Essay on Evolution of Formal Organizations

Submitted By junkyarddawg
Words: 1212
Pages: 5

Have you ever thought of ways to try and change the type of organization that you work for? It is possible to do so. In my sociology class that I am currently taking, I have discovered that there have been many changes over the years concerning the way organizations are ran. Did you know that there are different types of formal organizations and that a researcher, by the name of Amitai Etzioni, identified three types of organization in his research? (Macionis, 2006) A formal organization is defined as First you should determine what type of formal organization you work for and how is it that you can change it. Additionally, you should determine why is it that you chose to work for that particular organization. For instance, what driving force did you use to determine the type of organization you wanted to pursue? Was the need for income the driving force to you committing you to your job? If so the type of organization that you look for is called a utilitarian organization. Or, was your driving force a desire to meet a particular goal and or to pursue a career, which is called a normative organization. Being that I know that you chose the organization you work for and was not forced into your decision to work for this organization I know that you are not in a coercive organization. However, based on my studies there are some organization that fall under all three of these categories’. It takes individuals like you and I that help to make those changes possible. However, before you jump right in wanting to make changes from within your organization, you first need to educate yourself and then analysis the current formation in which your organization operates. Formal organizations are developed when there is a large group of people deliberately formed in efforts to achieve a common goals in an effective manner. Achieving your goal in an effective manner should be your motivator when developing new and improved means of how your organization if ran.
Formal organizations have existed for thousands of years and like technology, the way an organization operates has changed tremendously over time and continues to change today. For example, many years ago the technology to communicate with one another over the phone, internet, texting, etc. was nonexistent, back then it took days sometimes even weeks to communicate with others. Thus, hindering the production efforts of the company; whereas in today’s times with the many means of communication the way an organization is operated has changed tremendously. Most formal organization has some form of bureaucracy. When most people think of bureaucracy they automatically think of the government. However, bureaucracy is also defined as the administrative structure of a large or complex organization based on the American Heritage Dictionary.
Much like the government there are many advantages and disadvantages to bureaucracy in formal organizations. Those bureaucratic inadequacies include alienation, inefficiency and ritualism, and bureaucratic inertia based on research by Max Weber.
However, Max Weber also identifies six key elements that promote the efficiency in a bureaucratic organization. Those key elements are specialization, hierarchy of offices, rules and regulations, technical competence, impersonality, and formal written communications.
The element of specialization refers to individual job functions. It is vital that the correct individual is qualified for the position for which he or she is assigned to. The hierarchy of offices element, done correctly will form an organizational pyramid. There must be a set of rules and regulation for which the organization must operate by in efforts to have organization and direction for the employees to follow. Technical competence like the specialization element refers to a properly trained and qualified person for the position for which they are to be hired for. The impersonality element is important because this