Benefits And Challenges Of Organizational Control Frameworks Essay.

This assessment  requires you to engage with one of the important issues raised in the article:

Tony Watson’s (1996) article ‘Motivation: That’s Maslow isn’t it?

Using two of the four forms of control (Knights and Willmott, 2012) as a framework, discuss the benefits and challenges of these methods of management. You should also explore the implications these managerial issues provoke in relation to your own practice as a manager or as an employee.

Provide a reflective commentary on the implications of Tony Watson’s article for both:

1. your own practice as a manager or employee and
2. your learning as a student

Crucial segment of the management system is organizational control. As per Knights and Willmott, (2012) for attaining the organizational objectives, management implements these control systems are implemented in the workplace so as to control the behaviour and performances of its members. Controls are implemented in any organization to attain the same objectives which were set up by the management through reviewing the benchmarks and standards of the organization. Controls forces the employees to move in the same direction through following set of rules, standards developed by the management to avoid any kind of unethical practices and to achieve goals of the organization adequately. Control process’ implementation is required at every level of the organization i.e. from planning, manufacturing and till marketing of products and delivery of the product. This helps the organization to avoid various kinds of wastes from the workplace as well as it will also lead to efficiency and effectiveness of the organization. The control process also consist the function of monitoring the performance of the organization time to time. The process of analysing performance of organization includes evaluation of employees’ performance at different level i.e. from planning, implementing, and producing till packaging, marketing and delivering. This helps the organization to analyse the effectiveness of the organization through implementation of these control measures and if some unethical activities found in certain area of the organization then appropriate measures are adopted to remove those as soon as possible to avoid the negative effect over the organization’s performance (Knights & Willmott, 2012). 

Control measures are unique for unique organizations and there are four frameworks of control used by organization which are discussed by Knight and Willmott (2012). Direct supervision, bureaucratic procedures, cultural control and output & self-regulation are included in the four frameworks of control. Every controlling framework has its own speciality to control the unique activities of the organization. Under these frameworks of control, motivation factors are also included so that employees could be forced to perform in fair manner and as per the standards set up by the organization. Under this essay, discussion over bureaucratic control and cultural control will be covered (Maslow, 2013).

The major issues of the organization are bureaucracy control and cultural control and these two factors plays crucial role in setting the unique ways to motivate the employees as well as it also helps the organization to control the employee’s actions. These controls helps the employees to show their talents as per the benchmarks set up by the management of the organization and this also helps the organization to analyse the employees’ performance on the basis of standards. Adequate workplace is provided to the employees under control system which motivates them to show their skills for inventing unique methods of performing tasks. Invention of new techniques could bring the positive results for the organization but these methods should be compatible with the standards set up by the organization. Implementation of bureaucratic control in the management of organization consist the combination of effective leadership and motivational techniques which invents the unique measures for accomplishment of the organizational targets (Tan & Waheed, 2011).

Bureaucratic Control

Providing rewards on better performance and punishments on bad performance are the part of bureaucratic type of control and organizational control because these systems setup the rules and regulations for the employees to provide adequate and effective output and reward programs helps them to get motivated towards their work and punishment provides them a lesson to improve their working performances to achieve effective results. It also setup the behavioural structure for the organization and with this effect organization maintains the appropriate working environment. With the effect of Second World War, bureaucratic control was introduced and it was first introduced in the form of technical control. Bureaucratic system of control set ups decent workplace environment and along with this, a culture of working is also created under which all the activities and behaviour of the organization’s employees should be matched. Norms developed to perform tasks, regulate employees’ behaviour, etc. are very crucial because a small glitch could affect the output of the organization (Lewis, 2010).

Main motive of implementation of control in workplace is to attain the objectives and to enhance the employees’ to work as per the standards, and improving performance through adaptation of motivational theories. Cultural controls are implemented and mostly used by the leaders of the organization so that adequate performance could be extracted from the team members and from employees. Bureaucratic control is implemented to set up other norms for organization such as social norms, conduct of behaviour, reward programs for better performance, punishments in relevance to bad or unethical performance, etc. Cultural control includes policies related to follow of unethical practices, non-professionalism behaviour, working with keeping the targets in mind, perusing all activities as per benchmarks, and policies related to non-disclosure agreements; ethics of working, etc. are included. Rules and regulations are crucial for any organization to achieve appropriate objectives in a certain period of time. In other words, control system setup an effective way on which all employees needs to travel to reach the desired destination of organization (MacDonald, 2010).

Structure of the organisation acts as the backbone for organization’s policies and this is because till the time employees would not be asked to work as per the structure and policies developed by the organization’s management, thy will work as per their suitability. With the effect of bureaucratic control, key members of organization i.e. mangers, leaders develops rules, policies and standards so that methods used to perform the activities of organisation could be performed in systematic and controlled manner. Non-following of policies built by the managers for performing tasks could create unexpected situation for the organization because the outcome generated from non-fulfilment of policies would not match with the outcomes expected by fulfilment of standards and this is biggest drawback of bureaucratic control. According to Knights and Willmott (2012), rules and regulations developed in the administrative department of organization as per bureaucratic control system are applicable and common for all individuals working in the organization. The basic and main difference is certain rules are built as per the hierarchy of the employees and rest rules are applicable for all. For instance, entry in the server room of the organization is not allowed for all employees of the organization, only authorized members are allowed to enter that room and rest rules such as behavioural issues, working ethics, etc. are common for all employees (Zhang, Meng, Song & Li, 2012).

Cultural Control

Bureaucratic culture matches the objective of organization where stability and long term survival motive exist. Its analyses the performance of organization as whole as per the standards and outcomes 3which is included in the formal code of regulation. All the controls could not make any effect or improvement till it is being strictly followed by the top level management of the organization. Main component of bureaucratic control is motivating employees of the organization to show their skills and talent for accomplishment of organizational goals and targets. Performance report and other written documents extract the information in relevance to the managers’ actual performance of the organization. Promotions, bonus, appraisals, demotions, penalties, etc. are some weapons used by a manager to extract adequate work from its employees (Rigg & Ibañez, 2010).

Before implementing bureaucracy or cultural control in the workplace, adequate knowledge should be gained because it could be possible organization’s working procedures may not match with the policies of control systems. Motivation techniques that include fulfilment of staff’s basic requirements which are food, shelter, education of its children, etc. till the time these requirements would not be fulfilled, employees would not be able to concentrate on fulfilment of organization’s objectives. Hence, fulfilling their requirements helps them to understand that organization values their significance and they start putting their effective efforts for accomplishment of organizational goals and objectives. Bureaucratic control includes motivation to extract the best from the staff of the organization and to increase their efficiency day by day so that organization could make an effective place in the competitive business environment (Zheng, Li & Hou, 2011).

There are a lot of control systems available in the business environment for controlling organizations’ activities and some of them are self-regulation, bureaucratic control, cultural control and direct supervision. All these control systems are implemented in the organizations’ workplace to improve the performance. Moral of implementation of control system is essential so that employees’ efforts could be implemented in one direction for achievement of organizational goals. These controls then help the management to match the outcomes achieved by the organization with the expected outcomes as per the standards and policies developed (Chalak & Kassaian, 2010). 

“Motivation: That’s Maslow isn’t it?” an article by Tony Watson in 1996 describes the organization’s management techniques including motivational techniques, bureaucratic control, and cultural control, etc. Apart from the controlling system of the organization, this article requires reflection on this as per the student on the business management basis. In the practical lifecycle, organization should be ready to fulfil their staff’s requirements on time and without delay to motivate them towards their work and for enhancing the organization’s performance as well. The points discussed in the article are relevant but theoretical and practical concepts of learning always differ. The points discussed by teachers under the University and Management Theory are relevant for provoking the students to discuss these controlling systems (Watson, 1996).

Motivational theories and techniques’ outcome was discussed under this article and teachers used this approach to discuss it with the students so that they could understand the ultimate effect of motivation. Author explains that adopting motivational techniques helps the organizations to achieve adequate and effective objectives and outcome also matches the expectations of the management. Application and implementation of unique theories of control and motivational theories discussed under the article describes that all those were explains as per unique situations. Motivational theories’ effect which is the main concern of the article is that implementing motivational techniques in the workplace of the organization may differ as per the hierarchy of the organization (Watson, 1996). In other words, providing extra benefits to the lower level management may differ from the top level management’s benefits. If workers will get an appraisal of 20% in a year then it may be possible that rate of appraisal is high for other departments. The more potential will be employee in terms of organization, the more organization will think for hi, because his efforts are helping the organization in attaining their set targets effectively (Watson, 1996).

Cultural control enforces the managers to provide effective training and counselling sessions for the existing as well as new staff members so that employees’ performance and efficiency could match the standards of the organization. Deviation found in the performance of the organization may create embarrass situation for the organization. Performance of the organization could also be increased with the providing time to time bonus, pay increment, bonus and incentive programs for employees. For every organization, its main and working asset is their people and if their efficiency could not be improved time to time, organization would not be able to match with the performance expected as per the standards set up. Motivational theory of Maslow hierarchy theory includes D-needs i.e. deficiency needs which consists physiological, safety, social and self-esteem needs. Under this article, students have understood the meaning and importance of these theories in organization (Lambright, 2010). 

References

Chalak, A. & Kassaian, Z., 2010, “Motivation and attitudes of Iranian undergraduate EFL students towards learning English”, GEMA Online® Journal of Language Studies, vol. 10 (2).

Knights, D. & Willmott, H., 2012, “Management and leadership”.

Knights, D. & Willmott, H., 2012, “Organizational behaviour & management”, Andover: Cengage Learning.

Lambright, K.T., 2010, “An update of a classic: Applying expectancy theory to understand contracted provider motivation”, Administration & Society, vol. 42 (4), pp.375-403.

Lewis, D.E., 2010, “Princeton University Press”, The politics of presidential appointments: Political control and bureaucratic performance.

MacDonald, J.A., 2010, “Limitation riders and congressional influence over bureaucratic policy decisions”, American Political Science Review, vol. 104 (4), pp.766-782.

Maslow, A.H., 2013, “Simon and Schuster”, Toward a psychology of being.

Rigg, K.K. & Ibañez, G.E., 2010, “Motivations for non-medical prescription drug use: A mixed methods analysis”, Journal of substance abuse treatment, vol. 39 (3), pp.236-247.

Tan, T.H. & Waheed, A., 2011, “Herzberg's motivation-hygiene theory and job satisfaction in the Malaysian retail sector: The mediating effect of love of money”.

Watson, T.J., 1996, “Motivation: That's Maslow, isn't it?”, Management Learning, vol. 27 (4), pp.447-464.

Zhang, T., Meng, X., Song, Y. & Li, Z., 2012, “Dynamical analysis of delayed plant disease models with continuous or impulsive cultural control strategies”, In Abstract and Applied Analysis (Vol. 2012). Hindawi Publishing Corporation.

Zheng, H., Li, D. & Hou, W., 2011, “Task design, motivation, and participation in crowdsourcing contests”, International Journal of Electronic Commerce, vol. 15 (4), pp.57-88.