Organization and power college 1
There are multiple ways to define the question of what is an organization? Try to take a step
back and try to see what the assumptions are of the different authors? What is the goal ?
Organizations
Although most of us “know an organization when we see one,” the diversity and
complexity of organizations and their activities is difficult to capture in a single formal
definition.
As a result, multiple, sometimes contrary, conceptions of organizations exist, each one
highlighting particular features of organizations, but necessarily providing only partial
and incomplete views. (Joel Baum and Tim Rowley)
Organizations – I
- “Organizations are social entities that are goal-oriented; are designed as
deliberately structured and coordinated activity systems, and are linked to the
external environment” (Daft, 2004)
- Organization is “a system of consciously coordinated personal activities or
forces (Chester Barnard)
Organizations – II
- Organizations are arenas of power where discursive struggles take place
(Maguire & Hardy, 2006)
- Or authors deny the existence of ‘organizations’ and prefer to talk of processes of
‘organizing’ (Tsoukas & Chia, 2002)
The objectives of Organization and Power
, - aims to deepen your knowledge about organizations, organizational processes and
power.
- sets the stage for researching, analyzing and theorizing processes of organizing in a
variety of contexts.
- raises the awareness that power in, outside and between organizations is important to
understand how they function, and what role they play in society.
- builds on original texts and their application through the analysis of classic,
contemporary and critical texts (and some case studies).
Three foci
- what exactly did authors want to make clear? and What was special to their
contribution?
- Link the academic texts to current studies and ‘grand challenges’ (such as climate
change, globalization, safety & security, rapid urbanization)
• how to apply these insightsin recent practice?
• what has changed over time?
- What is the use of theorizing on
Theorizing on Organizations and Power
It is not about theory versus practice (as used in everyday language), but about:
• Informed knowledge claims
• General structure of character of events
• Deepen our understanding
• Conceptualization
• Forms: explanatory, interpretive, emancipatory
What is theory - I
A theory is: “a set of interrelated constructs (concepts), definitions, and propositions
that present a systematic view of phenomena by specifying relations among variables,
with the purpose of explaining and predicting the phenomena”
Theory and conceptual models
Social identity is a person's sense of who they are based on their group membership(s).
Tajfel (1979) proposed that the groups (e.g. social class, family, soccer team etc.) which
people belonged to were an important source of pride and self-esteem.
What is theory - II
,Grounded theory is a complex iterative process. The research begins with the raising of
generative questions which help to guide the research but are not intended to be either
static or confining. As the researcher begins to gather data, core theoretical concept(s)
are identified. Tentative linkages are developed between the theoretical concepts and
data. Glaser and Strauss
Organization and Power as a Social Sciences Discipline
• The focus is not so much on efficiency and effectiveness (or management tools), but
on understanding (‘Verstehen’):
• Different social scientific themes, methods and theories are useful
• Embedding in social phenomena and developments is crucial
• Common sense, various definitions, biases …
Organizations: a view
The view we adopt in this course comes close to Baum and Rowley’s (2002: 2):
“Most words ending in “-tion” are ambiguous between process and product – between
the way one gets there, and the result. Our word, organization, shares this ambivalence,
itself referring to the process of “organizing ,” or, to the result of organizing.
Although the range of definitions can create confusion, together, they alos provide a means
of capturing the full breadth of organizational life.
Managerialism (Klikauer, 2025)
Management
• A hierarchy of controlling people and things - focuses on the actual running of a
business organization
Managerialism:
• An ideology that legitimizes the power of managers and camouflages domination
Managerialism (Klikauer, 2025)
1. Superiority: Private sector methods are superior (to public sector, community
organization, etc.
2. Control: Picturing an optimistic future that can be managed and controlled
3. Right to govern: Management as the sole institution able to administer companies
(not elected leaders or councils)
, 4. Rationality: Presents management as technical, rational, value- neutral, and
universally applicable
5. Measurement: Seeks to convert human behavior into measurable and monetized
elements (organizational behavior)
Performance Management(Costea et al., 2025)
PM is a central element of Human Resource Management
1. Measure what the work of an individual, or a team, is worth over a unit of time
2. Align individual or group contributions with organizational objectives.
Tools: Performance appraisal techniques
Reports, KPIs, 360 Degree, Feedback, etc., consequential for career and income, even
dismissal
Historical change in PM:
From task efficiency (time and motion) to self-expression through performance
Examples: Personality testing through Myers-Briggs, Belbin‘s Team Roles, etc
There are multiple ways to define the question of what is an organization? Try to take a step
back and try to see what the assumptions are of the different authors? What is the goal ?
Organizations
Although most of us “know an organization when we see one,” the diversity and
complexity of organizations and their activities is difficult to capture in a single formal
definition.
As a result, multiple, sometimes contrary, conceptions of organizations exist, each one
highlighting particular features of organizations, but necessarily providing only partial
and incomplete views. (Joel Baum and Tim Rowley)
Organizations – I
- “Organizations are social entities that are goal-oriented; are designed as
deliberately structured and coordinated activity systems, and are linked to the
external environment” (Daft, 2004)
- Organization is “a system of consciously coordinated personal activities or
forces (Chester Barnard)
Organizations – II
- Organizations are arenas of power where discursive struggles take place
(Maguire & Hardy, 2006)
- Or authors deny the existence of ‘organizations’ and prefer to talk of processes of
‘organizing’ (Tsoukas & Chia, 2002)
The objectives of Organization and Power
, - aims to deepen your knowledge about organizations, organizational processes and
power.
- sets the stage for researching, analyzing and theorizing processes of organizing in a
variety of contexts.
- raises the awareness that power in, outside and between organizations is important to
understand how they function, and what role they play in society.
- builds on original texts and their application through the analysis of classic,
contemporary and critical texts (and some case studies).
Three foci
- what exactly did authors want to make clear? and What was special to their
contribution?
- Link the academic texts to current studies and ‘grand challenges’ (such as climate
change, globalization, safety & security, rapid urbanization)
• how to apply these insightsin recent practice?
• what has changed over time?
- What is the use of theorizing on
Theorizing on Organizations and Power
It is not about theory versus practice (as used in everyday language), but about:
• Informed knowledge claims
• General structure of character of events
• Deepen our understanding
• Conceptualization
• Forms: explanatory, interpretive, emancipatory
What is theory - I
A theory is: “a set of interrelated constructs (concepts), definitions, and propositions
that present a systematic view of phenomena by specifying relations among variables,
with the purpose of explaining and predicting the phenomena”
Theory and conceptual models
Social identity is a person's sense of who they are based on their group membership(s).
Tajfel (1979) proposed that the groups (e.g. social class, family, soccer team etc.) which
people belonged to were an important source of pride and self-esteem.
What is theory - II
,Grounded theory is a complex iterative process. The research begins with the raising of
generative questions which help to guide the research but are not intended to be either
static or confining. As the researcher begins to gather data, core theoretical concept(s)
are identified. Tentative linkages are developed between the theoretical concepts and
data. Glaser and Strauss
Organization and Power as a Social Sciences Discipline
• The focus is not so much on efficiency and effectiveness (or management tools), but
on understanding (‘Verstehen’):
• Different social scientific themes, methods and theories are useful
• Embedding in social phenomena and developments is crucial
• Common sense, various definitions, biases …
Organizations: a view
The view we adopt in this course comes close to Baum and Rowley’s (2002: 2):
“Most words ending in “-tion” are ambiguous between process and product – between
the way one gets there, and the result. Our word, organization, shares this ambivalence,
itself referring to the process of “organizing ,” or, to the result of organizing.
Although the range of definitions can create confusion, together, they alos provide a means
of capturing the full breadth of organizational life.
Managerialism (Klikauer, 2025)
Management
• A hierarchy of controlling people and things - focuses on the actual running of a
business organization
Managerialism:
• An ideology that legitimizes the power of managers and camouflages domination
Managerialism (Klikauer, 2025)
1. Superiority: Private sector methods are superior (to public sector, community
organization, etc.
2. Control: Picturing an optimistic future that can be managed and controlled
3. Right to govern: Management as the sole institution able to administer companies
(not elected leaders or councils)
, 4. Rationality: Presents management as technical, rational, value- neutral, and
universally applicable
5. Measurement: Seeks to convert human behavior into measurable and monetized
elements (organizational behavior)
Performance Management(Costea et al., 2025)
PM is a central element of Human Resource Management
1. Measure what the work of an individual, or a team, is worth over a unit of time
2. Align individual or group contributions with organizational objectives.
Tools: Performance appraisal techniques
Reports, KPIs, 360 Degree, Feedback, etc., consequential for career and income, even
dismissal
Historical change in PM:
From task efficiency (time and motion) to self-expression through performance
Examples: Personality testing through Myers-Briggs, Belbin‘s Team Roles, etc
