COMP 101 Lecture Notes - Lecture 1: Machiavellianism, C Preprocessor, Panopticon
MA#Beleid,#communicatie#en#organisatie:#Organizational#Sciences,#2015<2016.#Door:#Ilse#Gerrits#
1#
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Summary'Organization'Sciences'–'Ilse'Gerrits'
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Lecture'1:'Introduction'
'
The#most#common#definition#of#organizations:##
1. a#deliberately#planned#group;##
2. with#a#specific#goal#(which#can#change#overtime);#
3. designed#to#outlive#the#participation#of#a#particular#
individual;#
4. with#a#developed#set#of#formal#rules;#
5. and#a#fixed#structure#of#roles;#
6. independent#from#personal#characteristics#of#the#person#
fulfilling#the#roles.##
There#is#also#an#informal#part#to#organizations,#which#influences#the#formal#goals.##
#
The#most#influential#typologies#on#the#studying#of#organizations#are#defined#as:#
1. Rational(theory:#organizations#are#instruments#designed#to#reach#its#goals#by#using#logical#plans,#impersonal#rules#
and#rational#divisions#of#labour#and#tasks.#
2. Natural(theory:#organizations#are#more#than#their#formal#rules,#roles#and#goals.#They#are#places#where#people#try#to#
satisfy#their#own#needs#and#goals,#which#may#contradict#the#organizations#needs#and#goals.#Hence,#there#is#more#
room#for#human#influences.#
3. Open(systems(theory:#external#environment#is#part#of#an#organization.#Therefore#the#relationship#between#the#
organization#and#its#environment#should#be#studied#closely.##
#
Bartunek'(2006)'A'What'makes'management'research'interesting'and'why'does'it'matter?'
Having#interesting#literature#is#important#because:#
1. Scholars#with#interesting#research#are#more#influential#
2. Interesting#research#produces#a#higher#degree#of#learning#
3. Interesting#research#attracts#motivated#and#talented#readers,#potentially#going#on#to#write#interesting#research#
#
Interesting#management#research#literature#should:#
1. …#be#counter<intuitive:#going#against#expectations#
2. …#be#of#good#quality:#well<crafted#theory,#sophisticated#methodology#
3. …#have#good#writing:#well<framed#arguments,#building#momentum,#clear#and#engaging#text#
4. …#create#new#theory#or#adding#to#a#current#theory#
5. …#talk#about#practical#implications,#why#and#how#it#can#be#used#
6. …#have#an#impact#to#stimulate#new#research#
#
Lecture'2:'Control'and'surveillance'
Hard#coercion#(formal#control):#a#mechanism#to#define#what#people#do#in#an#organization.#(Taylor)#
Soft#coercion#(informal#control):#based#on#influencing#the#behaviour#of#people#by#socialization,#norms,#values#(HRT)#
'
Text'I:'Weber'(1924):'Bureaucracy'and'legitimate'authority.'
“Bureaucracy#is#the#most#efficient#form#of#organization”#
#
Founding#father#of#the#sociology#of#organizations.#Mainly#concerned#with#changing#patterns#of#political#authority#and#
governmental#organization.#Three#types#of#authority:#
1. Charismatic(authority:#A#way#of#organizing#based#upon#individual#characteristics#of#the#leader.#Based#on#devotion,#
heroism.#Often,#without#the#charismatic#leader,#the#organization#will#fall#apart.#I.e.:#Geert#Wilders.#
2. Traditional(authority:#based#on#long<standing#principles#and#traditions#such#as#heritage,#not#on#qualifications#of#
people.#Well#organized,#but#based#upon#fear,#intimidation#and#exclusion.#I.e.:#medieval#monarchy.#
3. Rational7legal(authority:#based#on#impersonal#rules#and#roles.#It#is#impersonal#and#the#one#in#charge#is#there#
because#he#is#an#expert.#It#follows#principles#of#hierarchy,#there#is#no#personal#possession,#all#decisions#and#rules#are#
recorded#in#writing.#People#are#only#subject#to#authority#with#respect#to#their#working#obligations.#It#is#domination#
through#knowledge,#which#makes#it#specifically#rational.#I.e.:#bureaucracy.#
#
- According#to#Weber,#bureaucracy#is#a#human#machine,#symbolizing#efficiency#and#with#dehumanizing#potential.##
- All#elements#are#systematically#planned,#which#makes#workers#highly#flexible#and#adaptable#to#do#many#different#
tasks.#But#never#at#once!#
- Weber#believed#bureaucracy#and#democracy#were#complementary,#because#both#entail#equality#and#reject#
privilege.#
- The#growth#of#bureaucracy#wasn’t#a#blessing#per#se,#because#with#impersonalization#also#comes#a#loss#of#affection,#
enthusiasm#and#initiative.#Also,#bureaucracy#leads#to#alienation,#you#can#hide#behind#the#rules#(I.e.:#Hannah#Arendt#
studying#Adolf#Eichmann)#
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MA#Beleid,#communicatie#en#organisatie:#Organizational#Sciences,#2015<2016.#Door:#Ilse#Gerrits#
2#
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Text'2:'Taylor'(1911):'Principles'of'scientific'management'
Three#principles#in#scientific#management:#
1. Dissociation(of(the(labour(process#from#the#skills#of#the#workers,#making#labour#independent#of#craft#and#tradition.#
2. Separation(of(conception(from(execution:#workers#have#to#execute#the#work#that’s#planned#out,#without#any#
conception#of#why.##
3. Use(of(monopoly(over(knowledge#to#ensure#management#control.#Every#task#is#written#out#in#detail,#leaving#no#
individual#initiative.##
#
Taylor#saw#groups#of#workers#in#his#factory#deliberately#keeping#the#pace#of#work#low,#to#keep#standards#low.#To#break#this#
habit,#he#wanted#to#organize#factory#work#and#manage#the#factory#workers#more#efficiently.##
Scientific#Management:#the#science#of#work#through#observation#and#management.##
- Time#and#Motion#studies#were#used#to#determine#the#one#best#way#to#do#a#job,#standardizing#the#human#input.#All#
labour#was#divided#and#workers#had#to#do#one#task#repetitively.##
- As#an#incentive,#individuals#would#receive#a#bonus#if#they#met#their#targets.#Taylor#thought#this#would#keep#
employees#from#rising#up;#their#jobs#became#easier#and#they#could#make#more#money.#
#
This#didn’t#work#as#planned#because#management#in#factories#used#the#Time#and#Motion#studies#to#up#the#speed#and#targets,#
thus#employees#had#to#work#harder#for#the#same#pay.##
#
Organizational#communication#from#a#Tayloristic#perspective:#functions#to#organize#task#performance#and#to#clarify#tasks#and#
rules.#It#is#primarily(top(down.#
#
Text'3:'Braverman'(1974):'Degradation'of'work'in'the'20th'century'
Braverman#was#very#critical#of#Taylor,#saying#Scientific#Management#is#just#a#way#to:#
1. Lower#labour#costs#because#everyone#can#do#the#same,#no#one#is#specialized#in#anything#
2. Increase#worker#effort:#setting#higher#standards#because#every#tasks#is#most#efficiently#planned.#
3. Limit#workers’#autonomy:#worker#can#only#to#the#task#designed#for#the#day,#cannot#slack#off.#
4. Enhance#management#control:#by#hoarding#knowledge#on#the#production#process#it’s#denying#workers#a#wider#
knowledge#of#the#production#process,#thus#safeguarding#management#control.##
#
Text'7:'Homans'(1941):'The'Hawthorne'experiments'
The#early#human#relations#movement#was#the#first#criticism#on#the#rational#models#of#organizing,#arguing#that#organizations#
should#be#seen#as#human#and#social#systems.##
#
Most#famous#HRT<research#is#the#Hawthorne#experimentation,#which#was#divided#in#three#sections:#
1. Lightning(experiments#(1926):#Looking#at#the#effect#of#varying#physical#conditions#on#workers.##
a. output#rose#when#conditions#where#better#
b. output#rose#too#when#conditions#were#the#same#or#worse.##
c. The#explanation#for#this#was#that#it#didn’t#matter#what#happened,#because#being#in#the#experiment#
triggered#people#to#work#harder.#
2. Relay(assembly(tests#(1930):#According#to#the#subjects,#working#in#the#test#room#was#more#fun#and#less#supervisory#
control#reduced#their#anxiety,#even#though#they#were#very#closely#supervised;#it#just#felt#different.#They#felt#
included#in#the#experiment#and#the#company,#wanting#to#do#well#and#improve#their#output.#
3. Bank(wiring(experiment#(1932):#Workers#could#earn#more#if#their#group#output#increased.#Theoretically,#they#should#
encourage#each#other#to#work#harder,#to#make#more#money.#Contrary#results#were#found:##
a. workers#kept#the#day’s#output#at#a#steady#line#
b. making#sure#they#compensated#a#good#day’s#work#with#a#bad#day#
c. to#not#set#too#high#of#a#standard,#out#of#fear#that#they’d#be#expected#to#work#harder#for#the#same#pay##
#
- In#the#Relay#assembly#tests,#workers#felt#heard#and#important,#wanting#to#co<operate#with#management#and#
welcoming#an#increase#of#output,#because#they#thought#the#experiment#was#on#making#working#conditions#better.#
- In#the#Bank#wiring#experiment,#workers#were#opposed#to#the#management#and#restricted#their#output#because#they#
didn’t#feel#like#part#of#an#experiment#and#didn’t#feel#taken#seriously.##
#
Conclusion:#higher#output#doesn’t#depend#on#technical#conditions#or#economic#incentives,#but#on#social#conditions#and#
organizational#climate:##
#
Text'8:'Bramel'and'Friend'(1981):'Critique'on'HRT'and'the'Hawthorne'experiments'
HRT#is#just#concerned#with#the#problem#of#manipulating#workers#in#such#a#way#as#to#harness#the#power#of#the#group#in#the#
good#direction,#rather#than#have#that#power#turned#against#management.##
1. HRT#is#just#the#pretence#of#workers#participation#in#decision<making,#making#it#a#manipulative#way#to#secure#greater#
worker#commitment#and#management#control.#
2. Maybe#the#Taylorized#jobs#needed#to#change,#because#they#are#boring.#
#
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MA#Beleid,#communicatie#en#organisatie:#Organizational#Sciences,#2015<2016.#Door:#Ilse#Gerrits#
3#
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Specific#critique#on#the#Hawthorne#experiments:#
- supervision#was#only#relaxed#when#workers#complied#with#the#experimental#rules#
- people#that#didn’t#align#were#replaced#with#more#docile#workers.##
#
Fleming'and'Sturdy'(2011):'New'forms'of'normative'control.'
Working#in#call#centres#is#panoptic#and#Taylorized.#This#article#extends#research#about#high<commitment#management#in#
tightly#controlled#environments#typified#by#the#call#center.##
#
The#use#of#such#high#commitment#practices#is#more#about#distracting#employees’#attention#away#from#the#stultifying#effects#
of#an#otherwise#low#discretion#environment#than#about#relaxing#or#reducing#control.#
#
Fleming#and#Sturdy#proclaim#that#call#centres#are#like#a#panopticon,#since#the#surveillance#system#is#akin#to#panoptic#power#
structures.#The#use#of#call#monitoring#technologies#and#the#design#of#the#office#space#make#it#possible#for#the#‘warden’#to#see#
every#employee#at#any#time.#Since#the#employee#doesn’t#know#whether#or#not#someone’s#watching,#he#has#to#be#at#his#best#
at#all#times:#his#behaviour#is#controlled.#
#
Ball'(2010):'Critical'thinking'on'work'place'surveillance'
Work#place#surveillance#(WPS)#refers#to#the#management’s#ability#to#monitor#employee#performance#in#real#time#or#as#part#of#
the#organization#process.#It#draws#conclusions#about#employee#performance#now,#and#in#the#future.#It#is#very#debatable#
where#the#boundaries#of#WPS#lie.#The#idea#of#WPS#isn’t#new:#in#the#past,#methods#like#clocking#in#and#weight#output#were#
used.#Now,#e<mails#are#checked#and#mystery#shoppers#are#put#in#place.#
#
Three#reasons#for#WPS:#
1. Maintain#productivity#and#monitor#the#use#of#resources#
2. Protect#corporate#interests#and#trade#secrets#
3. Protect#company#from#legal#liabilities#and#provide#legal#evidence#
#
Usually,#employees#don’t#oppose#the#WPS,#except#when#surveillance#is#too#intrusive:#
1. …#it#goes#beyond#what#is#reasonable#
2. …#exact#and#precise#information#on#time#spent#is#aked#
3. …#it#compromises#the#workflow.#
#
Four#forms#of#WPS:#
1. Monitoring#performance#and#behaviour:#these#are#usually#not#opposed,#because#they#directly#relate#to#the#success#
of#the#organization:#it’s#reasonable.#
2. Monitoring#personal#characteristics:#more#pervasive#because#it#draws#conclusions#about#one’s#personal#life.##
3. Peer#surveillance:#performance#is#reinforced#through#the#adaption#of#social#norms#and#culture#
4. Self<surveillance:#better#performance#is#reinforced#because#individuals#feel#empowered#and#encouraged#to#do#well.#
#
The#most#important#negative#effects:#
1. Function#creep:#WPS#yields#more#information#than#intended,#tempting#management#to#extend#monitoring#practices#
2. Monitored#tasks#are#deemed#more#valuable,#thus#getting#more#attention,#leaving#others#behind#
3. Reduced#levels#of#trust#between#employees#and#management#because#of#poor#communication#
4. Anticipatory#conformity:#employees#start#to#behave#the#way#they#think#the#employer#wants#them#to#behave,#
reducing#creative#ideas#and#the#amount#of#commitment#shown.##
#
The#negative#effects#of#WPS#can#be#balanced#out:#
1. Task#design:#if#the#WPS#matches#the#task,#it’s#intermittent#and#part#of#a#group#evaluation,#it#will#feel#less#evasive#
2. Supervisory#style:#supervisors#shouldn’t#dwell#too#long#on#negative#results,#reward#good#behaviour#and#show#
consideration#
3. Positive#cognitive#predispositions#in#employees:#if#employees#are#not#mistrustful#towards#the#WPS,#it’s#less#likely#to#
be#stressful#or#induce#counter<reactions.##
#
WPS#touches#on#bigger#sociological#issues:#
1. Privacy,(ethics(and(human(rights:#monitoring#employee#activities#in#their#free#time,#without#their#consent#and#
without#their#knowledge.#This#might#also#compromise#their#freedom#of#expression.#
2. Power(and(empowerment:#WPS#gives#employers#a#certain#power#over#employees,#which#might#disempower#them.#
3. Social(exclusion:#one#is#excluded#if#he#cannot#be#found.#Or#judged#heavily#by#a#(biased)#recruiter#in#regards#to#e<
recruitment.#Also:#some#social#groups#or#countries#have#bad#access#to#internet,#excluding#them#as#well.#
#
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