At any one time a range of interests are being pursued within and organisation by different groups. These interests may extend across the boundaries of the firm and involve external institutions.
Power, Language and Theories in Use
The business organisation is a social construction (shaped by people with people shaped by it) and power relationships, attitudes, values and perceptions of decision-makers (formal and informal) are key influences. These may be open to criticism by others on grounds of irrationality e.g from competitors or groups on the receiving end holding rival ideals.
Various individuals and groups in the organisation have their own "theories in use" about the organisation. Their theory can be positive eg 'this is a great organisation to work for' or negative ' the management here could manage a p.... up in a brewery'.
Such models and perspectives are significant in our interpretation of business structures and management processes. Many businesses invest heavily on communication to organisational members to promote positive and enthusiastic member compliance. Such influence on employees begins even prior to the job advertising stage and continues into induction training, management training (to promote a participative style of management), house newspapers, promotion schemes, employee shareholding and staff conferences.
Management (general or specialist eg accountants, personnel managers, DP Managers etc), as a professional class, try to explain organisational policy and change in "objective language" using ostensibly measurable, irrefutable criteria of choice. Management language is that of persuasion to a point of view both passionate and dispassionate. Decisional debates (at meetings, via memos, presenations, reports) are justificatory - selective in the facts and figures presented. Organisational decision-making is subject to the bounded rationality of organisational decision-makers.
There is usually no one-right answer for many organisational problems yet many "unitary management theories" suggest that there is a best way to manage!. Even a contingency view of management seems to suggest that it is the "manager", whose authority is legitimate and accepted, has the role of managing the situation obtaining organisational solutions so that it can cope, adapt and perform well to the satisfaction of key individuals and groups whom the organisation serves. This obviously legitimises the role and decision-making power of management and lays managers themselves open to personal problems of role conflict - organisational values vs personal values.
Power: Owners and non-Owners
Unfortunately, "power" is not something that management theorists deal with adequately. When it comes to the power relationship between "owners and non-owners, managers and workers" most organisations assume a status quo relating to 'who holds the power'.
A rule of status quo is that we don't challenge it, we don't talk about it - its futile anyway! Those who do want to address power imbalances are radical in their view and the experience of living and working in an organisation which is subject to radical movement politically can be quite uncomfortable. At the level of this debate we should be aware that the social organisation and therefore management is political not necessarily neutral as a "machine for effectively transforming material and reactive inputs into highly valued outputs".
