LSS 300

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LSS 300

• ORGANISATIONS AND SOCIETY

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What are organisations?

• Any group of people coming together for a
  particular common purpose
• Not necessarily constrained by geography

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What are organisations? cont

• Organisations are
• technologies
• social structures
• cultures and
• physical structures that overlay and
  interpenetrate one another within a given
  environment
• characterised by having
• a stated purpose
• - but does not preclude unstated purposes

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What are organisations? cont

• Organisations are entities which often have
• spatial locations
• overt / covert purposes
• structures
• cultures
• which influence peoples lives

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Historical Development

• Main tasks of organisations
• Historically
• Soldiering
• Public Administration
• Tax Collection

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Contemporary Development

• Main tasks of organisations
• Contemporary
• teaching / research
• re-socialisation (prisons / hospitals)
• production / distribution of goods
• protection (persons / goods)
• preservation of culture
• communication
• recreation

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Contemporary Roles of Organisations

• To serve the Free Market
• foremost model for production / trade / services
• the development of organisations is the
  principle mechanism by which in a highly
  differentiated society, it is possible to get
  things done, to achieve goals beyond the reach
  of the individual
• Parsons (1960 p. 41)

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Contemporary Roles of Organisations cont

• Organisations can do what individuals cant
• Organisations are mechanisms by which goals are
  pursued, values are enforced / changed, and
  behaviour regulated
• Organisations can take actions, use resources,
  enter contracts and own property

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Why study organisations?

• Productivity Control
• Political Influence / Control
• Interest Groups / Lobby Organisations
• e.g., Environmental Groups, Trade Unions
• Organisations have power of control
• e.g., production
• distribution
• innovation

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Why study Organisational Theory?

• No one singular, integrated, over-arching theory
  or truth about organisations
• Diversity is a reflection of the challenging
  field of study and draws inspiration from a
  variety of other disciplines
• OT assists in developing flexibility in studying
  the complexities of organisations and societies
• OT alerts us to the difficulties and the
  multi-dimensionality of organisations

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SUMMARY

• The study of Organisations and Organisation
  Theory is a challenging and complex task
• No one theory can provide all of the conceptual,
  practical and political answers to the
  development / maintenance of organisational
  dominance
• Alerts us to the subtle, as well as the overt,
  influences of organisations on individuals and
  societies