Managing and organizing samenvatting
Managing people in Organizations
Managing & managerialism
Making sense of managing as a coherent set of assumptions , concepts, values and practices that constitute a way of
viewing reality. So not just one perspective.
- Managing entails sensmaking and framing
- Managerialism justifies the application of its one-dimensional managerial techniques to all areas of work,
society, and capitalism on the ground of superior ideology, expert training and the exclusiveness of
managerial knowledge necessary to run public institutions and society as corporations.
Making sense of managing
We can differentiate managing as a practice, as something we do , from organizations as goal-oriented collectives,
entities in which we are organized. Management is the process of communicating, coordinating and accomplishing in
the pursuit of organizational goals.
- Managing different relationships with different stakeholders, technologies and other artefacts, both within
as well as between organizations and managing more or less considerate relationships with those employed
or suppliers, customers and communities.
- Management is an activity with multiple solutions and discussions not just one standard solution that can be
applied.
- Management cannot be considered in terms of its capacity to deliver objective gains
- It is also a socio-political activity , they have to consider a lot of things (societal political and ethical
responsibilities)
Sensemaking
an organization should been lean and efficient, top management teams strive to set a common frame so that
members(customers, investors,..) can make common sense of the organization (goals, what it does,…) =
sensemaking
= the process in which individuals and groups give meaning to something and to explain events
Sense-making in a capitalist system
- Making sense of profit orientation
- The art of making sense of your work
- Dangerous side to sense-making : negative comments online
- Dare to challenge the narrative of your manager → ask questions and dare to criticize ideas
We are constantly making sense with the (new) information that we get , it is constructed in an ongoing process in
which the past experience informs the present. Different backgrounds affect our making sense.
Managing in a complex world
- A ‘one size fits all’ management approach will not work
- Contemporary managers can no longer rely on hierarchy and nominal roles to manage people
- Managing has become an increasingly difficult, political, and challenging endeavor
- People work in complex organizations that are embedded in contexts inscribed by complex networks
- Managers should have an understanding of (human) complexity
- Ex starbucks they are exposed to online media where customers give comments somethimes negative
,Sensemaking and framing
Managers manage through processes of:
- Sense making : The process by which individuals or groups interpret and give meaning to complex or
ambiguous events or circumstances.
. Role in management : sensemaking to comprehend what’s happening in their organization.
. Example: A manager trying to understand why a project is delayed may analyze data, seek
input from team members, and compare the situation with similar past events
- Sense giving : The process of influencing how others understand or interpret a situation. This involves
shaping the narrative or framing events to align with desired outcomes or perspectives.
. Managers use sensegiving to communicat their interpretation of situations and guide
employees toward shared understanding and coordinated action
. Ex After understanding a project's delay, the manager frames it as a learning opportunity
and motivates the team to adapt processes to avoid similar issues in the future.
- Sense breaking : The process of disrupting existing understandings or perceptions. This often involves
challenging current beliefs, assumptions, or frames of reference to prepare people for change or new
perspectives.
. Role in management : managers use it to unsetlle or dismantle established vieuws that may
no longer serve the organization’s goals often as a precursor to change.
. Ex: A manager might challenge the team’s belief that “this is how we’ve always done it” by
highlighting failures of past strategies and emphasizing the need for innovation.
A key part of the managers’ role is to ‘frame’ the sense that others have of the roles that they play in the
organization . To give sense to the others.
As social realities of business and organizations change, the different sense and framing is required
Much of managing is discursive: issuing orders, making suggestions, framing actions in order to accomplish
objectives.
Managing & framing
- While the sense you make is always your sense it is never made in isolation. Sense is made through the
language and concepts you use but also through the many cues that prompt you to make sense: experience,
what others say they think is happening, likely stories that you are familiar with that seem to fit the pattern
that appears to be forming.
- People will not use these cues in a uniform way, because they are individuals and, as a result, people can
make wildly different sense of the same set of cues.
Framing
- A frame defines what is relevant. All managing involves framing: separating between the relevant and the
irrelevant
- Framing involves the creation of devices that assign meaning to organizational situations
- Framing entails the ideational use of metaphors, the repetition of stories, the citing of traditions, the
articulation of slogans and the material creation of artefacts to highlight or contrast a particular
organizational issue (Deetz et al., 2000)
Framing - sense-breaking & sense-giving
, - Leaders use framing when they are seeking to reframe in the case of organizational change to give negative
things a positive turn.
- Framing mobilizes followers through the use of images, symbols, and language
- Framing occurs through sensemaking , sense-breaking and sensegiving.
Managerialism
= portrays management as a universal solution to all problems , it combines management’s generic tools and
knowledge with ideology to establish itself systemically in other situations while depriving business owners, workers
and civil society of all decision making powers.
It justifies the application of its one-dimensional managerial techniques to all areas of work, society and capitalism
on the grounds of superior ideology , expert training ,…
Managerial rationality
Some managers claim their managerial competence alone is enough to make decisions.
- Management goes beyond managing financial capital , also social capital and professionalized workflows
- Managerialism as an ideology
▪ No because within an organization management goes beyond managing financial capital
- Organizations have professionalized workflows and are full of stories (rumour, gossip, official statements,
business plans etc).
- Rational managers never have perfect knowledge of the situation
- Managing and organizations are constantly changing
- Resistance to change is to be expected
- Rational managers never have a perfect knowledge of the situation.
Managerial rationality (rational approach) Managerialism (framing)
About making logical and efficient decisions - An ideology that management is the
within a specific context, using reasoning answer to all organizational problems,
and data to find the best solution often without considering the unique
Focuses on optimizing resources, processes, context of different sectors or
and outcomes situations. It tends to universalize
Seeks to achieve efficiency, consistency, management practices even when they
and predictability may not be appropriate
- Overemphasizes management tools and
principles, sometimes to the exclusion
of other perspectives
- Treats management as the one-size-fits-
all solution, applicable in any field
(education, healthcare, government,
etc.)
Changing paradigms – the digital age
Digital technologies and a growing international division of labour between economies make the world economy
increasingly globalized, although subject to pressures to deglobalization from trade wars, pandemics and political
responses to them.
, - Contemporary competition is based less on traditional comparative advantage as a result of what
economists call ‘factor endowments’, such as being close to raw materials, and more on competitive
advantages that arise from innovation and enterprise
- The fourth industrial revolution : AIgorithm innovation , the gig economy, working from home.. how can we
use these new innovations and manage them?
Digital organization
Managing technological changes
- Responsive organizations should be capable of problem-solving that comes with the technological changes,
they should be able to quick identify and adapt to issues from new systems etc.
- With New technologies: customers expect rapid and personalized responses but also demands organizations
to be flexible and adapt quickly to these evolving expectations.
- Different generations and digital capabilities : the workforces has often people from different generations
with less experienced people in digital technologies, organizations need to deal with this and offer as an
exemple trainings etc.
- Technological changes often shift the balance of power within organizations. Traditional "hard power" based
on hierarchical authority may give way to "soft power," which emphasizes influence, collaboration, and
expertise.Changing organization cultures and social relations at work , Leadership styles and organizational
structures may need to adapt, empowering individuals and teams who demonstrate digital expertise or
innovative thinking, regardless of their position in the hierarchy.
Changing organization cultures and social relations at work
- Digitalization changing experiences of time and space for employees.
o digitalization has transformed the traditional boundaries of work. Ex from 9-5 in the office to a
remote job. Different generations may experience and respond to these changes differently.
- Organizations are placing greater emphasis on creating environments with Increasing importance of EDI (=
equality, diversity and inclusion)
Economic contexts of contemporary management
- Rise of new public management
- Demise of the bureaucracies
- Economic neo-liberalism
- Tax cuts and trickle-down effects
- Political economy after covid 19
Global shifts
- Artificial intelligence (AI) and other advanced technologies are increasingly integrated into teams, where
humans collaborate with intelligent systems and devices.
- Employment structures are becoming more fragmented and geographically dispersed due to digitalization
and globalization.
- The types of skills in demand are shifting globally, influenced by the international division of labor, where
different regions specialize in specific industries or stages of production.
Conclusion
- Sense-making is important and part of the managerial skill set
- Sense-making & framing fo hand in hand
- It is crucial to crititcally reflext upon sense-making
- The rational manager doesn’t exist, reality is more complex and goes beyond capital accumulation
- Managerialism & managerial rationality, two concepts with different meanings
- Technological developments & global shift have an impact on managerialism & sense-making
Managing people in Organizations
Managing & managerialism
Making sense of managing as a coherent set of assumptions , concepts, values and practices that constitute a way of
viewing reality. So not just one perspective.
- Managing entails sensmaking and framing
- Managerialism justifies the application of its one-dimensional managerial techniques to all areas of work,
society, and capitalism on the ground of superior ideology, expert training and the exclusiveness of
managerial knowledge necessary to run public institutions and society as corporations.
Making sense of managing
We can differentiate managing as a practice, as something we do , from organizations as goal-oriented collectives,
entities in which we are organized. Management is the process of communicating, coordinating and accomplishing in
the pursuit of organizational goals.
- Managing different relationships with different stakeholders, technologies and other artefacts, both within
as well as between organizations and managing more or less considerate relationships with those employed
or suppliers, customers and communities.
- Management is an activity with multiple solutions and discussions not just one standard solution that can be
applied.
- Management cannot be considered in terms of its capacity to deliver objective gains
- It is also a socio-political activity , they have to consider a lot of things (societal political and ethical
responsibilities)
Sensemaking
an organization should been lean and efficient, top management teams strive to set a common frame so that
members(customers, investors,..) can make common sense of the organization (goals, what it does,…) =
sensemaking
= the process in which individuals and groups give meaning to something and to explain events
Sense-making in a capitalist system
- Making sense of profit orientation
- The art of making sense of your work
- Dangerous side to sense-making : negative comments online
- Dare to challenge the narrative of your manager → ask questions and dare to criticize ideas
We are constantly making sense with the (new) information that we get , it is constructed in an ongoing process in
which the past experience informs the present. Different backgrounds affect our making sense.
Managing in a complex world
- A ‘one size fits all’ management approach will not work
- Contemporary managers can no longer rely on hierarchy and nominal roles to manage people
- Managing has become an increasingly difficult, political, and challenging endeavor
- People work in complex organizations that are embedded in contexts inscribed by complex networks
- Managers should have an understanding of (human) complexity
- Ex starbucks they are exposed to online media where customers give comments somethimes negative
,Sensemaking and framing
Managers manage through processes of:
- Sense making : The process by which individuals or groups interpret and give meaning to complex or
ambiguous events or circumstances.
. Role in management : sensemaking to comprehend what’s happening in their organization.
. Example: A manager trying to understand why a project is delayed may analyze data, seek
input from team members, and compare the situation with similar past events
- Sense giving : The process of influencing how others understand or interpret a situation. This involves
shaping the narrative or framing events to align with desired outcomes or perspectives.
. Managers use sensegiving to communicat their interpretation of situations and guide
employees toward shared understanding and coordinated action
. Ex After understanding a project's delay, the manager frames it as a learning opportunity
and motivates the team to adapt processes to avoid similar issues in the future.
- Sense breaking : The process of disrupting existing understandings or perceptions. This often involves
challenging current beliefs, assumptions, or frames of reference to prepare people for change or new
perspectives.
. Role in management : managers use it to unsetlle or dismantle established vieuws that may
no longer serve the organization’s goals often as a precursor to change.
. Ex: A manager might challenge the team’s belief that “this is how we’ve always done it” by
highlighting failures of past strategies and emphasizing the need for innovation.
A key part of the managers’ role is to ‘frame’ the sense that others have of the roles that they play in the
organization . To give sense to the others.
As social realities of business and organizations change, the different sense and framing is required
Much of managing is discursive: issuing orders, making suggestions, framing actions in order to accomplish
objectives.
Managing & framing
- While the sense you make is always your sense it is never made in isolation. Sense is made through the
language and concepts you use but also through the many cues that prompt you to make sense: experience,
what others say they think is happening, likely stories that you are familiar with that seem to fit the pattern
that appears to be forming.
- People will not use these cues in a uniform way, because they are individuals and, as a result, people can
make wildly different sense of the same set of cues.
Framing
- A frame defines what is relevant. All managing involves framing: separating between the relevant and the
irrelevant
- Framing involves the creation of devices that assign meaning to organizational situations
- Framing entails the ideational use of metaphors, the repetition of stories, the citing of traditions, the
articulation of slogans and the material creation of artefacts to highlight or contrast a particular
organizational issue (Deetz et al., 2000)
Framing - sense-breaking & sense-giving
, - Leaders use framing when they are seeking to reframe in the case of organizational change to give negative
things a positive turn.
- Framing mobilizes followers through the use of images, symbols, and language
- Framing occurs through sensemaking , sense-breaking and sensegiving.
Managerialism
= portrays management as a universal solution to all problems , it combines management’s generic tools and
knowledge with ideology to establish itself systemically in other situations while depriving business owners, workers
and civil society of all decision making powers.
It justifies the application of its one-dimensional managerial techniques to all areas of work, society and capitalism
on the grounds of superior ideology , expert training ,…
Managerial rationality
Some managers claim their managerial competence alone is enough to make decisions.
- Management goes beyond managing financial capital , also social capital and professionalized workflows
- Managerialism as an ideology
▪ No because within an organization management goes beyond managing financial capital
- Organizations have professionalized workflows and are full of stories (rumour, gossip, official statements,
business plans etc).
- Rational managers never have perfect knowledge of the situation
- Managing and organizations are constantly changing
- Resistance to change is to be expected
- Rational managers never have a perfect knowledge of the situation.
Managerial rationality (rational approach) Managerialism (framing)
About making logical and efficient decisions - An ideology that management is the
within a specific context, using reasoning answer to all organizational problems,
and data to find the best solution often without considering the unique
Focuses on optimizing resources, processes, context of different sectors or
and outcomes situations. It tends to universalize
Seeks to achieve efficiency, consistency, management practices even when they
and predictability may not be appropriate
- Overemphasizes management tools and
principles, sometimes to the exclusion
of other perspectives
- Treats management as the one-size-fits-
all solution, applicable in any field
(education, healthcare, government,
etc.)
Changing paradigms – the digital age
Digital technologies and a growing international division of labour between economies make the world economy
increasingly globalized, although subject to pressures to deglobalization from trade wars, pandemics and political
responses to them.
, - Contemporary competition is based less on traditional comparative advantage as a result of what
economists call ‘factor endowments’, such as being close to raw materials, and more on competitive
advantages that arise from innovation and enterprise
- The fourth industrial revolution : AIgorithm innovation , the gig economy, working from home.. how can we
use these new innovations and manage them?
Digital organization
Managing technological changes
- Responsive organizations should be capable of problem-solving that comes with the technological changes,
they should be able to quick identify and adapt to issues from new systems etc.
- With New technologies: customers expect rapid and personalized responses but also demands organizations
to be flexible and adapt quickly to these evolving expectations.
- Different generations and digital capabilities : the workforces has often people from different generations
with less experienced people in digital technologies, organizations need to deal with this and offer as an
exemple trainings etc.
- Technological changes often shift the balance of power within organizations. Traditional "hard power" based
on hierarchical authority may give way to "soft power," which emphasizes influence, collaboration, and
expertise.Changing organization cultures and social relations at work , Leadership styles and organizational
structures may need to adapt, empowering individuals and teams who demonstrate digital expertise or
innovative thinking, regardless of their position in the hierarchy.
Changing organization cultures and social relations at work
- Digitalization changing experiences of time and space for employees.
o digitalization has transformed the traditional boundaries of work. Ex from 9-5 in the office to a
remote job. Different generations may experience and respond to these changes differently.
- Organizations are placing greater emphasis on creating environments with Increasing importance of EDI (=
equality, diversity and inclusion)
Economic contexts of contemporary management
- Rise of new public management
- Demise of the bureaucracies
- Economic neo-liberalism
- Tax cuts and trickle-down effects
- Political economy after covid 19
Global shifts
- Artificial intelligence (AI) and other advanced technologies are increasingly integrated into teams, where
humans collaborate with intelligent systems and devices.
- Employment structures are becoming more fragmented and geographically dispersed due to digitalization
and globalization.
- The types of skills in demand are shifting globally, influenced by the international division of labor, where
different regions specialize in specific industries or stages of production.
Conclusion
- Sense-making is important and part of the managerial skill set
- Sense-making & framing fo hand in hand
- It is crucial to crititcally reflext upon sense-making
- The rational manager doesn’t exist, reality is more complex and goes beyond capital accumulation
- Managerialism & managerial rationality, two concepts with different meanings
- Technological developments & global shift have an impact on managerialism & sense-making
