Job and Organizational Design

Approaches to Job Design

Work Simplification Advocated by Frederick Taylor

Break jobs down into simple components (small tasks) Hire/Train people in necessary KSAs for components

Lower skill levels needed Cheaper for the organization Can decrease potential for errors

Have “expert” employees (specialists) Product produced by combining efforts Employees are replaceable “cogs” in the machine

Consequences of Work Simplification

WorkSimplification

Monotony BoredomJob

DissatisfactionTardiness

AbsenteeismTurnover

Stress

Process Perception FeelingEmotionalResponse

BehavioralResponse

Results of Moon Tent Exercise

2.9 2.9 2.8 2.9 2.9 3.1 2.8

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

Satisfactio

n

Production

Meaningfulness

Responsibility

AwarenessEffo

rt

Quality of W

ork

Job Change Strategies

Job enlargement Increasing the number and variety of tasks

Job enrichment Increasing the amount of control over planning

and performance of a job Increasing involvement in setting

organizational policy

MASLOW’S HIERARCHY OF NEEDS MASLOW’S HIERARCHY OF NEEDS

ACTUALIZATION

PHYSICAL

SAFETY

SOCIAL

ESTEEM

Herzberg’s Two Factor Theory

Hygiene Factorssalary

company policy

physical facilities

administration

working conditions

co-worker relations

Motivatorschallenge

autonomy

advancement

recognition

Job Characteristics Model

Core JobDimensions

CriticalPsychological

StatesPersonal and

Work Outcomes

High internal workMotivation

High quality workPerformance

High satisfactionWith work

Low absenteeismAnd turnover

Autonomy

Feedback

Growth NeedStrength

Experienced meaningfulness

of work

Experienced responsibility

for work outcomes

Knowledge of actual

results of activities

Skill variety

Task identity

Task significance

Results of Exercises

2.9

4.5

2.9

6.125

2.8

4.5

2.9

5.875

2.9

6.375

3.1

6.125

2.8

6.375

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

Satisfactio

n

Production

Meaningfulness

Responsibility

AwarenessEffo

rt

Quality of W

ork

Moon Tent

Water Carrier

Summary There is no “one best way” to design jobs

Simple Jobs advantages

Can reduce potential for error Be cheaper to staff Increase efficiency

disadvantages Result in decreased motivation Result in decreased satisfaction Result in decreased attendance/tenure

Enriched Jobs Can enhance motivation and satisfaction May increase costs to organization

more training more compensation

Why use organizations? Facilitate complex goal accomplishment Reduce individual risk

Organizational Structure Form or Shape of Organization Helps coordinate system activity

e.g., decision making, communication, etc. Organizational structure often based on people’s implicit

theories

Organizational Structure

Theory X assumes people…

truly dislike work

must be coerced into working

prefer close supervision

avoid responsibility

have little ambition

value security the most

Theory Y assumes people…

want to work

will exercise self-control

are motivated to achieve goals

are imaginative and creative

are boxed in by conventional jobs

McGregor’s Management Theories

Classical School of Management

Assumptions

1. Work is inherently distasteful to most people.

2. What workers do is less important than what they earn for doing it.

Policies

1. Manager’s task is to supervise and control.

2. Break tasks down into simple, repetitive components. (e.g. Taylor)

3. Establish detailed work routines and procedures.

Classical Organizational Theory Organizational Components

A system of differentiated activities People Authority Cooperation

Structural Principles Functional Principle Scalar Principle Line/Staff Principle Span of Control Principle

President

MarketingDirector

ProductionDirector

FinanceDirector

Research &Development

AssistantDirector

Assistant toDirector

Employee

Employee

KeyboardManager

MonitorManager

Employee

Employee

Employee

Employee

Employee

Employee

AssistantDirector

Employee

Employee

Scientist Scientist Scientist Scientist

Applied Example

Moon Tent Exercise Communication was “top-down” Decision making was “top-down”

GM

AGM

W W W W W WW

Neoclassical Organizational Theory Critiqued principles of Classical theory

Functional Principle Scalar Principle Line/Staff Principle Span of Control President

MarketingDirector

ProductionDirector

FinanceDirector

Research &Development

AssistantDirector

Assistant toDirector

Employee

Employee

KeyboardManager

MonitorManager

Employee

Employee

Employee

Employee

Employee

Employee

AssistantDirector

Employee

Employee

Scientist Scientist Scientist Scientist

Human Relations School of ManagementAssumptions

1. People want to feel useful and important.

2. People desire to belong and be recognized as individuals.

Policies

1. Manager’s task is to make workers feel useful and important.

2. Keep workers informed and listen to their objections to manager’s plans.

3. Allow workers to exercise some self-direction and control in routine matters.

Human Resources School of Management

Assumptions

1. Work is not inherently distasteful. People want to contribute to meaningful goals that they have helped establish.

2. Most people can exercise far more creative, responsible, self-direction than their job currently allows.

Policies

1. Manager’s task is to coach and utilize untapped human resources.

2. Create an environment that allows workers to contribute to the limits of their abilities.

3. Encourage full participation on important matters, continually broadening worker self-direction and control.

Inputs

InformationEquipmentFacilitiesMaterialsMoneyTechnology

Transformation

OrganizationHuman Resources

Outputs

ProductsGoods

Services

Customer Feedback

Inputs

InformationEquipmentFacilitiesMaterialsMoneyTechnology

Transformation

OrganizationHuman Resources

Outputs

ProductsGoods

Services

Customer Feedback

Systems Theory

Characteristics of Systems’ Theories Subsystems Synergy Input/Output Model Goal seeking Entropy Dynamic Equilibrium Feedback