1 Human Behavior and the Social Environment: Theories for Social Work Practice Bruce A. Thyer, Catherine N. Dulmus, and Karen M. Sowers, Editors Chapter 12 Organizational Theory by John E. Tropman and Emily Nicklett Organizations provide the framework for the way things work. In one sense, an organization is some entity or process that has parts and elements with understandable and regular interaction. A social organization refers to the minded interaction that characterizes social structures and the process of developing a structure and culture for that minded interaction over time. Social organizations are groups, communities societies, world regions, and the world itself. Organizations can possess both formal and information structures.

2 Human Behavior and the Social Environment: Theories for Social Work Practice Bruce A. Thyer, Catherine N. Dulmus, and Karen M. Sowers, Editors Chapter 12 Organizational Theory by John E. Tropman and Emily Nicklett Formal organizations are rationalized, described relations among individuals and groups that specify organizational positions, roles and processes, and their interconnections over time and space. They have a structure, which may be described in an organizational chart. Organizations have a culture that embodies the organization’s ideas, values, beliefs, norms, and attitudes. Important early figures in the field of organizational theory include the sociologists Max Weber and Talcott Parsons, the statistician W. Edwards Deming, and the psychologist Frederick Taylor. His drive for scientific management within organizations lead to the development of what is called “Taylorism,” which is worth looking up on the internet.

3 Human Behavior and the Social Environment: Theories for Social Work Practice Bruce A. Thyer, Catherine N. Dulmus, and Karen M. Sowers, Editors Chapter 12 Organizational Theory by John E. Tropman and Emily Nicklett Core Theoretical Principles Organizations Are Social Institutions Organizations Have a Structure Organizations Have Formal and Informal Systems Organizations Have a Culture Organizations Have a Life Cycle Organizations Require Leadership and Management Organizations Are of Different Focal Types Organizations Sometimes Produce the Opposite of Their Intended Goal Organizations Are Central to Meaning Making for Citizens in Industrial Societies

4 Human Behavior and the Social Environment: Theories for Social Work Practice Bruce A. Thyer, Catherine N. Dulmus, and Karen M. Sowers, Editors Chapter 12 Organizational Theory by John E. Tropman and Emily Nicklett Social workers have contributed to organizational theory by studying ways to promote positive organizations, and by examining the attributes of sick ones. Many social work agencies are sick or depressive, characterized by constant weeping and wailing about the lack of resources, the lack of appreciation, and the fact that they are always in peril. Contemporary organizational theory is informed by principles from anthropology, economics, political science, psychology, and sociology. Organizations are the usual context for the delivery of social work services, so organizational theory is of obvious relevance to our field.

5 Human Behavior and the Social Environment: Theories for Social Work Practice Bruce A. Thyer, Catherine N. Dulmus, and Karen M. Sowers, Editors Chapter 12 Organizational Theory by John E. Tropman and Emily Nicklett Assessment can be informed by organizational theory through: Understanding the impact of organizational structure and culture on individuals. Assessing a worker’s personal fit within an organization Assessing the attributes of human service organizations themselves Intervention based on organizational theory may involve: Executive Coaching Promoting Effective Organizational Change Providing Education and Training for Managers and Workers