Behavioral Science Models and Organizations
Alternatives to the rational bureaucratic model of organizations have been developed in recent years (Chapter 6, p. 125). Many of these systems have moved well beyond Fordism, an organizational system characterized by a rigid division of labor, both vertically and horizontally, jobs that are highly specialized and repetitive, and the use of technical control to supervise work (Chapter 6, p. 126). Fordism has given way in many instances to new behavioral models of organizational structure. Beyond Fordism, organizations have become more flexible, able to adapt to change, and characterized as leaner and meaner than in the past (Chapter 6, p. 151). It is the purpose of this essay to examine a number of behavioral science theories and models that are being applied in organizational settings, identifying the strengths and weaknesses of each model.
While technology has certainly impacted upon organizational systems and structures (Chapter 8, p. 185), much of the literature on emerging organizations emphasizes behavioral concepts and theories. For example, John Tomer developed the theory of organizational capital defined as human capital in which the attribute is embodied in either the organizational relationship, particular organizational members, the organization's repositories of information, or some combination of the above (Chapter 7, p. 172). Tomer (1998) draws heavily upon organizational behavior theory to describing the joining-up process as a process in which employees join together to create and maintain behaviors that support a proactive organizational culture and which create new types of organizational capital. Tomer (1998) notes that joining-up refers to a process by which two distinctly separate entities - an individual and an organization - form a relationship that shapes their future interactions. Companies attempt to facilitate this process by offering rewards and...