Introduction
Sociology consists of multiple theories that review organizations from various perspectives. These include leadership, hierarchy, interpersonal relationships, and the structure of the organization. Considering these aspects, one can make one’s judgments about the environment. The following essay will review some of the theories and provide a perspective on how effective they are and whether they have any flaws.
Theories
Organizational Theory
Organizational theory focuses on reviewing the structures and operations of social organizations. Another feature involves analyzing their productivity and performance, including the deeds of people and groups within them. The goal of the researchers is to comprehend the features of a successful business (Indeed Editorial Team, 2022). They can review the value of social and interpersonal relationships of employees and the structures between the bosses and their staff.
Six organizational theories currently represent this issue. From my perspective, they are appropriate and effective because they offer various perspectives on how to strengthen a business. These theories rely on features such as business decisions, statistics, mathematical data, and employee well-being. Thus, employers can choose the most effective one to strengthen their business.
Sources of Power
The sources of power describe the various aspects from which a leader’s strength stems. It can be their interpersonal relationships, their rank, and their expertise in their respective field. These types of power affect their level of influence and the level of trust and respect that their employees have toward them (Revolution Learning and Development, n.d.). This could explain a leader’s flaws and strong features, where they fail and succeed.
These sources are quite legitimate because they provide a detailed explanation of a boss’s rank and leadership, as well as why this person has that rank. They could be used to address some positive sides of those sources, for example, how they interact with others, as well as address some flaws, such as insufficient knowledge on a specific topic in their area.
Collegial Theory
Collegial theory is focused on controlling a group of workers through teamwork and cooperation. By using it, the boss acts as a guide who helps achieve the organizational goals. Hence, employees are willing to work productively and achieve success (OB, n.d.). This is not due to their fear of repercussions but their understanding of their responsibility towards the organization, motivating them to contribute to it.
From my perspective, this theory is rather influential; however, it lacks some moments. Unfortunately, this theory implies that all employees would be motivated to help their organization, which does not apply to everyone. In fact, some employees may be more willing to take advantage of such a trusting system, thus exposing its naivete and putting the company they work for at risk.
Bureaucratic Theory
The bureaucratic theory perceives organizations as systems notable for hierarchical chains of command and control. These principles demand that everyone follow orders without questioning or disobeying them (Think Insights, 2022). This theory creates a community more focused on rules and authority. Thus, this theory forms an organization that focuses on more practical features than on moments that feature psychology.
This theory is rather fragile, as it presents the opposite extreme for organizations. Heavy reliance on that theory could imply a risk of authoritarianism in companies and the workplace in general. Besides, it creates a robotic environment, wrongfully implying that unpredictable circumstances, such as sickness, may not occur. That way, employees may feel an element of hostility, with the boss seeming soulless.
Political Theory
Political theory shares some similarities with bureaucratic theory; however, it has a critical feature at its core that helps differentiate between the two. The former provides groups with the opportunity to have goals, thus competing with each other for a reward. Then, the boss should define the distribution of resources based on his relationships with other higher-ups in the organization instead of existing policies.
I perceive this theory as more well-organized than the former two. It is less focused on the extremes, i.e., strict hierarchy or cooperation, and more on how leaders can create appropriate solutions for their company. While it does not acknowledge betrayal, it could teach businesses how to achieve a common target by any means necessary while maintaining a mutual agreement between bosses.
Anarchical Theory
Finally, the anarchical theory does not have any leaders at the forefront. It provides more rights to every person within a particular organization. This assumes extra opportunities for achieving goals, as fewer checks and balances could have made the process slower (Williams, n.d.). Due to this aspect, this may seem like a rather promising idea for multiple businesses, granting more valuable opportunities for companies.
This theory is somewhat faulty, as it does not acknowledge such factors as competition, instability, and lack of cooperation. Without a leader, there is a relatively high risk of dysfunction within an organization, as there is no high-ranking figure to maintain discipline. This results in a flawed environment, putting both the employees and the entire organization at risk due to possible conflicts.
Conclusion
In conclusion, multiple theories review organizations from various aspects. Some, including the bureaucratic and collegial theories, are too extreme and present various risks. Meanwhile, others, such as the political one and the sources of power, are rather insightful and could offer effective ideas for companies. Thus, the diversity of these theories shows that the structure of a business needs to be defined thoroughly.
References
Indeed Editorial Team. (2022). What is organizational theory? Definition and 6 types. Indeed. Web.
OB (n. d.). Collegial model of organisational behaviour. My Organisational Behaviour. Web.
Revolution Learning and Development. (n. d.). 5 sources of power in organisations. Revolution Learning and Development Ltd. Web.
Think Insights. (2022). Bureaucracy – Six principles of Max Weber. Web.
Williams, C. (n.d.). Advantages and disadvantages of the vertical dyad linkage model. Chron. Web.