Chapter 1
Organizations are:
1. Social entities.
2. Goal-directed.
3. Deliberately structured and coordinated activity systems.
4. Linked to the external environment.
Organization theory: asks fundamental questions about how and why organizations are designed the
way they are.
Scientific management - decisions about organizations and job design should be based on a precise,
‘scientific’ study of individual situations to determine which method of doing a job delivers the
greatest output.
Scientific management is part of the classic perspective. It focuses on the workfloor.
Principles of scientific management:
● Scientific study of individual situations.
● Standardized procedure.
● Select workers with the best abilities.
● Provide output-based incentives.
Current challenges of organizations:
● Globalization.
● Ethics and social responsibility.
● Responsiveness.
● The digital workplace.
● Diversity.
One important distinction between organizations:
For for-profit businesses, managers direct their activities towards earning money for the company.
Nonprofit organizations, managers direct their efforts towards generating some kind of social impact.
Importance of organizations:
1. Bringing together resources to achieve desired goals and outcomes.
2. Producing goods and services.
3. Facilitating innovation.
4. Harnessing modern manufacturing, service and information technologies.
5. Adapting to and influencing a changing environment.
6. Creating value.
7. Accommodating ongoing challenges of diversity, ethics and motivation.
8. Coordination of employees.
Chapter 2
Organizations are:
1. Social entities.
2. Goal-directed.
3. Deliberately structured and coordinated activity systems.
4. Linked to the external environment.
Organization theory: asks fundamental questions about how and why organizations are designed the
way they are.
Scientific management - decisions about organizations and job design should be based on a precise,
‘scientific’ study of individual situations to determine which method of doing a job delivers the
greatest output.
Scientific management is part of the classic perspective. It focuses on the workfloor.
Principles of scientific management:
● Scientific study of individual situations.
● Standardized procedure.
● Select workers with the best abilities.
● Provide output-based incentives.
Current challenges of organizations:
● Globalization.
● Ethics and social responsibility.
● Responsiveness.
● The digital workplace.
● Diversity.
One important distinction between organizations:
For for-profit businesses, managers direct their activities towards earning money for the company.
Nonprofit organizations, managers direct their efforts towards generating some kind of social impact.
Importance of organizations:
1. Bringing together resources to achieve desired goals and outcomes.
2. Producing goods and services.
3. Facilitating innovation.
4. Harnessing modern manufacturing, service and information technologies.
5. Adapting to and influencing a changing environment.
6. Creating value.
7. Accommodating ongoing challenges of diversity, ethics and motivation.
8. Coordination of employees.
Chapter 2
