Gareth Morgan Metaphors
Gareth Morgan Metaphors are useful tools and techniques, which are effective in simplifying complex ideas and creating organizational connections. Morgan (2016) focuses on understanding the existing relationship between Gareth Morgan’s metaphors in the development of organization theory. Moreover, Tohidian and Rahimian (2019) explore the application of Gareth Morgan’s metaphors in different organizational contexts. They are critical in creating unique insights into how organizations function. In essence, the metaphors describe an organization as a machine, organism, brain, cultural, political, and psychic systems, and instrument of domination, and as a flux and transformation (Örtenblad et al., 2016). The purpose of this paper is to create a case study analysis of two scholarly studies utilizing Gareth Morgan Metaphors. The analysis of the case studies based on the selected scholarly studies provides an adequate understanding and perspective of different organizational structures, management controls, leadership types, and appropriate institutional behaviors.
Case Study Analysis of Company A
Critical Issues
Company A operates in the hotel and hospitality industry. The firm faces numerous organizational challenges, such as intense market competition and discriminative tendencies. In particular, the entry of new entities into the market threatens the firm’s competitive advantage. Similarly, the company is also struggling to meet higher customer expectations because of changing preferences and tastes. For instance, every guest expects good customer services, meaningful experiences, and a culturally sensitive environment.
Proposed Solutions
The company’s managers should view the organization as a political system because of its desire to gain and wield market power and influence. The entity can influence the ratification of favorable trade laws and government policies to strengthen its competitive market advantage. Company A can use such powers and influences to streamline its operational efficiency and gain a competitive advantage. Similarly, the management should view Company A as a psychic prison. Another possible solution is the introduction of a cultural sensitivity training to help the employees differentiate appropriate and inappropriate behaviors towards people from diverse cultural, ethnic, religious, and racial backgrounds, among other differences. Lastly, Company A’s management should views it as an organism. Under this metaphor, the company can understand how different environmental changes and conditions, such as competition and trade laws, affect its operations. The management should also focus on streamlining market competition through fair pricing strategies and efficient supply of quality products.
Other Recommendations
The metaphors are effective in enhancing the images of the organization by helping managers to broaden and deepen their understanding of various organizational challenges. For instance, company A can identify specific myths and stories restricting or limiting the employees’ thoughts, ideas, and actions to eliminate the discriminative tendencies. Lastly, the selected guidelines are also critical in helping the firm’s employees understand the special relationship between societal norms and unconscious biases in organizational settings.
Communication of Solutions
The company should communicate the solutions through various departmental heads. The management can also issue memos and send emails to the employees on the proposed solutions. Lastly, the company can organize seminars and professional workshops to sensitize the employees on the efficacy of the proposed solutions.
Case Study Analysis of Company B
Critical Issues
Company B is an airline service provider. The company faces challenges such as inefficiency, poor employee performances, market competition, and discrimination. For example, some employees are skeptical about working with people from diverse backgrounds because of related cultural assumptions and misconceptions. The company also struggles to implement its plans and aims because of low-performance work practices.
Proposed Solutions
Thus, the company applies different Gareth Morgan metaphors to solve its organizational challenges. Notably, the management should view the organization as a machine. The metaphor occurs when there are recurrent outcomes, stable organizational settings, simple tasks, and performance accuracy. As a machine, Company B’s stakeholders should think about specific inputs and outputs, which can maximize production and efficiency.
As a political system, the primary concern of the company’s management is to understand how the prevailing environmental conditions such as trade laws and competition influence its market performances. Besides, the entity should view the organization as a brain by focusing on the collective aptitude and organized wisdom of different stakeholders, such as the personnel. Finally, as a cultural system, organization B is concerned with integrating shared beliefs, norms, and diverse practices of the employees. The metaphor works when there is a fierce competition for talents and an increased desire for a shared identity.
Other recommendations
As a political system, the entity should develop clear and discrete changes in the business environment threatening its survival. Besides, the firm can involve different stakeholders and management layers of the company to develop sensible systems and functions, which can predict future behaviors and actions. Finally, as a machine, the management should introduce a sharp sense of control and order in its operations.
Communication of Solutions
The company should communicate the solutions through various departmental heads. The management can also issue memos and send emails to the employees on the proposed solutions. Finally, the company can organize seminars and professional workshops to sensitize the employees on the efficacy of the proposed solutions.
The Benefits of Using the Metaphors in Management Practice
The case studies provide a practical understanding and perspective of different organizational structures, management controls, leadership types, and appropriate institutional actions based on Gareth Morgan metaphors. Organizations can use the guidelines to describe and understand how various interrelated concepts and definitions can shape the specific decisions of individuals or groups. The metaphors are also useful in describing the functionality in different organizations, understanding, and highlighting specific managerial aspects. Stakeholders, such as the employees, can understand and characterize their subjective and professional experiences with the company based on metaphors. They can also draw important inferences, set specific goals, execute plans, and make important commitments based on their understanding and application of these metaphors.
References
Morgan, G. (2016). Commentary: Beyond Morgan’s eight metaphors. Human Relations, 69(4), 1029-1042.
Örtenblad, A., Putnam, L. L., & Trehan, K. (2016). Beyond Morgan’s eight metaphors: Adding to and developing organization theory. Human Relations, 69(4), 875-889.
Tohidian, I., & Rahimian, H. (2019). Bringing Morgan’s metaphors in organization contexts: An essay review. Cogent Business & Management, 6(1), 1587808. Web.