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Gainako on-line Newspaper (GON) Motto: Guardianship & Independence |
Quote of the Day Crawling Calf says: " If A is success in life, then A equals x plus y plus z. Work is x; y is play; and z is keeping your mouth shut. " -Albert Einstein |
ALL HUMANS MUST UNDERSTAND THE CONTROL OF COMPLEX ORGANIZATIONS OR PARTY By Michael B Banutu-Gomez.....................Posted March 12th, 2007 |
I consider organizational goals as the optimistic future domains wanted by those in the dominant coalition. Interdependent individuals who collectively have satisfactory control of organizational or party resources establish organizational goals. For this fundamental reason, individuals in exceptionally discretionary jobs have a strong motivation to avoid decisions, which would hopefully end their spheres of action. This motivation contributes to the inflexibility that hinders many organizations. Unfortunately, an average expectation of the emergence of the omnipotent individual is consistent with the Western rational model of organizations, nevertheless, conditions which are compatible with the natural system model may now be readily occurring as the complexity of technologies and globalization exceed the comprehension of any one individual and the organization or party faces more contingencies than one individual is able to keep under surveillance anywhere in a competitive environment. The necessary variables of precise decision are beliefs about cause/effect and preferences regarding outcomes, determined by societal or organizational culture of any given party. Where there is certainty regarding causation and outcome preferences, as in traditional Western bureaucratic systems, a computational strategy is used for decision-making, in other words, decisions are 'programmed' according to a pre-established scientific formula. Where outcome preferences are clear but cause/effect relationships are uncertain, a judgmental strategy is used which is most often described as traditionally non-scientific decision-making. When there is certainty regarding cause/effect but uncertainty regarding preferred outcomes because cultural values are in question or personal party hidden agenda, as is the case in many modern societies , a compromise strategy is used for decision-making. When there is uncertainty in both dimensions because societies are moving toward social chaos, people rely on inspirational strategies for decision-making by purposely creating new religions, positive future of a country or by returning to old ones. Organizational or party change is superbly accomplished by a small committee which meets informally and individually with each member of the organization or party until the necessary series of compromises appear to mesh. That is when each party leader's agenda are no longer priority then hope for a sustained coalition will be the top priority. When this has happens, consensus has been skillfully achieved. At this particular point, a vote is not a decision but rather, a formal acknowledgement or ratification of the consensus that has been laid as the needy foundation for all involved even party supporters. In a highly complex organization or party, a powerful individual can, by the exercise critical leadership, come to represent the organization or the party. He or she can only do so with the consent and approval of the dominant coalition. Therefore, leadership rests on consensus, which rests on values inherent in organizational or party culture. For the rapid, abrupt adaptation of an organization to a new set of precise circumstances, a flag bearer or party leader must first challenge shared assumptions and then substitute one decision premise for another by re-arranging the priority of preferred outcomes by putting away his or her personal own beliefs and values. With the critical modification of organizational or party culture by the use of cultural forms, he or she is able to indoctrinate and enforce a new organizational or party paradigm, which will inform discretion and thus, behavior. I view this as being a vibrant and superb politician. CO-ALIGNMENT: THE BASIC ADMINISTRATIVE FUNCTION OF ANY ORGANIZATION OR PARTY In a living organization such as organism, which is simply a natural interconnected system, spontaneous processes such as natural selection handle change. In an artificial organization such as a computer, or any other machine, after it is designed and manufactured, it automatically adjusts to change, given the strict limitations of its design. Therefore, for Party leaders to successfully instantly bring positive change in a country has to continuously adopt to change. In contrast, I am convinced that, subtle complications which face complex social organizations Parties call for something more than closed-logic practical solutions. Organizational or party survival depends on the co-alignment of technology, people and task environment with a viable domain, and of organizational or party design and structure appropriate to that domain. Timing is a crucial administrative matter because as environments change, the administration must deal with not just domain but further, how and how fast to redesign the structure, align people and technology of the organization or party, in other words, negotiate a sharply revised set of operational rules. I believe that, the configuration necessary for survival does not come from yielding to environmental pressures but rather, from finding the strategic limits variables, such as organizational or party culture, available to be manipulated in such a way that interaction with elements in the environment will result in a viable co-alignment." The fundamental task of the administrative process is the comprehensive search for flexibility because this is what will sustain a coalition or party. To skillfully achieve flexibility, the administrative process is not something done at one level in the organization or party, but spans and links all levels. The administrative process does not absolutely flows down from one level to the next, but informs the interaction of all levels and units of the organization or party. All involved have to dance to the same tune and speak the same language so that there will be no misunderstanding. Complex organizations or parties must utilize organizational or party culture principles to diligently accomplish this. Organizational or Party culture is appropriate for this task because "outcome preferences are specified by the institutional level of the organization or party, while specification of cause/effect relationships is generously provided by the managerial level which controls the different kinds of resources inputs constantly obtained and the welcome kinds of interdependence reflected in organizational or party structure. Organizational or Party culture can provide the managerial level with what it requires to obtain long term commitments from the institutional level which permit technical achievement while at the same time, obtain commitments from the technical core which provide sufficient capacity and slack to permit administrative discretion and commitment of resources when organizational or party change is demanded by the environment and supporters. When administrative processes seek to solve organizational or party problems, more often than not they use simple concepts of causality which direct them to 1) search for solutions to symptoms, 2) search for realistic solutions based on currently available alternatives, and 3) search for solutions in organizationally vulnerable areas (finger pointing). I comply that this propositions regarding organizations in action describe but one of at least two styles of organizational action. It is possible to conceive of monitoring behavior which scans the environment for opportunities - which does not wait to be activated by a problem and which does not therefore stop when a problem solution has been found. I expect opportunistic surveillance to be found at the institutional level of the organization or party. Yet, what accounts for the relative scarcity of opportunistic surveillance? I am puzzles. I believe the answer to this question can be found in the personal attributes of administrators, leaders, party supporters and in the organizational or party structures they operate. Perhaps, this behavior is not commonly found because it constantly requires the creation of a new type of organizational or party culture, calling for a different type of leadership and new forms of organizational or party design and strategic operation. I blame the widespread bias toward certainty which shows up as a preference for short-term rather than long-term considerations, quantitative rather than qualitative data, and precedent rather than innovation. I believe that intolerance for ambiguity causes an administrative, leadership, party supporters bias toward certainty. I note, if the powerful inner circle is composed solely of individuals with responsibilities in the managerial or leadership level, we would expect problematic search, not opportunistic surveillance to prevail. The conversion of administrators from managerial and leadership to institutional responsibilities entails a shift in attention from all levels of our organizations or parties. I recently convinced that for us to successfully succeed in this endeavor we must first change our lifelong attitude, practice and behavior towards each other as well as our country and parties and government involved so that we can instantly bring a positive change for all to enjoy. We need each other regardless of our political or religious affiliation to purposely create a better organization, party, government or country. Michael Ba Banutu-Gomez, Ph.D. Associate Professor Rowan University William G. Rohrer College of Business Department of Management & MIS 2001 Mullica Hill Road Glassboro, New Jersey 08028-1701 Tel. 856-256-5425 Banutu-gomez@rowan.edu © Copyright, 2006-2007: Gainako On-line Newspaper. Site Maintained by Gamway Computers |