Unitary Perspectives and Management

In a organisation that "culturally" and through the language used to influence and bind people together as a family, community or unit we assume:

• acceptance and co-operative attitudes and values
• those who disagree are outsiders, unreasonable and recalcitrant.
• in our language we use key words and phases - signs and signifiers - that emphasise " working together here as a team. We all want the business to achieve its purpose." . There is a consensus of understanding, purposes and values.
• thus disagreement and overt conflict, obstructive behaviour and even strike action, is - to those who subscribe to the "unitary" frame of reference - unnecessary, deviant and damaging to the organisation. If only staff could see that obstruction and stoppages are pointless. The benefits of pulling together far outweigh - momentary disagreements and upsets .... after all there is little to disagree about. Passions and misunderstandings that breed conflict are indeed stoked by unhealthy, marginal factions - agents provocateurs.
• The unitary frame of reference depicts management as having the best interests of all staff at heart when decisions are made .... well if not everyone then certainly the "greatest happiness of the greatest number". Of course misunderstandings and anomalies arise from time to time but these are not helped by malcontents who distort what management are trying to do.
• effective, participative management keeps everybody warm and cozy. With good will all round, reasonableness, and sensitive communication then trade unions can be kept at bay. If staff join a trade union then this can only be because of poor management practice and communication.

What does a unitary stance involve for employees?

• working practices should be flexible. Individuals should be "kaizen" (continuous quality improvement) and business process improvement oriented, multiskilled and ready to tackle with zest and efficiency whatever tasks are required.
• if a union is recognised, its role is that of a further means of communication between groups of staff and the company.
• the emphasis is on good relationships and sound terms and conditions of employment (the rewards package) being agreed with individual. Collective bargaining as a way of determining the elements of the work-pay relationship is too distant and removed from the individual. The organisation needs to demonstrate its appreciation and recognition of their efforts and individuals and groups need to be rewarded clearly for their particular contributions. This the whole benefits package matters - tangible and intangible rewards. Even working for a company that one can be proud of is a significant reward element.
• staff participation in workplace decisions is enabled. This, lets empower individuals in their roles and emphasise team work, innovation, creativity, discretion in problem-solving, quality and improvement groups etc.
• managers must be visible and lead by example. Peters and Waterman in "In Search of Excellence" spoke of "being visible" and "management by walkabout". Staff should feel that the skills and expertise of managers supports their endeavours. The aspirations of participative leadership and the human relations school are achievable by sound management.
• As the purpose of the business is to succeed and be sustained in its endeavours, every employee must appreciate the business competitive problem and take ownership of their contribution to performance and quality - being totally customer service focused.

What does a unitary stance involve for employers?

• staffing policies should try to unify effort, inspire and motivate.
• the organisation's wider objectives should be properly communicated and discussed with staff
• reward systems should be so designed as to foster to secure loyalty and commitment.
• line managers should take ownership of their team/staffing responsibilities and not pass the buck, relying on some separated, distanced personnel department. A specialist personnel support service must focus on giving support to line managers in respect of technical/legal advice and administrative support.
• staff-management conflicts - from the perspective of the unitary framework - are seen as arising from lack of information, inadequate presentation of management's policies. It is also stimulated by malcontents and staff whose attitudes and values are "anti" the organisation. Thus when recruiting staff, systematic attention should be given to ensure that their traits and personal orientation fit in with organisational culture. It is important that through good communications, training, briefing and team activities that individuals become integrated in company norms and ways of doing things.
• the personal objectives of every individual employed in the business should be should be discussed with them and integrated with the organisations needs (see McGregor's Theory Y). Job planning and performance review - in a supportive, developmental atmosphere - is an important ingredient to the unitary (new HRM) organisation. Staff need to have training and development support opportunities to "empower" them in pursuit of their goals.

This scenario - might be labelled - new HRM approach. It reflects very closely the vision of Douglas McGregor in his description of the Theory Y manager and organisation which seeks to integrate the needs of the individual with the needs of the organisation.

Advantages and Problems

• consensus and harmony is emphasised
• individuals are socialised into a team culture
• respect for the employee - their integrity and dignity - is emphasised
• it is management's job to integrate hard and soft, technical and social decisions/activities within the firm.

• the unitary approach however cannot easily accommodate non-conforming individuals (people who want a life outside of work) and who do not see themselves as being in the same boat with everyone in the organisational team (which indeed may be 15000 people). There are both locals and cosmopolitans in the firm with varying degrees of loyalty, commitment , willingness to give their all or withhold some of themselves from absorption into the "unitary culture". The unitary team approach is a small group approach - warm, cuddly and friendly. It does not readily accept
  • differing viewpoints;
  • criticism of organisational norms and universal directions;
  • unwillingness to be absorbed into the whole (remember the "I am an individual vs. we are Borg "conflicts in Star Trek);
  • The business approach is corporate - large programmes of production and movements of money - is the greatest happiness of the greatnest number always satisfied or "qui bono" do some acquire more rewards and power than others?;

• the unitary approach tends to discount conflicts of interest which arise naturally in manager-staff, employer-employee situations.

A unitary frame of reference is not just about unions and industrial relations. It is a term which reflects the projection and maintenance of a "togetherness" or understandings and essential values accepted by members of organisations. Thus it is typically a managerial frame of reference which does not easily reconcile itself with organisations or societal positions, which are distinctly more political and "pluralistic" frames of reference.

The pluralist perspective is that of an organisation that is more diverse with clear differences of values and interpretations exisiting between interest groups. In this organisation, the propsensity for competition and conflict between individuals and groups at many levels is more endemic than harmony and consensus . Those who compete, the powerful and powerless, the haves and have-nots, the owners and servants - pull in different directions. Institutional mechanisms and basic agreement on rights and obligations are needed to stablise and minimise the friction between diverse elements in the organisational society. Conflict reduction procedures and devices and other checks and balances are needed to hold the organsiation things together.