The Interdependence of Society and Organizations

Modern societies have been called organizational. Unlike so-called primitive societies, modern ones produce most of their goods and services through special-purpose organizations that are, in the main, neither familial nor tribal. Some of the organizations of a modern society are meant to earn a profit and some are not-for-profit.

The organizational mode of conducting society's affairs means that virtually everyone in modern societies depends mightily upon how well organizations function. We look to them for goods and services of adequate quantity, quality, and a low enough price. We look to them for jobs to earn the money to buy what we need. We depend upon them for decent and healthful environments on and off the job.

In turn, organizations depend upon the contributed talent and effort of people who work in them. Every organization must obtain these contributions and other resources and convert them into some outputs that yield sufficient rewards to keep the organization alive and functioning. In a word, the relationship of society and organizations is one of interdependence. But what kind of interdependence?

Managerialism (the ideological principle on which the economic, social and political order of advanced industrialized societies is actually based) proclaims that the society is made up of organizations, corporations, associations, and so forth – not individuals. Social decisions are a consequence of the interactions of the managers of the social units – not the will of the people, the demands of consumers, or the needs of workers.

Questions:

1. Do you share the point of view of the author of the text?

Ex. 6. Translate the following into English.

Індивідуальні зусилля; досягти успіху; досягти поставленої мети; неспрможні виконати; відносно рано; першочерговий елемент; у своїй першій спробі; відповідати потребам; діяльність, яка підтримується; ланцюг відносин; офіційне визнання; від свого імені; мати владу; виконувати обовязки; бути офіційно визнаним; необхідність роподілу роботи; визначається терміном; процес передачі обовязків; від керівника до підлеглого; не може існувати і процвітати; ієрархічна організація; складаються з основних компонентів; управлінський інструмент; розподіл за функціями; скупчення ресурсів.

Ex. 7. Add an appropriate preposition to each of the following sentences where indicated.

Organizational controls

An organization can best achieve its objectives when its members require a minimum... supervision because they are competent and goal-oriented. Nevertheless, even... optimal conditions of individual commitment and self-control, organizations need formal controls. The control function of organizations consists... the following:

1.Establishing standards... which all aspects of organizational life are evaluated.

Most organizations have formal standards relating... spending, production, sales, product quality, safety, inventory, personnel selection, acceptable employee behavior, and so forth.

2. Establishing feedback system by which actual performance is compared... predetermined standards.

These are best exemplified... management reports which show, often... a daily basis, expected and actual performance.

3. Taking appropriate action to ensure that substandard performance is improved and that standards will be met... the future.

It is common practice to refer... the standards and feedback systems as controls although it should be obvious that they serve a control function only if managerial action is involved. They are not a substitute... supervision, but they minimize requirements for personal supervision.

Read the text once again and answer the following question: What are the control functions of organization?

Ex. 8. Read the text. Fill in the gaps with the missing words given below.