PUB3704 SUMMARIZED NOTES 2021.

PUB3704 SUMMARIZED NOTES 2021. THEORETICAL BASIS OF ORGANISATION  The study of organizations- studies the process of organizing from perspective of theory and practice.  Organizational behavior- relates to the behavior of individuals and groups within and between institutions.  Theory of organization covers the field of knowledge of the process of organization  Institution- represents formally arranged and contractually regulated groupings of employees and functions.  Organization- is the reaction and maintenance of interrelated network of authority, communication functions and positions.  Organizational culture: everything that an organization should do, values and beliefs that groups within the organization come to share these values. Institution- a formally arranged and contractually regulated grouping of employees and functions to pursue the stated objectives by means of organized operations. Three schools of thought in the philosophy of science.  Positivism- answers the question, ‘’why is reality as it is?’’  Empiricism- strives to find a factual answer to the question ‘’ what is reality?’’  Normativism- answers the question ‘’ what should reality be?’’ All schools of thought have the same importance and their application has to be integrated, according to the subject of research and aim of the scientific investigation in question. OBJECTIVES OF ORGANISING. 1. Organizing to achieve government objectives. Government receives demands from external environment e.g geographic, social and economic environments.  These demands from the community require the government to act and this can only take place if legislation has been approved by legislature and when the funds for execution of the policy are available.  Policy will then be implemented and evaluated. 2. ORGANISING TO ACHIEVE STRUCTURAL DESCRIPTIONS. Organizing relates to employees rather than equipments and buildings. a. ORGANISING FOR THE DIVISION OF LABOUR This is done by arranging individuals who are responsible for realizing the same objectives into certain patterns by creating particular relationships e.g between supervisors and subordinates. 2 b. Organizing to establish or promote standard practices. It is vital to bring about conformity within and between various institutions. Training stuff effectively will be possible. c. ORGANISING TO CREATE HIERARCHICAL STRUCTURES. The organizing process should make it possible to ascertain which functionaries are responsible for instructing subordinates to do activities that fulfill objectives of the government and which subordinates should carry out these instructions. d. ORGANISING TO CREATE CHANNELS OF COMMUNICATION It is essential to transfer information from one officer to another to realize the government’s objectives. Accurate and relevant information will be sent and received in good time if channels of communication are established. e. ORGANISING FOR STAFF TRAINING PROGRAMS Training should enhance job satisfaction among employees. STUDY UNIT 2- THEORIES OF ORGANISATION. An organization represents a functional institutional network which is aimed at realizing stated objectives. THE NATURE OF ORGANIZATIONS There are closed and open types of formed organizations. Closed systems are more formal and emphasize procedures, hierarchy, loyalty, authority and are bureaucratic and management focused. There is no need for interaction with their external environments, they are responsible for their survival. They will gradually consume their energy and resources and then lapse into entropy. Entropy is the decay of the universe. Open systems are flexible and can easily adapt to new demands.  They have more dynamic relationships with their external environments than do closed systems.  Survive and maintain their composition only for as long as more energy is received from the external environment. PRIMARY FEATURES OF ORGANIZATIONS  Centralization  Formalization  Complexity 3 ORGANISATIONAL DESIGNS: Classified into 4 theoretical approaches a. Holistic approach b. Mechanistic- production oriented c. Environmental situation- centred d. Humanistic people- centred CLOSED MODEL OF ORGANIZATION: 3 main schools of thought a. The scientific management school b. The bureaucratic school c. The administrative management school, known as the generic administrative school The bureaucratic school was proposed by Weber at the beginning of the 20th century. According to Weber, the characteristics of an ideal bureaucracy includes emphasis on the use of rules and regulations and a hierarchical structures as represented by offices and the positions of workers in such offices. Weber described the following principles: 1. The charismatic principle: based on dedication to an individual and the normative prescriptions and the behavior advocated by that individual. 2. The traditional principle: based on the sacrosanct nature of age- old traditions and the legitimacy of action by those who exercise their authority in terms of these traditions. 3. The rational principle: based on the legitimacy of normative prescriptions. SCIENTIFIC MANAGEMENT SCHOOL: The opinion is that administration consists of certain functions that are generic and can be carried out in any working environment. OPEN MODEL OF ORGANIZATION: Found more favor in the private than in the public sector. 3 main schools of thought: 1. The organizational development school 2. The humanistic school 3. The school that argues that any organization is intrinsically part of its environment. FOUR THEORIES OF ORGANIZATION 1. Resource dependence theory 2. Institutional theory 3. Transactional cost theory 4. Organizational ecology systems theory 4 STUDY UNIT 3 Strategy, structure and organizational efficiency Strategy definition: it is a general plan or set of plans intended to achieve something. It includes all the reasons why an institution exists, its objectives and its planning in order to realize its objectives. If an institution changes its objectives and strategies, then changes in other matters will follow. OBJECTIVES  Short -term objectives are objectives that an organization hopes to achieve within a year or any other particular period of review  Long- term objectives are those objectives that an organization cannot achieve within a year. ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE DEFINITION Organizational structure is a framework that allows organizational strategy to be realized. It relates to the relationship of the various components of the organization with each other and influences very significantly on the strategies that a company finds itself able to pursue successfully. ORGANIZATIONAL EFFICIENCY. Organizational work procedures designed properly act as a tool to ensure that time, resources and effort are effectively managed in accomplishing a particular task. The underlying assumption that the level effectiveness of an institution has an influence on the efficiency of the institution. EFFICIENCY AND EFFECTIVENESS Effectiveness is simply doing things right, while effectiveness is doing the right thing. What these definitions imply is that as far as government policy implementing is concerned, the process of ensuring the quality of the implementation process is as important as the process of selecting those policy objectives and achieving them. Additionally, efficiency in the public service is linked to the concept of productivity especially public productivity- public productivity is government’s improvement of efficiency and effectiveness in delivering its service programs and policies. INFLUENCE ON THE HUMAN RELATIONS SCHOOL ON ASSESSING EFFICIENCY. This school’s theorists are concerned with the emotional side or well -being of the workers in an institution. An institution is effective if its employees are satisfied and happy. THE ROLE OF OBJECTIVES IN ASSESSING EFFICIENCY The closer an institution comes to realizing its objectives, the more efficient it is. Since this approach doesn’t rely on comparative studies, it is possible to determine the efficiency of each individual institution separately. 5 THE ROLE OF RESOURCES IN ASSESSING EFFECIENCY Institutions need resources from the external environment so that they survive. Labor and raw materials are inputs necessary to produce the expected outputs. RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN PERFOMANCE & INTEREST GROUPS. -The relative power of an interest group over an institution determines the extent to which it influences that institution. -interest groups are those groups and individuals who have a vested interest in the performance of an institution, including employees of the institution, trade unions and members of local communities. Contradictory model: based on 4 central assumptions 1. Institutions are influenced by a multitude of internal and external interest groups who make contradictory demands. 2. Institutions have to apply and manage many contradictory schedules. 3. The activities of institutions take place in complex and complicated environments with multiple and contradictory demands. 4. Institutions sometimes have multiple and contradictory objectives. Study Unit 4. Scope and complexity of institutions. Complexity refers to the three divisions of labour namely; the horizontal division of labour, vertical division of labour (hierarchy) and the geographical distribution of departments or divisions to perform the activities. Centralization and Decentralization Centralization has 2 dimensions: Centralization of decision making and centralization of the activities of an institution. -Decentralization is closely related to the concept of hierarchy. It is synonymous to the delegation of authority. Concentration and De-concentration These have to do with decision making. -Concentration takes place when all decisions are made at one point, usually by official high up in the hierarchy. -De-concentration takes place when decisions are made lower down in the hierarchy. Specialization This refers to functions that require certain skills, insight and perhaps training from officials. 6 Flexibility Adapting to circumstances and current challenges Central and Supervision These usually take place along the lines of authority. Control and supervision should not be seen merely as a means of forcing people to work. Control is a tool to compel subordinates to keep within limits of their authority and to work according to the rules. Study Unit 5: Formal aspects of an organization Hierarchy is a system in which different classes or grades of employees with specific authority or status are arranged in ascending order at different levels. Delegation: It takes place when the person in authority yields some authority to his/her subordinates so that they may act independently, within limits -It is a technique introduced to facilitate performance. -It is the basis for all the processes of formal organization and regulates the relationships between supervisors and subordinates. Coordination: Achievement of consistent and harmonious behavior by people who work together to realize a common objective. -Each department of institution complements each other. Creation of authority As soon as an institution is established, the necessary powers have to be voted in a particular unit/person to issue instructions and take responsibility and thereby ensure that the units under its control will comply with certain norms and follow particular methods of action. Preserving the unity of authority -Subordinates should not be responsible to more than one person in a position of authority in respect of a particular matter. -The absence of a unity of authority in for e.g military organizations can cause irresponsibility, disruption, uncertainly and confusion. -It is necessary to have 2 sources of authority in intricate organizations involving admin and technical functions namely (1) that will control the technical side of operations and (2) a source for the administrative side. Span of leadership -One person should not be overloaded to a degree that there is an undermining of organization requirements. -One person can exercise control over a limited number of subordinates at one time or a limited number of activities at one time. 7 -The closer one moves to the apex of the hierarchy, the smaller the span of leadership. -The lower down one moves in the hierarchy, the wider the span may be. Communication -The maintenance and establishment of efficient and effective communication networks are of vital importance in the process of organization. -Communication takes place when people exchange ideas. -This takes place visually, verbally, through gestures, facial expressions and actions. -Communication follows specific channels. -It is used to obtain information and give instructions in an organizational unit. -Channels of communication may run horizontally or vertically. STUDY UNIT 6: TECHNOLOGY AND ORGANISATION Technology in an organization relates to the way in which an organization performs its task of delivering goods and services and the way in which management is able to control technology.  In this context it refers to the work carried out in an institution  It refers to the knowledge, tools , equipment and raw materials used to perform tasks in institutions as well as to the nature of the outputs of institutions. Levels of technology The governments of nations around the globe have responsibilities to their citizens to their citizens. For example they need to encourage economic growth, keep their citizens safe and provide public services. Yet government at different levels often encounter challenges in achieving citizens expectations. Advances in technologies can help but challenges must first be overcomed.