POWER AND

POLITICS IN
ORGANIZATIONS
PRESENTATION BY:
DESSERY MAY N. JACINTO
> An organizational structure is designed to bring about order in
the accomplishment of the various tasks aimed at achieving
organizational objectives. In this regard, certain organizational
principles have to be complied with, while the organizational
structure has to be tailored to its environment and operational
needs.

> Organizations are strategies created to bring about order out of

chaos when people work together. Organization sets the
relationship among people, work, and resources. An organization
must be employed to get productive results, whenever people
coordination of work, people, and things.

> Individuals in an organization are vested with certain rights of

privacy, and other of the like. However, discipline has to be
maintained by management to enforce organization standards.
THE CLASSICAL
ORGANIZATION THEORY
( 5 ) Essential elements of an institution:

Power - The capacity or ability to direct or influence the behavior of others or the
course of events.

Responsibility - The state or fact of having a duty to deal with something or of

having control over someone.

Division of labor - The assignment of different parts of a manufacturing process or

task to different people in order to improve efficiency.

Specialization - The process of concentrating on and becoming expert in a particular

subject or skill.

Interdependence of parts - are not dependent on each other directly, they are
instead, interrelated through enabling the emergence of some overall combined
organization.
ORGANIZATIONAL
STRUCTURES:
Division of Work - The department head organizes the work by dividing it into
levels and functions and then assigning people and resources to the jobs that have to
be accomplished. The division into levels, such as head of the department,
supervisors and employees is referred to as the scalar process because it provides a
scale or grading of duties according to levels of authority and responsibility.

Linking Pins - An intricate network of relationships that links people together into
a working organization is brought about when the scalar process, functionalization,
and delegation are performed correctly. A structure needs to hold together the
numerous part of an organization so that they can operate as an integrated team
working toward common goals.

Acceptance Theory of Authority - Delegation gives authority to lower level

executive or manager. However, the use of that authority is contingents on the
willingness of employees to accept it. This is referred to as the employee “zone of
acceptance of authority”.
Operating and Ultimate Responsibility - Managers who delegate responsibility to
others are in no way relieved or released from the original responsibility that they
themselves received. Responsibility may be divided into ( 2 ) parts:
Operating Responsibility and Ultimate Responsibility.

Specialization - Specialization is an outcome of functionalization. If work is

recognized into different functions, division of labor of functionalization has taken
place. However, in the course of time workers who perform specialized jobs attain
proficiency, greater skills, and better knowledge of the job.

The Span of Management - A basic idea of classical organization is the span of

management (or span of supervision) which pertains to the number of people a
manager can directly manage. The number of employees that a manager can
effectively manage depends on several factors. Among them are:
1.) The capacity and skills of the manager;
2.) The complexity of the work supervised;
3.) The capacity and skills of the employees;
4.) The stability of operation;
5.) Contacts with other chains of command;
6.) Contacts outside the organization; and
7.) The geographic distance of subordinates
Tall and Flat Organizations - A small-span organization results in a Tall structure
while a large-span organization causes a Flat structure. Closer coordination and
control can be exercised in a tall structure because each manager works with fewer
personnel. Thus, there tends to be less role conflict and ambiguity. Communication
lines are however longer such that more opportunities for misinterpretation and
editing arise. On the other hand, a flat structure has shorter, simpler communication
chain but managers have so many people to deal with that they cannot spend much
time face-to-face with any member of their group.
Bureaucracy - Whenever organizational structures, rules and procedures are
rigidly followed, a condition known as bureaucracy develops. Bureaucracy is
characterized by its being a large complex system operating with interpersonal
detachment from people. Lower and middle-level managers act as impersonal
followers of rules more than as managers. Job security in the sytem is assured as
long as rules and regulations are followed and a stable operation is maintained.
THANK YOU 