Chapter 3:
Organizations as Organisms
Organisms

Machines are not affected by their
environment for the most part. Is this true
about organizations?

Every aspect of biological and cosmological
life is affected by its environment: subatoms,
atoms, cells, organisms --- Environment
matters.
Organizations as Organisms

Organisms have different parts that work
together to make up an entire system. The
system can survive better in some
environments more than others.

Apply to the workplace
History of Organism Metaphor

1) Taylor believed people could be treated like
machines. This assumption proved terribly
faulty.

Even though this assumption seems laughable, the
fact that managers borrowed and still implement
Taylor’s ideas shows how our common sense can
be overridden by overarching metaphors.
History of Organism Metaphor

2) Elton Mayo and Hawthorne plants.

3) Maslow “Hierarchy of Needs”

4) Human Resource Management:

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Workers have Needs – Most workers like meaningful work,
responsibility, autonomy and democratic work structures.
Socio-Technical Systems show a dependent relationship
between technology and human needs.
Characteristics of Organism

1) “Open System” – “Organizations, like
organisms, are “open” to their environment
and must achieve an appropriate relation with
that environment if they are to survive.” 38

Machine metaphor assumes nothing external
affects the organizations. They are “closed.”
Characteristics of Organism

2) Interrelated sub-systems.

3) Alignment between sub-systems and larger
systems.
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Homeostasis
Negative entropy
Structure, function, differentiation and integration
Requisite Variety
Equifinality
Systems Evolution
Theories Derived when
Organizations are Viewed as
Organisms

1) Contingency Theory (Unit of analysis is
individual organization)

Good Fits depends on evaluating:

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Technology
Changing Environment
Employees (culture)
Departments within Organization
Management System
Theories

2) Varieties of Species:(Unit of analysis is individual
organization)

Structural design, age, size, technology and conditions of
industry affect the “species” of firm to be developed:
Typology:
Machine Bureaucracy and Divisionlized form
Professional Bureaucracy
Simple Structure and Adhocracy (Matrix)
Theories

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3) Population Ecology – Unit of Analysis is Industry NOT
Organization.
This theory questions the focus on individual organizations.
We need to look at how competitive the environment is and the
resources organizations have.
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Environments only let the most competitive and resourceful businesses
survive.
Most organizations fail to change and thus are in danger of failing
when innovation occurs.
When environment changes, new organizations are better able to
handle change.
This theory focuses more on the environment than on individuals
within them.
Theories

4) Organizational Ecology (Unit of analysis is
entire environment)

Environments and Organizations are mutually
dependent and grow together.
Powerful people interact and affect decisions
in a variety of areas.
Collaboration of organizations is key.
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Strengths and Weaknesses

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1) Acknowledges environment is impt
2) BUT, assumes that the organization is
harmonious and that there is one “true” form.
If you were to apply the metaphor,
which concepts would be critical to
include?