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ORGANIZATION2 AS A SOCIAL SYSTEM

CHAPTER 2

@ZURAIDAH MOHAMED ISA/UiTM KEDAH/2008

SOCIAL SYSTEM

Referred to as a a complex set of human relationships interacting in many ways

Divided into 2:Internal social system consisting of individual

and grpExternal social system which refers to the

external which an org operates

Each org has its own social systems, which will determine the attitudes and values surrounding each job and influence the way that people work together

There exists a mutual interdependence between different parts of the org which will react to any changes faced by any of the parts

ELASTIC?

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SOCIAL EQUILIBRIUM

The social system of an org is said to be dynamic in nature, meaning to say that it is constantly changing and moving to suit with the changes in the environment

System is said to be in social equilibrium when there is a dynamic working balance among its interdependent parts

Each subsystem will adjust to any change in the other subsystem and will continue to do so until an equilibrium is retained

A change can be functional or dysfunctional

PSYCHOLOGICAL AND ECONOMIC CONTRACTS

It is said to be the set of expectations held by the individual and specifying what the individual and the org expect to give to and receive from one another in the course of their working relationship

Psychological contract can be explained in term of exchange theory which states that in order for people to join and remain with an org, the benefits that they receive must be more than their costs

Should look onto both side namely employee and employer

Economic contract such as wages, working conditions and fringe benefits

EQUITY THEORY It is a theory which try to describe an

employee’s feelings and reaction to the rewards received from an org

The rewards include psychological, economic and social

Employees will judge fairness by making comparison between their inputs and rewards

The consequences can be divided into three categoriesOver-rewardedEquityUnder-rewarded

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SOCIAL CULTURES Can be defined as the sum total of

mankind’s knowledge, beliefs, art, morals, laws, customs etc

We cannot deny that culture do change which divided into 2:Cultural revolution – a dramatic changeCultural evolution – occurs gradually and

slowly

ROLES

It is a person’s position in the social system with which rights, obligation, power and responsibility are parts and parcel of it

Each role calls for different types of behavior

SOCIALIZATION

The program is where organizations shape the attitudes, thoughts and behavior of employee in the new environment

Whereby new employees have to undergo an orientation and induction program

Mentoring is one of the way used where one employee takes opportunity to adopt and guide new employee

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ROLE PERCEPTIONS

A process by which they anticipate how they are supposed to act in their own roles and how others should act in their roles

Each role plays keep changing

ROLE CONFLICT

Differences in expectations or pressures will lead a role holder to perform in one way rather than another which will result in role conflict

People will have different expectations as to the kind of behavior of a role holder but on the part of the role holder he or she have different expectations

TYPES OF ROLE CONFLICTS

Intra-sender role conflict Inter-sender role conflict Inter-role conflict Person-role conflicts Role overload Role ambiguity

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STATUS AND STATUS SYMBOLS

It is the social rank of a person in a group With it come certain degree of recognition, honor

and acceptance given by society to a person Status hierarchy can be defined as the rank of a

person in a group of people relative to the others People with a higher status would usually have

more power and influence than those at the lower level

ORGANIZATION CULTURE

The major determinants of behavior patterns in org can be categorized into 2 main factors ie: Org structure – shows the structural characteristics Org culture – characterized by the values, beliefs, attitudes and

norms It refers to patterned ways of thinking, feeling and

reacting acquired through symbols that constitute the distinct achievement or characteristics of an org

It is a common perception held by the org’s members, a system of shared meaning

COMPOSITION OF ORG CULTURE Dominant cultureThe core values that are shared by a majority

of the org’s members SubculturesIt develop to reflect common problems,

situations or consequences that members face

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CULTURE VS FORMALIZATION

Formalization refer to the degree to which jobs within the org are standardized, it act to regulate employees’ behaviors on a formal basis

High degree of formalization will result in predictability, orderliness and consistency

CONT….

Creating a strong culture will also result in orderliness and consistency

BUT, it may not work as a regulatory measure

SO, without something written formally an org may not be able to control the behavior of org’s

FUNCTION OF ORG CULTURE

Help define each person’s role and its boundary Conveys a sense of identify for org members Facilitates the generation of commitment to

something larger than one’s own individual self-interest

Enhances social system stability whereby it helps to hold the org together

Serves as a sense-making and control mechanism that guides and shapes the attitudes and behavior of employees

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FORMATION AND CONSEQUENCES OF ORG CULTURE

SOURCE ORG CULTURE CONSEQUENCE

External InfluencesSocietal Values

Org Specific Factors-Technology

- history

Org’s Values,Orientations and

Systems

Orgl DesignSocialization Strategies

Class DistinctionIdeologies

Myths and SymbolsRites and Ceremonies