Understanding Organizations Finally

The iconic Henry Mintzberg provides a crystal-clear map to the seven forces that shape all human organizations, synthesizing sixty years of research on organizational design and theory. Human beings have been organizing to accomplish work for as long as we've existed. So why is organizational behavior still so elusive and mysterious? In this book, one of the greatest scholars in his field reframes his career's work around the seven forces that drive all organizations. Mintzberg identifies them as efficiency, proficiency, consolidation, collaboration, culture, division, and conflict. Each of these forces aligns with one of the seven basic organizational forms: the Personal Enterprise, the Programmed Machine, the Professional Assembly, the Project Pioneer, the Divisional Form, the Community Ship, and the Political Arena. Mintzberg explores how these forms combine and hybridize and offers a life-cycle model to explain how organizations transition between the forms and hybrids. Mintzberg says that organizations are formed by a set of relationships, yet their purpose is achieved only through individual work-making the act of organizing a unique science. This brilliant book not only explains why organizations are the way they are, but it also shows how we can make our individual organizations function at the highest possible level.

The iconic Henry Mintzberg provides a crystal-clear map to the seven forces that shape all human organizations, synthesizing sixty years of research on organizational design and theory. Human beings have been organizing to accomplish work for as long as we’ve existed. So why is organizational behavior still so elusive and mysterious? In this book, one of the greatest scholars in his field reframes his career’s work around the seven forces that drive all organizations. Mintzberg identifies them as efficiency, proficiency, consolidation, collaboration, culture, division, and conflict. Each of these forces aligns with one of the seven basic organizational forms: the Personal Enterprise, the Programmed Machine, the Professional Assembly, the Project Pioneer, the Divisional Form, the Community Ship, and the Political Arena. Mintzberg explores how these forms combine and hybridize and offers a life-cycle model to explain how organizations transition between the forms and hybrids. Mintzberg says that organizations are formed by a set of relationships, yet their purpose is achieved only through individual work—making the act of organizing a unique science. This brilliant book not only explains why organizations are the way they are, but it also shows how we can make our individual organizations function at the highest possible level.

The iconic Henry Mintzberg provides a crystal-clear map to the forms and forces that shape all human organizations, synthesizing his fifty years of research. We live in a world of organizations, from our birth in hospitals until our burial by funeral homes. In between, we are educated, employed, entertained, and exasperated by organizations. We had better understand how these strange beasts really work. But where can we go to find out? Welcome to Understanding Organizations . . . Finally! For half a century, Mintzberg has been observing organizations, advising them, engaging them, and escaping them. Here he offers a masterful update and revision of his 1983 classic, Structure in Fives. Believing there is one best way to structure organizations is the worst way to do so. A better place to start is by recognizing different species of organizations. Mintzberg identifies seven-personal enterprises, programmed machines, professional assemblies, project pioneers, and others. He explores these forms and the seven forces that drive them toward hybrids and across their life cycles. You will find no better guide to the care and feeding of these extraordinarily varied and vital creatures than this book.

Understanding Organizations: Theories and Images introduces students to the key principles of understanding, designing, and managing organizations in an accessible and practical way. The book provides a conceptual toolkit containing the essential models, theories and concepts needed for working in, managing and evaluating organizations. Key Features: Insightful anecdotes discuss how for- and not-for profit organizations fit within our current society from a social and economic perspective. Theoretical framework and multi-perspective approach focuses on economics, institutionalism and evolution theory highlighting the relationship between organizations, employees and the broader society. Research-focused approach analyses organizational phenomena in light of recent studies. This textbook is ideal for undergraduates and postgraduates studying general management, organizational theory, organizational design, and organizational sociology.

′An excellent and much needed contribution to the management literature′ - Gareth Morgan ′Trough accurate examples and instructive accounts of what constitutes understanding at work, the Author leads us to the core link between understanding and managerial practicing. It is deeply informative, often witty and always elegant!′ - Silvia Gherardi Research Unit on Communication, Organizational Learning, and Aesthetics dipartimento di sociologia e ricerca sociale ′The book provides an interesting, accessible and important contribution to the interpretive understanding of management and leadership and clearly shows its relevance also for practitioners′ - Mats Alvesson Bringing a fresh perspective to the evaluation of management problems, this book draws upon interpretative research and builds upon existing interpretative studies to scrutinise the influence managers have on employees′ understanding. It considers how managers use ideas and visions to frame their employees′ internalised understanding of the external rules and instructions that govern their work. The book brings an interpretative perspective to the question of individual and group competence and look at how this is linked with understanding. Throughout Managing Understanding in Organizations refers to international case studies and considers the cross-cultural impact on management and understanding at work.

Understanding Organization Through Culture and Structure: Relational and Other Lessons From the African American Organization presents an innovative view of organizations and the communication processes that constitute them. Arguing that human beings are communicatively embedded in their cultures, Anne Maydan Nicotera and Marcia J. Clinkscales, working with Felicia R. Walker, examine issues concerning task and relational orientations and the ways they and other cultural dimensions connect with organizational structure and function for predominantly African American organizations. Utilizing the results of their own research on organizations, they develop a set of humanistically-based models that illustrate how hidden cultural processes suffuse organizational life and are manifest through communication. Emphasizing the development of alternative theories and models of organizing which are rooted in African-American culture, such as team-based versus hierarchy-based interactions, this book explores such organizational functions as leadership and management, power, authority and control, communication and interpersonal dynamics, and cultural identity and human development. Applying their findings in a broader analysis of contemporary practices in organizational restructuring, the authors present research that serves as the foundation for generating several emergent models with significant implications for organizational systems. Understanding Organization Through Culture and Structure stimulates and inspires current researchers of organizational communication, and is certain to raise greater awareness of the operation of culture in organizing. The text is intended for scholars and students in organizational communication, management, organizational psychology, African studies, and related areas.

Organizations are complex entities that must adapt the practices of their employees and management to meet the demands of a dynamic environment. Organizations are behavioral systems that coordinate interactions among its members and environment. Changing practices in one area of an organization can generate a reaction throughout the entire system, thus affecting the behaviors of those working within other areas, the experience of customers, and important organizational results. Behavioral Systems Analysis (BSA) focuses on these complex contingencies from the macro system all the way down to individual behavior. This book contains articles by internationally recognized experts in Behavioral Systems Analysis who discuss the role of organizational practices in their study of performance improvement and cultural change from both practical and conceptual perspectives. Business and non-profit managers will find tools and case studies to help understand and diagnose their organization’s dynamics. Scholars will appreciate articles’ theory and real-world descriptions when considering their own research direction. Finally, all students of management theory, behavior analysis, and human resources will find this collection a thought-provoking tool for their understanding of behavioral systems and their application in organizations. This book was published as a special issue in the Journal of Organizational Behavior Management.