Amitai Etzioni's Model of OCS

Amitai Etzioni has developed a theoretical model of Organizational Control Structure (OCS) which he defines as the methods used by an organization to: (1) produce desired performance; and (2) monitor performance relative to specified criteria regarding quality and quantity of performance. To-date Etzioni's theory has not been comprehensively tested. In other words, what is needed is ongoing research into the validity of Etzioni's OCS model.

This critique may be considered part of the needed research effort into the model's validity. Specifically, in order to investigate the validity of the OCS model, the author of this paper selected a highly familiar and well-known setting--a local high school where the author works as a teacher--and analyzed the extent to which power/control behaviors of school administrators were congruent with Etzioni's theoretical postulates and principles regarding OCS, especially those postulates and principles related to leadership behavior.

Although the school was well known to the author, efforts were made to collect systematic observances. Specifically, an eight hour period (4 hours for two days) was selected to observed and record all control/power behaviors of administrators toward teachers, staff, and students. In this way, the general thoughts of the author toward control/power that were based on past observances of administrators at the school could be checked to see if they accorded with those behaviors observed duri

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ne vice principal was a vibrant, articulate woman who almost always approached peers and subordinates through the manipulation of symbols (prestige, self-esteem, acceptance) and this, in turn, engendered commitment not only to the school but to the vice principal herself. For example, when she dealt with students who had broken rules, she always discussed the rules with students, trying to show them how the rules served not only school goals but the educational needs of the students themselves. Similarly, her discussions with teachers, even when she had some criticism of their behavior, was always placed within the context of a number of good things the teacher had done or accomplished for the school; in other words, she gave them prestige and acceptance on all occasions. As a result, most teachers and students and staff (as well as administrators) were favorably disposed toward this vice principal. Indeed, in informal conversations the authors had with members of staff, teachers, and students, almost all said they would be willing to go out of their way for this vice principal in order to help her achieve her goals. In other words, she had great personnel power just as Etzioni's principle predicted. OCS Principle 3 - A

Category: Business - A