Reframing Organizations, 3rd ed.
Chapter 6
People and Organizations
People and Organizations
Human Resource Frame Human Needs What Needs do People Have? Theory X and Theory Y Personality and Organization Human Capacity and the Changing
Employment Contract
People and Organizations (II)
Lean and Mean: More Benefits than Costs? Investing in People
Human Resource Assumptions
Organizations exist to serve human needs People and organizations need each other When the fit between individual and system is
poor, one or both suffer A good fit benefits both
Human Needs
The concept of “need” is controversial Economists: people’s willingness to trade
dissimilar items disproves usefulness of concept Psychologists: need, or motive is a useful way to
talk enduring preferences for some experiences compared to others
Needs are a product of both nature and nurture
Genes determine initial trajectory Experience and learning profoundly influence
preferences
Maslow’s Need Hierarchy
Needs arrayed in a hierarchy Lower needs are “pre-
potent” Higher needs become
more important after lower are satisfied
Maslow’s hierarchy: Self-actualization Esteem Belongingness, love Safety Physiological
McGregor’s Theory X and Theory Y
Theory X Workers are passive and
lazy Prefer to be led Resist change
Theory Y Management’s basis task
is to ensure that workers meet their important needs while they work
Either theory can be self-fulfilling prophesy
Argyris: Personality and Organization
Traditional management principles produce conflict between people and organizations Task specialization produces narrow, boring jobs that
require few skills Directive leadership makes workers dependent and
treats them like children Workers adapt to frustration:
Withdraw – absenteeism or quitting Become passive, apathetic Resist top-down control through deception,
featherbedding, or sabotage Climb the hierarchy Form groups (such as labor unions) Train children to believe work is unrewarding
Human Capacity and the Changing Employment Contract Handy – Shamrock form
Core group of managers Basic workforce – part-time or on shifts to increase
organization’s flexibility Contractual fringe – temps, independent contractors
Lean and mean (win through low costs): downsize, outsource, hire temps and contractors
Invest in people (win with talent): build competent, well-trained work force
Shift from production economy to information economy produces skill gap
Conclusion
Organizations need people and people need organizations, but the trick is to align their needs
Dilemma: lean and mean vs. invest in people
Top Related