организации называют такие этапы, как рождение, детство, отрочество и т.д. Как и люди, организации зарождаются, развиваются, добиваются успехов, ослабевают и либо обновляются и процветают, либо, прекращают свое существование. Немногие из них существуют бесконечно долго (например, церковь), ни одна не живет без изменений. Новые организации создаются ежедневно. В то же время каждый день сотни организаций ликвидируются навсегда. Руководитель должен знать, на каком этапе развития находится организация, и оценивать, насколько принятый стиль руководства соответствует этому этапу.

Широко распространенное понятие о жизненном цикле организаций позволяет видеть: существуют отчетливые этапы, через которые проходят организации, и переходы от одного этапа к другому являются предсказуемыми, а не случайными.

Жизненный цикл используется для объяснения того, как продукт (услуга) проходит через этапы рождения или формирования, роста, зрелости и упадка.

На основе проводимых исследований и обобщения накопленного опыта стадии жизненного цикла организации можно представить в следующем виде (табл. 2.2).

Т а б л и ц а 2 . 2 .

Жизненный цикл организации

N п / п

Стадии

Characteristic

one.

Birth

Целеустремленность, способность рисковать, сплоченность и взаимодействие, преданность делу, работоспособность, новизна продукции, малые масштабы.

2

Childhood

Опасный период (неудача из-за некомпетентности и неопытности руководителя). Стабилизация расходов и ассортимента продукции, рост масштабов.

3

Youth

Рост организации рывками, становление планирования, разработка бюджетов, прогнозов, увеличивается прием на работу специалистов, стабилизация управленческой структуры, повышается качество управления.

four.

Зрелость

Экспансия, дифференциация, диверсификация. Самостоятельность структурных подразделений, делегирование полномочий, организация обучения, оценка эффективности. Борьба за власть, нарастание самодовольства, благодушие, темпы роста замедляются.

five.

Старение

"Закупорка артерий" - бюрократическая волокита, слабая мотивация, громоздкая система контроля, закрытость новым идеям. Падение прибыли.

6

Обновление или банкротство

Новая команда руководителей, перестройка структуры (реорганизация), программа внутреннего организационного развития, обновление продукции или ликвидация организации.

Принципы функционирования организации. Разработка проблем научного управления, развернувшаяся в начале XX столетия и сосредоточившая свое внимание на деятельности и специализации руководителя, столкнулась с необходимостью анализа построения и создания принципов функционирования организации в целом. Ответом на эту потребность практики стали работы Генри Файоля, предложившего ряд организационных принципов (правил). Он рассматривал искусство управления как выбор соответствующих (правил) принципов для данной ситуации. Файоль предложил четырнадцать принципов, хотя и утверждал, что их может быть намного больше (разделение труда, власть и ответственность, дисциплина, единоначалие и др.). Реализация принципов управления приводит организацию к успеху и наоборот (см. § 1.1.2 ).


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