Free Theories Of Organizations And Environments Book Review Example

Organizations and the system concept (Daniel Katz & Robert Kahn)

A statement of the author’s purposes? The author’s purpose in this text is to make people understand the various aspects and approaches to organization theories. The authors try to compare and contrast two approaches to organization theories that include the open system approach and the common sense approach. They mainly show the transition from the use of common sense theory that has been used previously to the newly adopted open system approach. The open system approach is a more advanced approach that incorporates more aspects of organizations (Shafritz, 2010, p.406).

The critic's judgment of the extent to which the author fulfilled his/her purpose(s)?

In this theory the authors have successfully presented a clear difference in the approaches. However, more emphasis has been made to the strengths of the open system approach with very few weaknesses of the approach. However, the purpose of analyzing the two approaches has been made well with adequate comparisons and contrast that present a clear picture of their differences and significance to organizations (Shafritz, 2010, p.417).

Critic’s assessment of the relevance of this work to public administration today?

The information about difference in the two approaches to organization theory is very important because it is helpful to organizations because it allows them to evaluate their organization and identify their faults based on the two approaches. The approaches based on the authors provide remedies and guidelines on aspects to consider as tools to success for the organizations (Shafritz, 2010, p. 416).

Arguments and evidence to support the judgment in #2 and the assessment in #3

In the second part, the authors have begun by presenting information about the common sense approach in terms of how organizations apply it in their daily activities. However, this part shows the limitations that the approach has in terms of making the organization’s system a closed system with a lot stereotypes that impede success. The authors then prescribe a better approach that is better and has a higher chance of success. This approach is the open system approach. This presentation has provided a clear distinction between the two approaches. In the third part, the authors have emphasized the need to adopt the current approach by presenting the strengths and advantages of the open system theory. This was done through analyzing various aspects of the approach that are helpful to organizations (Shafritz, 2010, p. 406).
Additional commentary that may refer to mode of presentation, use of language, organization, sources, etc. that add to or detract from the strength of the author's work?

What are the strengths of the selected work?

the strength of this piece of work is associated with the fact the authors have adequate facts to support their claims with empirical evidences and examples that make them have a good presentation that could be used in organizations to exercise positive change as far as organization systems are concerned (Shafritz, 2010, p.410).

What are the weaknesses of the selected work?

The weakness of this work is that the authors prescribe changes to organizations that base their activities on previous approaches. However, changes in the organization systems can be negative in terms of effects to sensitive processes. The changes also involve a lot of modifications that could be very costly (Shafritz, 2010, p.409).

Can the prescriptions offered be universally applied?

Yes the prescriptions can be used universally because they have been built upon the traditional approaches that have been used over a long period of time. The open system approach has been developed to adapt to other approaches making it more sustainable and more suitable (Shafritz, 2010 p. 408).

The system theory (Author –Ludwig Von Bertalanffy)

A statement of the author’s purposes?This theory was brought forth(Shafritz, J. 2010Pg 401-402) ,and effected into the organizational setting later by the duo kataz and khan in 1966.The author intends to explain and improve understanding of an organization by comparing it to an organism with multiple parts. The various parts of the organism carries out specific function, this functions that are carried out by each part are interrelated since they help in supporting the life of the organism. The organism could as well represent a department or a team in the organization.
The critic's judgment of the extent to which the author fulfilled his/her purpose(s)?The author describes vividly how the organizations components can be broken down into single components. This creates simplicity in studying the components as individuals and this various components carry out their specific duties hence resulting into the entire sustenance of the entire organization. Additionally understanding the role that one part of the organism carries out helps us in understanding the role that the other part carries until the whole organization is understood how it operates.( Shafritz, 2010, pg 414)
The critic's assessment of the relevance of this work to public administration today? The system theory is mostly employed in the government operations by creating government bodies within the jurisdiction and delegating specific duties to this appointed or elected appointees. This bodies help representing and protecting the government’s interest, they oversee and report to the central government. This mode of operation make the government resemble an organism with various parts carrying out specific duty to ensure overall existence of the main system
Arguments and evidence to support the judgment in #2 and the assessment in #3, andIn 2, the author really fulfills his purpose: according to his work, organizations segmented into departments, teams and parts that are usually assigned to different managers, this managers carry out specific duties and in turn submit their report to the overall manager who foresee the general proper performance and objectives achievement of the whole organization.in 3, in public administration for instance the us government, there is the legislative, executive and the judicial departments .This departments carry out specific functions alongside responsibilities that are interrelated. This three departments report to the head of government which is the president. This represents the system theory.
Additional commentary that may refer to mode of presentation, use of language, organization, sources, etc. that add to or detract from the strength of the author's work?The author’s use of language i.e. that is comparing an organization to an organism adds to the authors’ strength of work, since this brings a clear picture of the organization. An organism functionality is very easy to understand and therefore comparison of it to an organization makes the concept very simple to understand.
What are the strengths of the selected work? The authors work as got a great strength in the comparison of an organization to organism, since organism parts coordinate to result into the well-being of the organism as a whole.( Shafritz, 2010,pg, 415).
What are the weaknesses of the selected work? In the organism system there is a natural automatic functionality, which only stops when the organism dies, while in the organization sector, the departments are headed and managed by human beings who mail fail due a number of reasons.(Bertalanffy, pg 415)
Can the prescriptions offered be universally applied?Yes, since organizations cannot operate as a single entity, its therefore applicable fragmenting it into various sectors that are supposed to respond to the main head sector.This due to the abolioshment of structural change. (Shafritz, 2010, pg 416)
What situations might the offered prescriptions not be applicable? In small organizations that has one line of duty with few number of employees.
Can you provide examples to illustrate your main points?In the American government exists the judiciary,legislature, and the excutive, this three bodies are ordained with responsibilities delegated from the presidents office as the head. This responsibilities are to ensure that the government as a unit co ordinates and functions well.

Resource dependence theory (Author Jeffrey pfeffer and Gerald R. Salancik)

A statement of the author's purpose(s)?The author intends to create an in-depth understanding on the organization dependence on resources, the environment from which this resources originate and the relationship that exist between organizations wen it come to resource acquisition,( Shafritz, 2010, pg404)
The critic's judgment of the extent to which the author fulfilled his/her purpose(s)? The theory have been applied by various human resource management institutions in a vast countries. This shows how much confidence resource managers have in the authors work.
The critic's assessment of the relevance of this work to public administration today? The dynamics in the fiscal landscaping has resulted in to quite a number of challenges to public and to the managers of nonprofit organizations. This challenges mainly arise from the limited resource. This theory therefore provide guidelines to such managers, so that they get to understand the considerations and results that accrue due to different type of inter -organizational partnering.

Arguments and evidence to support the judgment in #2 and the assessment in #3,

Most organizations operate to minimize cost and maximize profit. This is by ensuring that other organizations depends on it, this way, the organization that others depend on can easily acquire resources on the hands of the dependentorganizations.
Additional commentary that may refer to mode of presentation, use of language, organization, sources, etc. that add to or detract from the strength of the author's work?Theorganization of the authors work enable easy understanding of the theory and its applicability.
What are the weaknesses of the selected work?This theory really favors development of some countries at the expense of others, it causes limitations to the development of countries with low economies.( Shafritz, 2010 pg.444)
What are the strengths of the selected work? This is a worldwide theory and therefore can be applied by any organization either profit making or nonprofit making.

Can the prescriptions offered be universally applied? Yes, it has got no limits.

What situations might the offered prescriptions not be applicable? In a monopolistic set up (Shafritz, 2010 pg.441)
Can you provide examples to illustrate your main points? A sugar factory cannot run without sugar consumes therefore the consumers creates the market for the sugar factory sustenance. On the other hand the factory depends on the farmers to farm the sugarcane that need to be processed in order to come up with sugar. This causes the interdependency in the resource supply.

Organizational ecology(Author Caroll and Hannan)

A statement of the author's purpose(s)? The purpose of the author is to define the environment in which various organization operates, compete resulting into some organizations surviving in the environment and others dying out .This theory majorly focuses into the death of this various organizations, cropping up of new organization, alongside the developments that occur in an organization and alterations that take place.( Shafritz, 2010, pg,404.)
The critic's judgment of the extent to which the author fulfilled his/her purpose(s)?This theory deepens the understanding on the environmental threats that cause organizations to fall out from operation, an understanding on the difficulties that the surviving organizations are operating with, and the reasons as to why growth and changes result in an organization. (Shafritz, 2010, pg 404)
The critic's assessment of the relevance of this work to public administration today?This theory equips civil servants with the relevant managerial skills and policies to ensure that the government functions.
Arguments and evidence to support the judgment in #2 and the assessment in #3, In 2 it, provides information about the external factors that affect an organization for instance, government policies while in 3, the civil servants get knowledge through the theory education that help them in the implementation of the government policies.( Shafritz, 2010, pg, 410)
Additional commentary that may refer to mode of presentation, use of language, organization, sources, etc. that add to or detract from the strength of the author's work? The use of the author’s language to refer to the operating environment as an ecology makes the description of the operating environment vivid. This strengthens the authors work.
What are the strengths of the selected work? This work, since it studies the full cycle of an organization, it depicts while some organizations fail at tender age while others die off, why other organizations grow while others diminish. (Shafritz, 2010, pg.404)
What are the weaknesses of the selected work? The managers do not have, hands on control over many activities and employees.
Can the prescriptions offered be universally applied?No, its shortcomings are apparent. Since it was based on the fact that for people to be motivated to work they need to have better economic reward.
What situations might the offered prescriptions not be applicable? In case of unstable partners or even incompetent, the business is likely to fail.
Can you provide examples to illustrate your main points? This theory explains delegation of duties to manage over a vast area, therefore, the managers need to ensure a coherent relationship with all the department managers which at times fail leading to the collapse of the entire institutions.

Institutional theories.(Author Meyer and Rowan)

A statement of the author's purpose(s)? For survival purpose, the author states that various organizations must abide by the rules, ethics and disciplinary guidelines within the environment.
The critic's judgment of the extent to which the author fulfilled his/her purpose(s)? The author manages to explain how institutions survive to their current environment and change along with the changes in the environment.( Shafritz, 2010, pg, 404)
The critic's assessment of the relevance of this work to public administration today? Traces of institutional theory concept like motivation of the civil servants is applied in the public administration sector today.
Arguments and evidence to support the judgment in #2 and the assessment in #3? The organizations in 2, adapt to the changing economic states by increasing salaries to their employees to ensure loyalty and hard work. In 3, government provide job promotions, salary increment to the best performing civil servants to ensure that there is consistent performance and hard work in their respective institutions,.
Additional commentary that may refer to mode of presentation, use of language, organization, sources, etc. that add to or detract from the strength of the author's work? The language used, the author notes the institutions to be evolving. Since Darwin’s theory in the science is well known, the author applies this concept on this theory to deepen the understanding.( Shafritz, 2010, pg.433).

What are the strengths of the selected work? It helps institutions in achieving the set goals and objectives. (Shafritz, 2010, pg,436)

What are the weaknesses of the selected work? Since it concentrates in achieving the institutions set goals and objects while ignoring the institutions missions.

Can the prescriptions offered be universally applied? Yes it can be applied.

What situations might the offered prescriptions not be applicable?It’s not in a position to explain when the public policy design are in line with public preferences.it cant also tell when the opinion of the public is in line with the policy designs.
Can you provide examples to illustrate your main points? In an institution there are prevailing conditions beneath which the institution operates, these are inform of rules, regulations, norms. This happen to evolve with time causing evolution in the organization system. The organization therefore adapts to the changes by evolving. (Shafritz, 2010, pg 434).

References

Shafritz, J. (2010). Classics of organization theory (7th ed.). Australia: Wadsworth Cengage Learning.