Learning Organisation Theory and Design

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Rationale

Learning Objects and Outcomes

Teaching and Learning Resourses

Introduction to Organisations
Organisational Purpose and Structural Design
Open System Design Elements
Internal Design Elements
Managing Dynamic Processes

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Organisation Theory and Design

Rationale

An organization (or organisation - see spelling differences ) is a social arrangement which pursues collective goals, which controls its own performance, and which has a boundary separating it from its environment. The word itself is derived from the Greek word ???a??? (organon) meaning tool . The term is used in both daily and scientific English in multiple ways.

In the social sciences, organizations are studied by researchers from several disciplines, the most common of which are sociology , economics , political science , psychology , management , and organizational communication . The broad area is commonly referred to as organizational studies , organizational behavior or organization analysis. Therefore, a number of different theories and perspectives exist, some of which are compatible, and others that are competing.

Organization - process-related: an entity is being (re-)organized (organization as task or action).

Organization - functional: organization as a function of how entities like businesses or state authorities are used (organization as a permanent structure).

Organization - institutional : an entity is an organization (organization as an actual purposeful structure within a social context)

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Organization design involves the creation of roles, processes, and formal reporting relationships in an organization. One can distinguish between two phases in an organization design process: Strategic grouping, which establishes the overall structure of the organization (its main sub-units and their relationships), and operational design, which defines the more detailed roles and processes. The field is mainly practice-driven and many consulting firms offer organization design assistance to managers. However, there is also a substantial academic literature. The most frequently cited book is still Thompson (1967); other key works include Galbraith (1973) and Lawrence & Lorsch (1967).

It is important to distinguish between organization design and organization theory. The latter is a descriptive discipline, mainly focusing on describing and understanding organizational functioning. Organization design is (as the name suggests) a more normative, design-oriented discipline that aims to produce the frameworks and tools required to create effective organizations (see Romme, 2003).

See also

Organization theory

Learning Objectives and Outcomes

This is a non-taught unit designed for self-directed study by those intending to enhance their professional or managerial competence, knowledge, understanding, and skills in business finance.

Knowledge

After completing the course, students will understand

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After completing the course, students will be able to

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Introduction to Organizations

Tutorials

Organizations and Organization Theory

Readings

Organizational studies, organizational behavior and organizational theory are related terms for the academic study of organizations , examining them using the methods of economics , sociology , political science , anthropology , communication studies and psychology. Related practical disciplines include strategic management, human resources and industrial and organizational psychology.

See also

Theories and models of organizational studies

Organizational Purpose and Structural Design

Tutorials

Readings

Organizational structure

An organizational structure consists of activities such as task allocation, coordination and supervision, which are directed towards the achievement of organizational aims.^[1] It can also be considered as the viewing glass or perspective through which individuals see their organization and its environment.^[2]

Organizations are a variant of clustered entities.

An organization can be structured in many different ways, depending on their objectives. The structure of an organization will determine the modes in which it operates and performs.

Organizational structure allows the expressed allocation of responsibilities for different functions and processes to different entities such as the branch, department, workgroup and individual.

Organizational structure affects organizational action in two big ways. First, it provides the foundation on which standard operating procedures and routines rest. Second, it determines which individuals get to participate in which decision-making processes, and thus to what extent their views shape the organization’s actions.^[2]

Operational organizations and informal organizations

History

See also

Organizational Theory: Determinants of Structure

The objective here is to understand why organizations have the structure that they do. By "structure" I mean things like degree and type of horizontal differentiation, vertical differentiation, mechanisms of coordination and control, formalization, and centralization of power. See handouts page for more information on organizational structure.

According to Taylor, Fayol, Weber and other classical theorists, there is a single best way for organization to be structured. Yet organizations vary considerably on structural attributes. The objective of much research has been to understand what determines these variations. Is it random or systematic? Are some organizations simply less perfect than others, or are different designs better for different situations?

Open System Design Element

Tutorials

Readings

Designing Organizations for the International Environment

In computing , Internationalization and localization (also spelled internationalisation and localisation , see spelling differences ) are means of adapting computer software for non-native environments, especially other nations and cultures. Internationalization is the process of designing a software application so that it can be adapted to various languages and regions without engineering changes. Localization is the process of adapting software for a specific region or language by adding locale-specific components and translating text.

Due to their length, the terms are frequently abbreviated to i18n (where 18 stands for the number of letters between the i and the n in internationalization , a usage coined at DEC in the 1970s or 80s [1] ) and L10n respectively. The capital L on L10n helps to distinguish it from the lowercase i in i18n.

Some companies, like Microsoft and IBM, use the term globalization for the combination of internationalization and localization. [1] [2] Globalization can be also be abbreviated to just g11n.

See also

Internationalisation and Resources
Peter Senge and the Learning Organization
Bidirectional script support
CJK
Globalization Management System
Glocalization
International Components for Unicode
Input method editor
Separation of concerns
Region code
Language localization
Game localization
Computer russification , localization into Russian language
Language code
Pseudolocalization , a software testing method for testing a software product's readiness for localization.
Punycode , translating Unicode into the character sets for network host names
Notes

References

Internal Design Elements

Tutorials

Readings

An Information System (IS) is the system of persons, data records and activities that process the data and information in a given organization, including manual processes or automated processes. Usually the term is used erroneously as a synonym for computer-based information systems, which is only the Information technologies component of an Information System. The computer-based information systems are the field of study for Information technologies (IT); however these should hardly be treated apart from the bigger Information System that they are always involved in.

See also

Bachelor of Computer Information Systems
Business informatics
Data Processing System
Data architect
Data modeling
Data Reference Model
Database
Environmental Modeling Center
Enterprise Information System
European Research Center for Information Systems (ERCIS)
INFORMS Institute for Operations Research and the Management Sciences
Information Processing System
Management Information Systems
Metadata
Predictive Model Markup Language
Semantic translation

Optimum Organization Size

Managing Dynamic Processes

Tutorials

Readings

Organizational culture, or corporate culture, comprises the attitudes , experiences, beliefs and values of an organization . It has been defined as "the specific collection of values and norms that are shared by people and groups in an organization and that control the way they interact with each other and with stakeholders outside the organization. Organizational values are beliefs and ideas about what kinds of goals members of an organization should pursue and ideas about the appropriate kinds or standards of behavior organizational members should use to achieve these goals. From organizational values develop organizational norms, guidelines or expectations that prescribe appropriate kinds of behavior by employees in particular situations and control the behavior of organizational members towards one another" [1]

Senior management may try to determine a corporate culture. They may wish to impose corporate values and standards of behavior that specifically reflect the objectives of the organization. In addition, there will also be an extant internal culture within the workforce. Work-groups within the organization have their own behavioral quirks and interactions which, to an extent, affect the whole system. Task culture can be imported. For example, computer technicians will have expertise, language and behaviors gained independently of the organization, but their presence can influence the culture of the organization as a whole.