Contingency Views Of Organization And Management

Abstract: This book examines organization and management based on a systems and contingency model. The first part focuses on the conceptual framework behind the model and includes a chapter on the history of management values. The second part explores the development of organizational and management concepts. The next section discusses the interaction between organizations and the environment and organizational goals. In the fourth section, the impact of technology on the organization is examined. Next, the psychosocial system of the organization is described, including behavior, motivation, and group dynamics. The sixth part addresses the decision-making role of managers and includes sections on planning and control. The final section discusses comparative analysis and contingency views. Included in this section are three chapters which serve as case studies for examining the systems approach in a hospital, university, and city.

This volume presents a comprehensive, in-depth analysis of the theories, evidence and methodological issues of contingency theory - one of the major theoretical lenses used to view organizations.

Strategy and structure: a framework for analysis; The evolution of management theory and values; Environment, technology and organization; Division of work; Delegation and decentralization; Organizational conflict and coordination; Leadership and supervision; Organizational climate; Motivation and satisfaction; Groups and committees; Staffing and performance appraisal; Training and development; Decision-making; Managerial planning; Control and autonomy.

Essay from the year 2005 in the subject Business economics - Business Management, Corporate Governance, grade: A, University of Otago (Department of Management), course: Business Policy, 14 entries in the bibliography, language: English, abstract: This work answers the question What are the strengths and weaknesses of the systems approach as used by contingency writers in analysing organisations? To provide a sound insight into the strengths and weaknesses, the notion of contingency theory needs to be de-fined and its development understood. So, the first chapter displays the most significant ideas and characteristics of contingency theory and briefly follows the developmental steps of how contingency theory found its way into management on the basis of some of its most influential writings. The second and the third chapter take the contrary positions for strengths or for weaknesses of the contingency approach. Nevertheless, this paper does not provide a complete or conclusive view of contingency theory, the selection of the writings and the deliberate focus on uncertainty and envi-ronment as contingency factors with just a short reference to other factors like strategy, tech-nology and size is intended. The interpretation of strengths and weaknesses can, if not derived from the literature, be considered as biased by my personal subjective view and is, therefore, a limitation of this work. The essay, finally, concludes with a brief appreciation and evaluation of contingency theory.