Organizational Metaphors

Term Paper # 49626

Business > Management

A discussion on the organization of work according to the business environment in which organizations operate.

2,750 words () | 6 sources | MLA | 2003 Turkey

Paper Summary:

This paper describes the ways which work is organized and the way in which information technology is employed in organizations in terms of metaphors such as the machine, the organism and the brain respectively. It discusses the definition of the word ?metaphor? and its significance for understanding organizations. For each metaphor, their fundamental concepts are examined, after which theories and principles developed to aid our understanding of these three specific metaphors are discussed. The metaphors are then analyzed for their effectiveness and appropriateness for our understanding of recent developments in the use of information technology in organizations.

Outline
What is a Metaphor?
The Machine Metaphor
Theories on Mechanistic Approach
Basic Characteristics
Strengths and Limitations
The Organism Metaphor
Theories on Organismic Approach
Basic Characteristics
Strengths and Limitations
The Brain Metaphor
Theories on the Brain Metaphor
Basic Characteristics
Strengths and Limitations
Conclusion

From the Paper:

"Founders of the this theory, Lyndall Urwick, Henri Fayol and F.Mooney, took planning, coordination and control features of management as the core of their theory. The implementation of this theory creates hierarchically structured bureaucratic organizations with predetermined objectives, pre-defined jobs and specifically defined lines of communication and command. This kind of an organization design is similar with a machine design. They focused more on efficient operation of organizations so treated organizations as if they were machines and they ignored the human side. Their main objective was to make human fit the mechanical organizations."