Managment Cmmunication

7.0 Objectives

On completing this lesson you would understand the following:

• Concept and Philosophy

• Features of this school

• Contributors to this approach

• Uses and limitations

7.1 Concept and Philosophy

This school has been developed by researchers who regard management as a social system. This school is based on system analysis and chiefly relies on empirical approach. It identifies the nature of cultural relationships of various social groups and attempts to show them as related, and usually, as an integrated system. This school of management thought is closely related to human behavior school.

Chester I Bernard is regarded to be the Founder of this school. He studied the entire relationship within the organization. His concept of “Formal Organization” is regarded to be the major contribution to the fields of management. He visualizes the concept of co-operative system. According to Barnard, people come together in formal organizations to achieve ends they cannot accomplish working alone. But as they pursue the organization's goals, they must also satisfy their individual needs. Thus Barnard arrived at his central thesis: An enterprise can operate efficiently and survive only when the organization’s goals are kept in balance with the aims and needs of the individuals working for it.

For example, to meet their personal goals within the confines of the formal organization, people come together in informal groups such as cliques. To ensure its survival, the firm must use these informal groups effectively, even if they sometimes work at purposes that run counter to management’s objectives. Barnard's recognition of the importance and universality of this "informal organization" was a major contribution to management thought.

The exponents of this school study different aspects of social system. Their major focus is on the fact that organization is a social system which is affected by the cultural environments and different types of pressures....