{"id":1167,"date":"2025-05-06T22:21:43","date_gmt":"2025-05-06T22:21:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pressbooks.ccconline.org\/2250organizationalcommunication\/?post_type=chapter&#038;p=1167"},"modified":"2025-07-16T18:59:50","modified_gmt":"2025-07-16T18:59:50","slug":"approaches-to-organizational-communication-research","status":"publish","type":"chapter","link":"https:\/\/pressbooks.ccconline.org\/2250organizationalcommunication\/chapter\/approaches-to-organizational-communication-research\/","title":{"raw":"What is an Organization?","rendered":"What is an Organization?"},"content":{"raw":"<div class=\"textbox textbox--learning-objectives\"><header class=\"textbox__header\">\r\n<p class=\"textbox__title\">Learning Objectives<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/header>\r\n<div class=\"textbox__content\">\r\n\r\nBy the end of this section, you should be able to:\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li>Understand the three standard components of the various definitions of \u201corganization.\u201d<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Differentiate among the four types of organizations: mutual benefit, business concerns, service, and commonweal.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\nAs with any academic endeavor, one must understand the subject matter before delving into its specifics and intricacies. For this reason, this section will begin by defining the term \u201corganization\u201d and then examine three different ways of categorizing various types of organizations.\r\n<h2 data-pm-slice=\"1 1 []\">What Is an Organization?<\/h2>\r\nAn <strong>[pb_glossary id=\"1952\"]organization[\/pb_glossary]<\/strong> is more than just a collection of desks, computers, or people. It's a structured system of individuals working together to achieve shared goals. Jason Wrench defines an organization as a group of people who communicate with one another to reach common goals. These goals might be financial, service-oriented, informational, or aimed at the public good. However, regardless of their type, organizations rely on systems of communication, structure, and personnel to function effectively.\r\n<table class=\"no-lines aligncenter\" style=\"width: 978px; height: 1398px;\"><caption>Table 2.1 Definitions of \"organization\" across various academic disciplines<\/caption>\r\n<tbody>\r\n<tr class=\"shaded\" style=\"height: 120px;\">\r\n<td style=\"width: 213.837px; height: 120px;\"><strong>Dictionary Definition:<\/strong>\r\n<p class=\"p2\"><\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 750.562px; height: 120px;\">(1) the act of organizing or the state of being organized; (2) an organized structure or whole; (3) a business or administrative concern united and constructed for a particular end (4) a body of administrative officials, as of a political party, a government department, etc (5) order or system; method Organization. (2009). Collins English Dictionary\u2014Complete &amp; Unabridged 10th Edition. Retrieved March 18, 2012, from <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dictionary.com\/browse\/organization\">Dictionary.com<\/a>.<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr style=\"height: 48px;\">\r\n<td style=\"width: 213.837px; height: 48px;\"><strong>General Business Definitions:\u00a0<\/strong><\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 750.562px; height: 48px;\">\u201ca system of consciously coordinated activities of two or more persons.\u201dBarnard, C. I. (1938). The functions of the executive. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, p. 73.<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr style=\"height: 96px;\">\r\n<td style=\"width: 213.837px; height: 96px;\"><\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 750.562px; height: 96px;\">\u201cThe accomplishment of an objective requires collective effort; men set up an organization designed to coordinate the activities of many persons and to furnish incentives for others to join them for this purpose.\u201dBlau, P. M., &amp; Scott, W. R. (1962). <em>Formal organizations: A comparative approach<\/em>. San Francisco: Chandler, pg. 5.<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr style=\"height: 144px;\">\r\n<td style=\"width: 213.837px; height: 144px;\"><\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 750.562px; height: 144px;\">\u201cA social unit of people, systematically structured and managed to meet a need or to pursue collective goals continuously. All organizations have a management structure that determines relationships between functions and positions, and subdivides and delegates roles, responsibilities, and authority to carry out defined tasks. Organizations are open systems in that they affect and are affected by the environment beyond their boundaries.\u201d Organization. (n.d.). Retrieved March 18, 2012, from BusinessDictionary.com website: www.businessdictionary.com\/definition\/organization.html<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr style=\"height: 72px;\">\r\n<td style=\"width: 213.837px; height: 72px;\"><\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 750.562px; height: 72px;\">\u201cA body of individuals working under a defined system of rules, assignments, procedures, and relationships designed to achieve identifiable objectives and goals.\u201d Greenwald, H. P. (2008). <em>Organizations: Management without control<\/em>. Los Angeles, CA: Sage, pg. 6.<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr class=\"shaded\" style=\"height: 72px;\">\r\n<td style=\"width: 213.837px; height: 72px;\"><strong>Organizational Behavior Definitions:\u00a0<\/strong><\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 750.562px; height: 72px;\">\u201ca social unit within which people have achieved somewhat stable relations (not necessarily face-to-face) among themselves to facilitate obtaining a set of objectives or goals.\u201d Litterer, J. A. (1963). <em>Organizations: Structured behavior<\/em>. New York: John Wiley and Sons, p. 5.<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr class=\"shaded\" style=\"height: 120px;\">\r\n<td style=\"width: 213.837px; height: 120px;\"><strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 750.562px; height: 120px;\">\u201can organization is a complex system, which includes as subsystems: (1) management, to interrelate and integrate through appropriate linking processes all the elements of the system in a manner designed to achieve the organizational objectives, and (2) a sufficient number of people so that constant face-to-face interaction is impossible.\u201d Lundgren, E. F. (1974).\u00a0<em>Organizational management: Systems and processes<\/em>. San Francisco: Canfield Press, p. 7.<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr style=\"height: 120px;\">\r\n<td style=\"width: 213.837px; height: 120px;\"><strong>Economics Definition:\u00a0<\/strong><\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 750.562px; height: 120px;\">A short-hand expression for the integrated aggregation of those persons who are primarily involved in: \u201c(1) the undertaking or managing of risk and the handling of economic uncertainty; (2) planning and innovation; (3) coordination, administration and control; (4) and routine supervision\u201d of an enterprise. Harbison, F. (1959). Entrepreneurial organization as a factor in economic development. <em>The Quarterly Journal of Economics<\/em>, 70,364\u2013379, pg. 365.<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr class=\"shaded\" style=\"height: 48px;\">\r\n<td style=\"width: 213.837px; height: 48px;\"><strong>Industrial\/Organizational Psychology Definition:\u00a0<\/strong><\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 750.562px; height: 48px;\">\u201cWork consists of patterned human behavior, and the \u2018equipment\u2019 consists of the human beings.\u201d Katz, D., &amp; Kahn, R. L. (1978). <em>The social psychology of organizations.<\/em> New York, NY: John Wiley &amp; Sons, p. 55.<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr class=\"shaded\" style=\"height: 72px;\">\r\n<td style=\"width: 213.837px; height: 72px;\"><strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 750.562px; height: 72px;\">\u201clively sets of interrelated systems [task, structure, technology, people, and the environment] designed to perform complicated tasks.\u201d Levitt, H. J. (1972).\u00a0<em>Managerial psychology: An introduction to organizations' individuals, pairs, and groups<\/em>. Chicago: The University of Chicago Press, p. 265.<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr style=\"height: 72px;\">\r\n<td style=\"width: 213.837px; height: 72px;\"><strong>Organizational Communication Definitions:\u00a0<\/strong><\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 750.562px; height: 72px;\">\u201csocial collectives in which people develop ritualized patterns of interaction to coordinate their activities and efforts in the ongoing accomplishment of personal and group goals.\u201d Kreps, G. L. (1986). <em>Organizational communication<\/em>. New York: Longman, p. 5.<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr style=\"height: 96px;\">\r\n<td style=\"width: 213.837px; height: 96px;\"><strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 750.562px; height: 96px;\">\u201cincluding five critical features\u2014namely, the existence of a social collectivity, organizational and individual goals, coordinated activity, organizational structure, and the embedding of the organization with an environment of other organizations.\u201d Miller, K. (2012).\u00a0<em>Organizational communication: Approaches and processes<\/em> (6th ed.). Boston, MA: Wadsworth-Cengage, pg. 11.<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr style=\"height: 48px;\">\r\n<td style=\"width: 213.837px; height: 48px;\"><strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 750.562px; height: 48px;\">\u201cCommunicative structures of control.\u201d Mumby, D. (in press).\u00a0<em>Organizational communication<\/em>. Los Angeles, CA: SAGE.<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr style=\"height: 72px;\">\r\n<td style=\"width: 213.837px; height: 72px;\"><strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 750.562px; height: 72px;\">\u201cAn organized collection of individuals working interdependently within a relatively structured, organized, open system to achieve common goals.\u201dRichmond, V. P., &amp; McCroskey, J. C. (2009). <em>Organizational communication for survival: Making work, work<\/em> (4th ed.). Boston: Allyn &amp; Bacon, p. 1.<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr style=\"height: 96px;\">\r\n<td style=\"width: 213.837px; height: 96px;\"><strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 750.562px; height: 96px;\">\u201cAn aggregate of persons, arranged in predetermined patterns of relationships, to accomplish stated objectives.\u201d Redding, W. C. (1964).The organizational communicator. In W. C. Redding &amp; G. A Sanborn (Eds.), <em>Business and industrial communication: A source book<\/em> (pp. 29\u201358).New York: Harper &amp; Row, p. 33.<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/tbody>\r\n<\/table>\r\nAfter reading this laundry list of definitions for the word \u201corganization,\u201d you may wonder how to determine which one is the best. We think they all have something to offer. When examining the various definitions for \u201corganization,\u201d a specific pattern of consistent themes emerges within the definitions.\r\n<div class=\"textbox shaded\">Communication professor and scholar Jason Wrench examined a similar list of definitions and concluded that all definitions of \u201corganization\u201d share three primary features: structure, goal, and people.<\/div>\r\n<h2 data-pm-slice=\"1 1 []\">Organizations as Systems: Inputs, Throughputs, Outputs<\/h2>\r\nOrganizations can be understood through a systems perspective, which views them as dynamic processes comprising four core components: external environment, input, throughput, and output.\r\n<h3>External Environment<\/h3>\r\nThis includes vendors, customers, competitors, regulatory bodies, and any other entities that influence or are influenced by the organization. Organizations interact with their environment in either open or closed ways. <strong>[pb_glossary id=\"1954\"]Open boundaries[\/pb_glossary]<\/strong> allow information and resources to flow in and out freely. <strong>[pb_glossary id=\"1955\"]Closed boundaries[\/pb_glossary]<\/strong> attempt to insulate the organization, which can lead to obsolescence.\r\n<h3>Input<\/h3>\r\nOrganizations rely on inputs to function. These typically fall into three categories:\r\n<ul data-spread=\"false\">\r\n \t<li>Physical materials (e.g., equipment, supplies)<\/li>\r\n \t<li>People (e.g., employees, volunteers)<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Information (e.g., market research, regulations)<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\nOrganizations gather this information either proactively or reactively. Proactive scanning involves actively seeking data (e.g., monitoring competitors), while reactive scanning happens in response to crises.\r\n<h3>Throughput<\/h3>\r\nThroughput refers to the rate at which organizations process inputs internally. This includes communication flow, decision-making structures, and task coordination.\r\n<h3>Output<\/h3>\r\nEvery organization produces a product, service, or knowledge it delivers to the external environment. Even nonprofit organizations have outputs, such as public awareness campaigns or emergency services.\r\n<h2 data-pm-slice=\"1 1 []\">Organizational Goals: Why Organizations Exist<\/h2>\r\nEdward Gross (1969) categorized organizational goals into five types:\r\n<ul data-spread=\"false\">\r\n \t<li>Output Goals: The tangible products or services an organization provides.<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Adaptation Goals: How well an organization adjusts to its changing environment.<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Management Goals: Decisions about leadership, conflict resolution, and prioritizing outputs.<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Motivation Goals: How organizations inspire their people to contribute.<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Positional Goals: How an organization positions itself relative to competitors (e.g., luxury vs. mass-market brands).<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\nThese goals shape internal communication, culture, and external strategies. For instance, an organization focused on adaptation may encourage experimentation and feedback more than one that is solely focused on output.\r\n<h2>Output Goals<\/h2>\r\n<p class=\"p1\">The first type of goal that organizations commonly have is referred to as <strong>[pb_glossary id=\"1956\"]output goals[\/pb_glossary]<\/strong>, or organizational goals that are \u201creflected, immediately or in the future, in some product, service, skill or orientation which will affect (and is intended to affect) that society\u201d (Gross, 1969). While Gross initially discussed goals in terms of educational organizations, these goals also apply to other types of organizations. Every organization has output goals that will be released into the external environment. For a pizza chain, the output goals could be the pizza it delivers to your house (product), the customer service it gives customers (service), or the expertise in pizza making it brings to the enterprise (skill).<\/p>\r\n\r\n<h2>Adaptation Goals<\/h2>\r\n<p class=\"p1\"><strong>[pb_glossary id=\"1957\"]Adaptation goals[\/pb_glossary]<\/strong> are goals that an organization has in adapting to the external environment. All organizations operate in changing environments, and successful organizations must change and adapt to meet the demands of that external environment. One of the most significant risks many organizations face if they do not adjust to the external environment is obsolescence, which \u201coccurs when there is a significant decline in customer desire for an organization\u2019s products or services\u201d (Wrench, 2012). Many organizations become so focused on producing a specific product that it eventually becomes no longer wanted or needed by customers, ultimately leading to the organization's demise.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<h2>Management Goals<\/h2>\r\n<p class=\"p1\">The next type of organizational goal discussed by Edward Gross is <strong>[pb_glossary id=\"1960\"]management goals[\/pb_glossary]<\/strong>, which involve three types of decisions: (1) who will manage or run an organization, (2) how to handle conflict management, and (3) output goal prioritization.<\/p>\r\n<p class=\"p1\">First, organizations need to decide on their formal structure and who will occupy various hierarchy levels. In addition to determining the formal structure, these goals also determine the type of power and who holds it within the organizational hierarchy. Second, managerial goals focus on how conflicts within the organization will be addressed and managed. Organizations have a vested interest in keeping the organization running smoothly, so excessive strife can lead to interpersonal or interdepartmental bickering with negative consequences. Lastly, management goals determine the organization's overarching direction. As the saying goes, someone has to steer the ship. We\u2019ll discuss different types of leaders later in this textbook. Still, for now, we\u2019ll note that having a clear direction and clear prioritization of an organization's products and services is very important for the health of an organization. If an organization tries to do too much, it may end up scatterbrained and not function as a cohesive whole. If an organization attempts to do only one thing, it may become obsolete. Overall, people in management must prioritize output goals very highly on the to-do list.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<h2>Positional Goals<\/h2>\r\n<p class=\"p1\">The final type of organizational goal described by Edward Gross is <strong>[pb_glossary id=\"1959\"]positional goals[\/pb_glossary]<\/strong>, which aim to position an organization within its environment relative to other organizations within the same market. For example, imagine that your organization is an automotive tool manufacturer. Your organization will strive to differentiate itself from other automotive tool manufacturers in the market. There are two common ways to position oneself within a specific market: 1) higher volume at a lower price or 2) higher quality at a higher price. The first way to position oneself within a market is to create more products or faster service at a cheaper cost. The second way to position oneself in the market is to create a luxury product\/service that is more expensive. While the product or service costs more, you appear to be a luxury brand.<\/p>\r\n<p class=\"p1\">In a 2011 article in PCWorld, the authors mention that 56% of new cellphone users purchased an Android device compared to only 28% who bought an iOS (iPhone) device. Android is more affordable, and a wider range of Android versions is available for cellphone subscribers. Only Apple makes iOS-compatible cellphones, which are typically more expensive than those compatible with Android devices. Apple has historically positioned itself as a luxury brand in the computing industry, while PCs and Android smartphones are generally more affordable and designed for the mass market. Interestingly, iPhones accounted for only 4% of the overall cell phone market in November 2011, yet generated 52% of industry profits. The iPhone may not be capturing a substantial market share, but it is still outperforming its competition.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<h2>Organizational People<\/h2>\r\n<p class=\"p1\">The final characteristic common to the various definitions of \u201corganization\u201d involves people. In Jason Wrench\u2019s original discussion of the three common themes related to people, he discussed interdependency, interaction, and leadership. For our purposes, we also pose the notion of control as an essential factor related to people.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<h2>Interdependency<\/h2>\r\n<p class=\"p1\">The first term associated with people in organizations is the concept of interdependency.\u00a0<strong>[pb_glossary id=\"1962\"]Interdependency[\/pb_glossary]<\/strong> is mutual dependence or dependence on one another. Interdependency is the concept that individuals within an organization rely on one another to achieve the organization\u2019s objectives. If one part of the organization stops functioning correctly, it will impact the others. For example, imagine you are a copyeditor for a publisher in New York City. If you get behind on your job, the graphic designers, marketing professionals, printers, and others will also get behind. At the same time, interdependency can also help an organization. If you're working with a solid group of colleagues, if something happens to get you behind, others can help pick up the slack and keep things moving forward on schedule. Overall, people have a significant impact on one another in organizations.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<h2>Interaction<\/h2>\r\n<p class=\"p1\">Our interactions with others help define and create what an organization is. Without our interactions with coworkers, customers, and other stakeholders, an organization would not exist. For this reason, you can almost say that the \u201cthing\u201d we call an organization doesn\u2019t exist because it\u2019s not a physical structure. Still, an organization is the outcome of our interactions with others. An organization may have physical things within it (desks, computers, pencils, etc.), but the actual organization is ultimately the people who make it exist. At the same time, people within an organization also interact with each other in various roles to accomplish the organization\u2019s goal(s). People within organizations and those who come into contact with them are constantly engaged in interaction.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<h2>Control<\/h2>\r\n<p class=\"p1\">As Dennis Mumby's definition of an organization states, organizations are inherently entities that must control the behavior of their members while members generally strive for their own needs. When one group has one set of needs and desires and another has a different set of needs and desires, we refer to these groups as being in dialectical tension. Table 2.2 contains many of the dialectical tensions between organizations and their members.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"textbox shaded\">\r\n<table class=\"no-lines aligncenter\" style=\"height: 343px;\" width=\"571\"><caption>Table 2.2 Types of Organizational Dialectical Tensions<\/caption>\r\n<tbody>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td style=\"width: 312.6px;\"><strong>What the Organization Needs\/Wants:\u00a0<\/strong><\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 243.925px;\"><strong>What Workers Need\/Want:\u00a0<\/strong><\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td style=\"width: 312.6px;\">Minimize Costs<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 243.925px;\">Maximize Salary\/Benefits Package<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td style=\"width: 312.6px;\">Systemization of Job Duties<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 243.925px;\">Autonomy to do one\u2019s job<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td style=\"width: 312.6px;\">Ability to Streamline the Organization<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 243.925px;\">Job Stability<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td style=\"width: 312.6px;\">Agreement<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 243.925px;\">Dissent<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td style=\"width: 312.6px;\">Transparency<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 243.925px;\">Privacy<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td style=\"width: 312.6px;\">Conventionality<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 243.925px;\">Innovation<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td style=\"width: 312.6px;\">Organization-Focused<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 243.925px;\">Self-Focused<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td style=\"width: 312.6px;\">Permanence<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 243.925px;\">Change<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td style=\"width: 312.6px;\">Rights of the Organization<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 243.925px;\">Rights of the Individual<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td style=\"width: 312.6px;\">Work life<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 243.925px;\">Social life<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/tbody>\r\n<\/table>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<p class=\"p1\">Because of these inherent dialectical tensions, organizations attempt to stack the deck in their favor to maximize their own needs and desires while minimizing those of workers. Let\u2019s briefly examine each of these dialectical tensions.<\/p>\r\n<p class=\"p1\"><i>Minimize Costs vs. Maximize Salary\/Benefits.\u00a0<\/i>The first dialectical tension occurs when organizations try to keep their overhead costs low. In contrast, workers strive to maximize their earnings, including salary and benefits (such as insurance, stock options, and retirement plans).<\/p>\r\n<p class=\"p1\"><i>Systemization vs. Autonomy.\u00a0<\/i>Organizations prefer stability, so they look for workers who learn how to perform a specific task and then systematize it as efficiently as possible. As such, organizations (especially in manufacturing contexts) will train employees in explicit detail on exactly how to accomplish a task. On the other hand, workers prefer to have autonomy when deciding how best to perform their daily work and do not enjoy being micromanaged.<\/p>\r\n<p class=\"p1\"><i>Streamline vs. Stability. Organizations are primarily focused on the bottom line and, therefore, often seek the ability to streamline their operations to maximize profits.<\/i> If an organization can lay off workers and maintain maximum productivity, it\u2019s usually in its best interest. While streamlining suits an organization, it can create a chaotic environment for employees seeking job stability. Workers want to know that their work is appreciated, and it will keep them motivated and employed.<\/p>\r\n<p class=\"p1\"><i>Agreement vs. Dissent.\u00a0<\/i>The next dialectical tension listed here is the one between agreement and dissent. In this context, organizations often prefer that workers blindly follow and do as organizational leaders dictate. On the other hand, workers want to have a voice to express their disagreement with the dictates of leaders or the organization's general direction.<\/p>\r\n<p class=\"p1\"><i>Conventionality vs. Innovation.\u00a0<\/i>Organizations are innately slow-moving organisms that do not like change, so it\u2019s common to hear \u201cBut we\u2019ve always done it that way.\u201d On the other hand, workers want to bring their creative problem-solving skills to the table and think of new and innovative processes and procedures that could benefit both the organizations and the workers. While not all worker ideas are spot-on, organizations that stick to conventional thinking may lose many employees who prefer more freedom to be innovative.<\/p>\r\n<p class=\"p1\"><i>Transparency vs. Privacy.\u00a0<\/i>Today, organizations are increasingly interested in knowing what their workers are doing. As such, organizations expect that employees\u2019 work lives are entirely transparent and will do everything from monitoring e-mail and telephone calls to installing software on workers\u2019 computers that logs and monitors keystrokes on a keyboard. On the other hand, workers are increasingly demanding privacy, especially in their digital lives.<\/p>\r\n<p class=\"p1\"><i>Organization vs. Self-Focused.\u00a0<\/i>Organizations innately want workers to be focused on their jobs and improving their productivity. Workers, on the other hand, want to focus on themselves and improve themselves. Many organizations will support self-improvement as long as it has a clear benefit. Still, workers often want to focus on their improvement, even if that improvement has no benefits for the organization or may lead the worker to seek a new one.<\/p>\r\n<p class=\"p1\"><i>Permanence vs. Change.\u00a0<\/i>When examining the permanence\/change dialectic, organizations strive to maintain knowledge and thus retain hardworking individuals for the long term. Often, organizations refer to this as employee loyalty. On the other hand, workers frequently desire change and can become bored with performing the same tasks daily. Usually, workers become pigeonhole in specific jobs with specific duties, and there is no way to get out besides leaving the organization. Overall, organizations in our society have many more tools at their disposal to get their way than workers.<\/p>\r\n<p class=\"p1\"><i>Organizational vs. Individual Rights.\u00a0<\/i>Ultimately, when it comes to organizations, the focus is on the organization and its rights, and less on the individual\u2019s rights. Workers believe their human rights shouldn\u2019t stop at the organization's front door. For example, many workers are shocked when organizations fire them for posts on social networking websites. Workers believe these posts should be private, and organizations looking at these posts are a violation of one\u2019s privacy rights. On the other hand, organizations believe that looking at social networking site posts is an entirely appropriate behavior and is well within their rights as an organization. While this specific example also overlaps with the transparency\/privacy dialectic, the focus here is on whose rights are more important.<\/p>\r\n<p class=\"p1\"><i>Work vs. Social Life.\u00a0<\/i>The last dialectical tension associated with organizational control is the balance between work and social life. Organizations believe that workers should be focused purely on their work life. As a result of digital technology, it has become increasingly easier for people to be on call 24\/7 by their organizations. On the other hand, workers believe they are entitled to a social life that is separate from their organization. Furthermore, workers often think that if their private social life behavior does not impact their work life, their organizations should stay out of their personal lives. Many organizations go so far as to include \u201cmorality clauses\u201d in contracts that enable them to fire employees whose personal behavior is deemed inappropriate for organizational members.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<h2>Leadership<\/h2>\r\n<p class=\"p1\">The last term associated with people in organizations is leadership. Any organization must have an individual or discernible group that guides the organization toward accomplishing its goal(s). Without strong leadership, individual members of an organization are left to their own devices in terms of achieving the organization\u2019s goals. If you have too many people trying to lead, you\u2019ll end up with an organization stretched entirely too thin to accomplish anything. The opposite of leadership is followership. If an organization is to thrive, it must have strong leadership and followers willing to follow that leader.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<h2>Types of Organizations<\/h2>\r\n<p data-pm-slice=\"1 1 []\">Blau and Scott (1962) outlined four major types of organizations, based on who they primarily serve:<\/p>\r\n\r\n<ol start=\"1\" data-spread=\"false\">\r\n \t<li>Mutual Benefit Associations \u2013 Serve their members (e.g., unions, clubs)<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Business Concerns \u2013 Focus on profit and efficiency (e.g., corporations)<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Service Organizations \u2013 Provide a direct service to the public (e.g., schools, hospitals)<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Commonwealth Organizations \u2013 Benefit society as a whole (e.g., military, public safety)<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\nEach type of organization has different communication needs and challenges. For example, a service organization may need to communicate empathy and clarity, while a business concern might prioritize efficiency and cost-effectiveness.\r\n<h3>Mutual Benefit Associations<\/h3>\r\n<p class=\"p1\">The first type of organization is the <strong>[pb_glossary id=\"1963\"]mutual benefit organization[\/pb_glossary]<\/strong>, which is focused on providing for its membership. Some examples are \u201cpolitical parties, unions, fraternal associations, clubs, veterans\u2019 organizations, professional associations, and religious sects\u201d (Blau &amp; Scott, 1962, p. 45). People generally join these types of organizations because of the benefits of membership. When these organizations are first established, organizational members are typically highly involved. However, once one of these organizations has been established, most members become passive and allow the minority to run the organization.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<h3>Business Concerns<\/h3>\r\n<p class=\"p1\">The second type of organization is the\u00a0<strong>[pb_glossary id=\"1964\"]business concerns organization[\/pb_glossary]<\/strong>, which focuses on doing well for the organization. According to Blau and Scott, the \u201cdominant problem of business concerns is operating efficiency\u2014achieving maximum gain at minimum cost to further survival and growth in competition with other organizations\u201d (1962, p. 49). Most for-profit organizations fall into the category of business concerns. Business concerns organizations face problems associated with \u201cmaximizing operating efficiency in a competitive situation\u201d (Blau &amp; Scott, 1962, p. 43). Due to the need to cut costs and maintain a competitive advantage, these organizations often appear cold and callous in their treatment of members and customers.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<h3>Service Organizations<\/h3>\r\nAccording to Blau and Scott (1962),\u00a0<strong>[pb_glossary id=\"1965\"]service organizations[\/pb_glossary]<\/strong> are \u201cones whose prime beneficiary is the part of the public in direct contact with the organization, with whom and on whom its members work\u2014in short, an organization whose basic function is to serve clients\u201d (p. 51).\u00a0 Service organizations can include \u201csocial-work agencies, hospitals, schools, legal aid societies, and mental health clinics\u201d (Blau &amp; Scott, 1962, p. 51). The basic problem service organizations face is \u201cthe problems associated with the conflict between professional service to clients and administrative procedures are characteristic of service organizations\u201d (Blau, &amp; Scott, 1962, p. 43). Often, service organizations are steeped in organizational hierarchies and procedures that prohibit providing the easiest and fastest service to potential clients.\r\n<h3>Commonwealth<\/h3>\r\n<p class=\"p1\">The last type of organization discussed by Blau and Scott is <strong>[pb_glossary id=\"1966\"]commonwealth organizations[\/pb_glossary],<\/strong> \u201cwhere the prime beneficiary is the public-at-large\u201d (1962, p. 44). Some examples of commonwealth organizations include \u201cthe State Department, the Bureau of Internal Revenue, military services, police and fire departments, and also the research function as distinguished from the teaching function in universities\u201d (Blau &amp; Scott, 1962, p. 54). All of these organizations were created because they represented areas where the general public needed some level of protection or knowledge, or the organization serves administrative purposes of the government. Overall, the crucial problem that commonwealth organizations pose is the development of democratic mechanisms that allow them to be externally controlled by the public (Blau &amp; Scott, 1962, p. 43).<\/p>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"textbox textbox--key-takeaways\"><header class=\"textbox__header\">\r\n<p class=\"textbox__title\">Key Takeaways<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/header>\r\n<div class=\"textbox__content\">\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li class=\"p1\">When analyzing various definitions of the term \u201corganization,\u201d three common themes emerge: structure, goal, and people. An organizational structure examines how an organization functions internally and interacts with its larger external environment. The goal is the general purpose that a group tries to achieve. Lastly, the people refer to the various internal and external stakeholders associated with the organization.<\/li>\r\n \t<li class=\"p1\">There are four common organizational types: mutual benefit, business concerns, service, and commonweal.<\/li>\r\n \t<li class=\"p1\">Mutual benefit organizations (e.g., fraternities, sororities, clubs) are designed to benefit the individuals who belong to the group.<\/li>\r\n \t<li class=\"p1\">Business concerns primarily focus on organizations turning a profit for themselves and their shareholders (e.g., companies like Walmart and Citibank, as well as your local grocery store or restaurant).<\/li>\r\n \t<li class=\"p1\">The service organization is geared towards providing a specific service to people within society (e.g., hospitals, legal aid societies, etc.).<\/li>\r\n \t<li class=\"p1\">Commonwealth organizations are generally run by the government for the greater good of society (e.g., the military, fire\/police departments, the Department of Education, etc.).<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<div class=\"textbox textbox--examples\"><header class=\"textbox__header\">\r\n<p class=\"textbox__title\">References<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/header>\r\n<div class=\"textbox__content\">\r\n<p class=\"p1\">ASTD. (2006). Managing organizational knowledge. In E. Biech (series Ed.),\u00a0<i>ASTD Learning System, Vol. 8<\/i>. Alexandria, VA: ASTD Press.<\/p>\r\nAtwood, C. G. (2009<em>). Knowledge management basics: A complete how-to guide<\/em>. Alexandria, VA: ASTD Press.\r\n\r\nBalderrama, A. (2010, February 22). Available jobs, not enough skilled workers [online article].\r\n<p class=\"p1\">Blau, P. M., &amp; Scott, W. R. (1962<i>). Formal organizations: A comparative approach<\/i>\u00a0(2004 printing). Stanford, CA: Stanford University Press.<\/p>\r\n<p class=\"p1\">Carper, W. B., &amp; Snizek, W. E. (1980). The nature and types of organizational taxonomies: An overview.\u00a0<i>Academy of Management Review, 5<\/i>, 65\u201375.<\/p>\r\nGross, E. (1969). The definition of organizational goals.\u00a0<em>The British Journal of Sociology, 20<\/em>, 277\u2013294.\r\n<p class=\"p1\">Hajdin, M. (2005). Employee Loyalty: An Examination.\u00a0<i>Journal Of Business Ethics, 59<\/i>, 259\u2013280. doi:10.1007\/s10551-005-3438-4<\/p>\r\n<p class=\"p1\">Hamburger, E. (2011, December 7).\u00a0<i>These charts tell the real story of Android vs. Business Insider. iPhone<\/i>. Retrieved from\u00a0<span class=\"s1\">http:\/\/www.businessinsider.com\/android-vsiphone-charts-2011-12<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p class=\"p1\">Hart, D. W., &amp; Thompson, J. A. (2007). Untangling employee loyalty: A psychological contract perspective.\u00a0<i>Business Ethics Quarterly, 17<\/i>, 297\u2013323, pg. 300.<\/p>\r\n<p class=\"p1\">Kellog, D. (2011, September 26).\u00a0<i>In U.S. market, new smartphone buyers increasingly embracing Android\u00a0<\/i>[Press release].<\/p>\r\n<p class=\"p1\">Latham, G. P. (2007).\u00a0<i>Work motivation: History, theory, research, and practice<\/i>. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE. In a study conducted by D. S., Van<\/p>\r\n<p class=\"p1\">Rooy, D. L., &amp; Viswesvaran, C. (2010).\u00a0<i>Satisfaction, citizenship behaviors, and performance in work units: A meta-analysis of collective construct.<\/i><\/p>\r\n<p class=\"p1\">Wrench, J. S. (2012).\u00a0<i>Casing organizational communication<\/i>. Dubuque, IA: Kendall-Hunt.<\/p>\r\nWrench, J. S. (in press). Communicating within the modern workplace: Challenges and prospects. In J. S. Wrench (Ed.),\u00a0<i>Workplace communication for the 21st century: Tools and strategies that impact the bottom line: Vol. 1. Internal workplace communication.\u00a0<\/i>Santa Barbara, CA: Praeger.\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<div class=\"textbox textbox--exercises\"><header class=\"textbox__header\">\r\n<p class=\"textbox__title\">Attributions<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/header>\r\n<div class=\"textbox__content\">\r\n\r\n<a href=\"https:\/\/open.library.okstate.edu\/orgcomm\" rel=\"cc:attributionURL\">Organizational Communication<\/a>\u00a0Copyright \u00a9 by\u00a0Dr. Sarah Hollingsworth\u00a0is licensed under a\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-nc-sa\/4.0\/\" rel=\"license\">Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License<\/a>, except where otherwise noted.\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>","rendered":"<div class=\"textbox textbox--learning-objectives\">\n<header class=\"textbox__header\">\n<p class=\"textbox__title\">Learning Objectives<\/p>\n<\/header>\n<div class=\"textbox__content\">\n<p>By the end of this section, you should be able to:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Understand the three standard components of the various definitions of \u201corganization.\u201d<\/li>\n<li>Differentiate among the four types of organizations: mutual benefit, business concerns, service, and commonweal.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>As with any academic endeavor, one must understand the subject matter before delving into its specifics and intricacies. For this reason, this section will begin by defining the term \u201corganization\u201d and then examine three different ways of categorizing various types of organizations.<\/p>\n<h2 data-pm-slice=\"1 1 []\">What Is an Organization?<\/h2>\n<p>An <strong><a class=\"glossary-term\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\" aria-describedby=\"definition\" href=\"#term_1167_1952\">organization<\/a><\/strong> is more than just a collection of desks, computers, or people. It&#8217;s a structured system of individuals working together to achieve shared goals. Jason Wrench defines an organization as a group of people who communicate with one another to reach common goals. These goals might be financial, service-oriented, informational, or aimed at the public good. However, regardless of their type, organizations rely on systems of communication, structure, and personnel to function effectively.<\/p>\n<table class=\"no-lines aligncenter\" style=\"width: 978px; height: 1398px;\">\n<caption>Table 2.1 Definitions of &#8220;organization&#8221; across various academic disciplines<\/caption>\n<tbody>\n<tr class=\"shaded\" style=\"height: 120px;\">\n<td style=\"width: 213.837px; height: 120px;\"><strong>Dictionary Definition:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"p2\">\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 750.562px; height: 120px;\">(1) the act of organizing or the state of being organized; (2) an organized structure or whole; (3) a business or administrative concern united and constructed for a particular end (4) a body of administrative officials, as of a political party, a government department, etc (5) order or system; method Organization. (2009). Collins English Dictionary\u2014Complete &amp; Unabridged 10th Edition. Retrieved March 18, 2012, from <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dictionary.com\/browse\/organization\">Dictionary.com<\/a>.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr style=\"height: 48px;\">\n<td style=\"width: 213.837px; height: 48px;\"><strong>General Business Definitions:\u00a0<\/strong><\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 750.562px; height: 48px;\">\u201ca system of consciously coordinated activities of two or more persons.\u201dBarnard, C. I. (1938). The functions of the executive. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, p. 73.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr style=\"height: 96px;\">\n<td style=\"width: 213.837px; height: 96px;\"><\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 750.562px; height: 96px;\">\u201cThe accomplishment of an objective requires collective effort; men set up an organization designed to coordinate the activities of many persons and to furnish incentives for others to join them for this purpose.\u201dBlau, P. M., &amp; Scott, W. R. (1962). <em>Formal organizations: A comparative approach<\/em>. San Francisco: Chandler, pg. 5.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr style=\"height: 144px;\">\n<td style=\"width: 213.837px; height: 144px;\"><\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 750.562px; height: 144px;\">\u201cA social unit of people, systematically structured and managed to meet a need or to pursue collective goals continuously. All organizations have a management structure that determines relationships between functions and positions, and subdivides and delegates roles, responsibilities, and authority to carry out defined tasks. Organizations are open systems in that they affect and are affected by the environment beyond their boundaries.\u201d Organization. (n.d.). Retrieved March 18, 2012, from BusinessDictionary.com website: www.businessdictionary.com\/definition\/organization.html<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr style=\"height: 72px;\">\n<td style=\"width: 213.837px; height: 72px;\"><\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 750.562px; height: 72px;\">\u201cA body of individuals working under a defined system of rules, assignments, procedures, and relationships designed to achieve identifiable objectives and goals.\u201d Greenwald, H. P. (2008). <em>Organizations: Management without control<\/em>. Los Angeles, CA: Sage, pg. 6.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"shaded\" style=\"height: 72px;\">\n<td style=\"width: 213.837px; height: 72px;\"><strong>Organizational Behavior Definitions:\u00a0<\/strong><\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 750.562px; height: 72px;\">\u201ca social unit within which people have achieved somewhat stable relations (not necessarily face-to-face) among themselves to facilitate obtaining a set of objectives or goals.\u201d Litterer, J. A. (1963). <em>Organizations: Structured behavior<\/em>. New York: John Wiley and Sons, p. 5.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"shaded\" style=\"height: 120px;\">\n<td style=\"width: 213.837px; height: 120px;\"><strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 750.562px; height: 120px;\">\u201can organization is a complex system, which includes as subsystems: (1) management, to interrelate and integrate through appropriate linking processes all the elements of the system in a manner designed to achieve the organizational objectives, and (2) a sufficient number of people so that constant face-to-face interaction is impossible.\u201d Lundgren, E. F. (1974).\u00a0<em>Organizational management: Systems and processes<\/em>. San Francisco: Canfield Press, p. 7.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr style=\"height: 120px;\">\n<td style=\"width: 213.837px; height: 120px;\"><strong>Economics Definition:\u00a0<\/strong><\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 750.562px; height: 120px;\">A short-hand expression for the integrated aggregation of those persons who are primarily involved in: \u201c(1) the undertaking or managing of risk and the handling of economic uncertainty; (2) planning and innovation; (3) coordination, administration and control; (4) and routine supervision\u201d of an enterprise. Harbison, F. (1959). Entrepreneurial organization as a factor in economic development. <em>The Quarterly Journal of Economics<\/em>, 70,364\u2013379, pg. 365.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"shaded\" style=\"height: 48px;\">\n<td style=\"width: 213.837px; height: 48px;\"><strong>Industrial\/Organizational Psychology Definition:\u00a0<\/strong><\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 750.562px; height: 48px;\">\u201cWork consists of patterned human behavior, and the \u2018equipment\u2019 consists of the human beings.\u201d Katz, D., &amp; Kahn, R. L. (1978). <em>The social psychology of organizations.<\/em> New York, NY: John Wiley &amp; Sons, p. 55.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"shaded\" style=\"height: 72px;\">\n<td style=\"width: 213.837px; height: 72px;\"><strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 750.562px; height: 72px;\">\u201clively sets of interrelated systems [task, structure, technology, people, and the environment] designed to perform complicated tasks.\u201d Levitt, H. J. (1972).\u00a0<em>Managerial psychology: An introduction to organizations&#8217; individuals, pairs, and groups<\/em>. Chicago: The University of Chicago Press, p. 265.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr style=\"height: 72px;\">\n<td style=\"width: 213.837px; height: 72px;\"><strong>Organizational Communication Definitions:\u00a0<\/strong><\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 750.562px; height: 72px;\">\u201csocial collectives in which people develop ritualized patterns of interaction to coordinate their activities and efforts in the ongoing accomplishment of personal and group goals.\u201d Kreps, G. L. (1986). <em>Organizational communication<\/em>. New York: Longman, p. 5.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr style=\"height: 96px;\">\n<td style=\"width: 213.837px; height: 96px;\"><strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 750.562px; height: 96px;\">\u201cincluding five critical features\u2014namely, the existence of a social collectivity, organizational and individual goals, coordinated activity, organizational structure, and the embedding of the organization with an environment of other organizations.\u201d Miller, K. (2012).\u00a0<em>Organizational communication: Approaches and processes<\/em> (6th ed.). Boston, MA: Wadsworth-Cengage, pg. 11.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr style=\"height: 48px;\">\n<td style=\"width: 213.837px; height: 48px;\"><strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 750.562px; height: 48px;\">\u201cCommunicative structures of control.\u201d Mumby, D. (in press).\u00a0<em>Organizational communication<\/em>. Los Angeles, CA: SAGE.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr style=\"height: 72px;\">\n<td style=\"width: 213.837px; height: 72px;\"><strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 750.562px; height: 72px;\">\u201cAn organized collection of individuals working interdependently within a relatively structured, organized, open system to achieve common goals.\u201dRichmond, V. P., &amp; McCroskey, J. C. (2009). <em>Organizational communication for survival: Making work, work<\/em> (4th ed.). Boston: Allyn &amp; Bacon, p. 1.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr style=\"height: 96px;\">\n<td style=\"width: 213.837px; height: 96px;\"><strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 750.562px; height: 96px;\">\u201cAn aggregate of persons, arranged in predetermined patterns of relationships, to accomplish stated objectives.\u201d Redding, W. C. (1964).The organizational communicator. In W. C. Redding &amp; G. A Sanborn (Eds.), <em>Business and industrial communication: A source book<\/em> (pp. 29\u201358).New York: Harper &amp; Row, p. 33.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p>After reading this laundry list of definitions for the word \u201corganization,\u201d you may wonder how to determine which one is the best. We think they all have something to offer. When examining the various definitions for \u201corganization,\u201d a specific pattern of consistent themes emerges within the definitions.<\/p>\n<div class=\"textbox shaded\">Communication professor and scholar Jason Wrench examined a similar list of definitions and concluded that all definitions of \u201corganization\u201d share three primary features: structure, goal, and people.<\/div>\n<h2 data-pm-slice=\"1 1 []\">Organizations as Systems: Inputs, Throughputs, Outputs<\/h2>\n<p>Organizations can be understood through a systems perspective, which views them as dynamic processes comprising four core components: external environment, input, throughput, and output.<\/p>\n<h3>External Environment<\/h3>\n<p>This includes vendors, customers, competitors, regulatory bodies, and any other entities that influence or are influenced by the organization. Organizations interact with their environment in either open or closed ways. <strong><a class=\"glossary-term\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\" aria-describedby=\"definition\" href=\"#term_1167_1954\">Open boundaries<\/a><\/strong> allow information and resources to flow in and out freely. <strong><a class=\"glossary-term\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\" aria-describedby=\"definition\" href=\"#term_1167_1955\">Closed boundaries<\/a><\/strong> attempt to insulate the organization, which can lead to obsolescence.<\/p>\n<h3>Input<\/h3>\n<p>Organizations rely on inputs to function. These typically fall into three categories:<\/p>\n<ul data-spread=\"false\">\n<li>Physical materials (e.g., equipment, supplies)<\/li>\n<li>People (e.g., employees, volunteers)<\/li>\n<li>Information (e.g., market research, regulations)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Organizations gather this information either proactively or reactively. Proactive scanning involves actively seeking data (e.g., monitoring competitors), while reactive scanning happens in response to crises.<\/p>\n<h3>Throughput<\/h3>\n<p>Throughput refers to the rate at which organizations process inputs internally. This includes communication flow, decision-making structures, and task coordination.<\/p>\n<h3>Output<\/h3>\n<p>Every organization produces a product, service, or knowledge it delivers to the external environment. Even nonprofit organizations have outputs, such as public awareness campaigns or emergency services.<\/p>\n<h2 data-pm-slice=\"1 1 []\">Organizational Goals: Why Organizations Exist<\/h2>\n<p>Edward Gross (1969) categorized organizational goals into five types:<\/p>\n<ul data-spread=\"false\">\n<li>Output Goals: The tangible products or services an organization provides.<\/li>\n<li>Adaptation Goals: How well an organization adjusts to its changing environment.<\/li>\n<li>Management Goals: Decisions about leadership, conflict resolution, and prioritizing outputs.<\/li>\n<li>Motivation Goals: How organizations inspire their people to contribute.<\/li>\n<li>Positional Goals: How an organization positions itself relative to competitors (e.g., luxury vs. mass-market brands).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>These goals shape internal communication, culture, and external strategies. For instance, an organization focused on adaptation may encourage experimentation and feedback more than one that is solely focused on output.<\/p>\n<h2>Output Goals<\/h2>\n<p class=\"p1\">The first type of goal that organizations commonly have is referred to as <strong><a class=\"glossary-term\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\" aria-describedby=\"definition\" href=\"#term_1167_1956\">output goals<\/a><\/strong>, or organizational goals that are \u201creflected, immediately or in the future, in some product, service, skill or orientation which will affect (and is intended to affect) that society\u201d (Gross, 1969). While Gross initially discussed goals in terms of educational organizations, these goals also apply to other types of organizations. Every organization has output goals that will be released into the external environment. For a pizza chain, the output goals could be the pizza it delivers to your house (product), the customer service it gives customers (service), or the expertise in pizza making it brings to the enterprise (skill).<\/p>\n<h2>Adaptation Goals<\/h2>\n<p class=\"p1\"><strong><a class=\"glossary-term\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\" aria-describedby=\"definition\" href=\"#term_1167_1957\">Adaptation goals<\/a><\/strong> are goals that an organization has in adapting to the external environment. All organizations operate in changing environments, and successful organizations must change and adapt to meet the demands of that external environment. One of the most significant risks many organizations face if they do not adjust to the external environment is obsolescence, which \u201coccurs when there is a significant decline in customer desire for an organization\u2019s products or services\u201d (Wrench, 2012). Many organizations become so focused on producing a specific product that it eventually becomes no longer wanted or needed by customers, ultimately leading to the organization&#8217;s demise.<\/p>\n<h2>Management Goals<\/h2>\n<p class=\"p1\">The next type of organizational goal discussed by Edward Gross is <strong><a class=\"glossary-term\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\" aria-describedby=\"definition\" href=\"#term_1167_1960\">management goals<\/a><\/strong>, which involve three types of decisions: (1) who will manage or run an organization, (2) how to handle conflict management, and (3) output goal prioritization.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">First, organizations need to decide on their formal structure and who will occupy various hierarchy levels. In addition to determining the formal structure, these goals also determine the type of power and who holds it within the organizational hierarchy. Second, managerial goals focus on how conflicts within the organization will be addressed and managed. Organizations have a vested interest in keeping the organization running smoothly, so excessive strife can lead to interpersonal or interdepartmental bickering with negative consequences. Lastly, management goals determine the organization&#8217;s overarching direction. As the saying goes, someone has to steer the ship. We\u2019ll discuss different types of leaders later in this textbook. Still, for now, we\u2019ll note that having a clear direction and clear prioritization of an organization&#8217;s products and services is very important for the health of an organization. If an organization tries to do too much, it may end up scatterbrained and not function as a cohesive whole. If an organization attempts to do only one thing, it may become obsolete. Overall, people in management must prioritize output goals very highly on the to-do list.<\/p>\n<h2>Positional Goals<\/h2>\n<p class=\"p1\">The final type of organizational goal described by Edward Gross is <strong><a class=\"glossary-term\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\" aria-describedby=\"definition\" href=\"#term_1167_1959\">positional goals<\/a><\/strong>, which aim to position an organization within its environment relative to other organizations within the same market. For example, imagine that your organization is an automotive tool manufacturer. Your organization will strive to differentiate itself from other automotive tool manufacturers in the market. There are two common ways to position oneself within a specific market: 1) higher volume at a lower price or 2) higher quality at a higher price. The first way to position oneself within a market is to create more products or faster service at a cheaper cost. The second way to position oneself in the market is to create a luxury product\/service that is more expensive. While the product or service costs more, you appear to be a luxury brand.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">In a 2011 article in PCWorld, the authors mention that 56% of new cellphone users purchased an Android device compared to only 28% who bought an iOS (iPhone) device. Android is more affordable, and a wider range of Android versions is available for cellphone subscribers. Only Apple makes iOS-compatible cellphones, which are typically more expensive than those compatible with Android devices. Apple has historically positioned itself as a luxury brand in the computing industry, while PCs and Android smartphones are generally more affordable and designed for the mass market. Interestingly, iPhones accounted for only 4% of the overall cell phone market in November 2011, yet generated 52% of industry profits. The iPhone may not be capturing a substantial market share, but it is still outperforming its competition.<\/p>\n<h2>Organizational People<\/h2>\n<p class=\"p1\">The final characteristic common to the various definitions of \u201corganization\u201d involves people. In Jason Wrench\u2019s original discussion of the three common themes related to people, he discussed interdependency, interaction, and leadership. For our purposes, we also pose the notion of control as an essential factor related to people.<\/p>\n<h2>Interdependency<\/h2>\n<p class=\"p1\">The first term associated with people in organizations is the concept of interdependency.\u00a0<strong><a class=\"glossary-term\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\" aria-describedby=\"definition\" href=\"#term_1167_1962\">Interdependency<\/a><\/strong> is mutual dependence or dependence on one another. Interdependency is the concept that individuals within an organization rely on one another to achieve the organization\u2019s objectives. If one part of the organization stops functioning correctly, it will impact the others. For example, imagine you are a copyeditor for a publisher in New York City. If you get behind on your job, the graphic designers, marketing professionals, printers, and others will also get behind. At the same time, interdependency can also help an organization. If you&#8217;re working with a solid group of colleagues, if something happens to get you behind, others can help pick up the slack and keep things moving forward on schedule. Overall, people have a significant impact on one another in organizations.<\/p>\n<h2>Interaction<\/h2>\n<p class=\"p1\">Our interactions with others help define and create what an organization is. Without our interactions with coworkers, customers, and other stakeholders, an organization would not exist. For this reason, you can almost say that the \u201cthing\u201d we call an organization doesn\u2019t exist because it\u2019s not a physical structure. Still, an organization is the outcome of our interactions with others. An organization may have physical things within it (desks, computers, pencils, etc.), but the actual organization is ultimately the people who make it exist. At the same time, people within an organization also interact with each other in various roles to accomplish the organization\u2019s goal(s). People within organizations and those who come into contact with them are constantly engaged in interaction.<\/p>\n<h2>Control<\/h2>\n<p class=\"p1\">As Dennis Mumby&#8217;s definition of an organization states, organizations are inherently entities that must control the behavior of their members while members generally strive for their own needs. When one group has one set of needs and desires and another has a different set of needs and desires, we refer to these groups as being in dialectical tension. Table 2.2 contains many of the dialectical tensions between organizations and their members.<\/p>\n<div class=\"textbox shaded\">\n<table class=\"no-lines aligncenter\" style=\"height: 343px; width: 571px;\">\n<caption>Table 2.2 Types of Organizational Dialectical Tensions<\/caption>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 312.6px;\"><strong>What the Organization Needs\/Wants:\u00a0<\/strong><\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 243.925px;\"><strong>What Workers Need\/Want:\u00a0<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 312.6px;\">Minimize Costs<\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 243.925px;\">Maximize Salary\/Benefits Package<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 312.6px;\">Systemization of Job Duties<\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 243.925px;\">Autonomy to do one\u2019s job<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 312.6px;\">Ability to Streamline the Organization<\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 243.925px;\">Job Stability<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 312.6px;\">Agreement<\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 243.925px;\">Dissent<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 312.6px;\">Transparency<\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 243.925px;\">Privacy<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 312.6px;\">Conventionality<\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 243.925px;\">Innovation<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 312.6px;\">Organization-Focused<\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 243.925px;\">Self-Focused<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 312.6px;\">Permanence<\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 243.925px;\">Change<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 312.6px;\">Rights of the Organization<\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 243.925px;\">Rights of the Individual<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 312.6px;\">Work life<\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 243.925px;\">Social life<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"p1\">Because of these inherent dialectical tensions, organizations attempt to stack the deck in their favor to maximize their own needs and desires while minimizing those of workers. Let\u2019s briefly examine each of these dialectical tensions.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><i>Minimize Costs vs. Maximize Salary\/Benefits.\u00a0<\/i>The first dialectical tension occurs when organizations try to keep their overhead costs low. In contrast, workers strive to maximize their earnings, including salary and benefits (such as insurance, stock options, and retirement plans).<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><i>Systemization vs. Autonomy.\u00a0<\/i>Organizations prefer stability, so they look for workers who learn how to perform a specific task and then systematize it as efficiently as possible. As such, organizations (especially in manufacturing contexts) will train employees in explicit detail on exactly how to accomplish a task. On the other hand, workers prefer to have autonomy when deciding how best to perform their daily work and do not enjoy being micromanaged.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><i>Streamline vs. Stability. Organizations are primarily focused on the bottom line and, therefore, often seek the ability to streamline their operations to maximize profits.<\/i> If an organization can lay off workers and maintain maximum productivity, it\u2019s usually in its best interest. While streamlining suits an organization, it can create a chaotic environment for employees seeking job stability. Workers want to know that their work is appreciated, and it will keep them motivated and employed.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><i>Agreement vs. Dissent.\u00a0<\/i>The next dialectical tension listed here is the one between agreement and dissent. In this context, organizations often prefer that workers blindly follow and do as organizational leaders dictate. On the other hand, workers want to have a voice to express their disagreement with the dictates of leaders or the organization&#8217;s general direction.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><i>Conventionality vs. Innovation.\u00a0<\/i>Organizations are innately slow-moving organisms that do not like change, so it\u2019s common to hear \u201cBut we\u2019ve always done it that way.\u201d On the other hand, workers want to bring their creative problem-solving skills to the table and think of new and innovative processes and procedures that could benefit both the organizations and the workers. While not all worker ideas are spot-on, organizations that stick to conventional thinking may lose many employees who prefer more freedom to be innovative.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><i>Transparency vs. Privacy.\u00a0<\/i>Today, organizations are increasingly interested in knowing what their workers are doing. As such, organizations expect that employees\u2019 work lives are entirely transparent and will do everything from monitoring e-mail and telephone calls to installing software on workers\u2019 computers that logs and monitors keystrokes on a keyboard. On the other hand, workers are increasingly demanding privacy, especially in their digital lives.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><i>Organization vs. Self-Focused.\u00a0<\/i>Organizations innately want workers to be focused on their jobs and improving their productivity. Workers, on the other hand, want to focus on themselves and improve themselves. Many organizations will support self-improvement as long as it has a clear benefit. Still, workers often want to focus on their improvement, even if that improvement has no benefits for the organization or may lead the worker to seek a new one.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><i>Permanence vs. Change.\u00a0<\/i>When examining the permanence\/change dialectic, organizations strive to maintain knowledge and thus retain hardworking individuals for the long term. Often, organizations refer to this as employee loyalty. On the other hand, workers frequently desire change and can become bored with performing the same tasks daily. Usually, workers become pigeonhole in specific jobs with specific duties, and there is no way to get out besides leaving the organization. Overall, organizations in our society have many more tools at their disposal to get their way than workers.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><i>Organizational vs. Individual Rights.\u00a0<\/i>Ultimately, when it comes to organizations, the focus is on the organization and its rights, and less on the individual\u2019s rights. Workers believe their human rights shouldn\u2019t stop at the organization&#8217;s front door. For example, many workers are shocked when organizations fire them for posts on social networking websites. Workers believe these posts should be private, and organizations looking at these posts are a violation of one\u2019s privacy rights. On the other hand, organizations believe that looking at social networking site posts is an entirely appropriate behavior and is well within their rights as an organization. While this specific example also overlaps with the transparency\/privacy dialectic, the focus here is on whose rights are more important.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><i>Work vs. Social Life.\u00a0<\/i>The last dialectical tension associated with organizational control is the balance between work and social life. Organizations believe that workers should be focused purely on their work life. As a result of digital technology, it has become increasingly easier for people to be on call 24\/7 by their organizations. On the other hand, workers believe they are entitled to a social life that is separate from their organization. Furthermore, workers often think that if their private social life behavior does not impact their work life, their organizations should stay out of their personal lives. Many organizations go so far as to include \u201cmorality clauses\u201d in contracts that enable them to fire employees whose personal behavior is deemed inappropriate for organizational members.<\/p>\n<h2>Leadership<\/h2>\n<p class=\"p1\">The last term associated with people in organizations is leadership. Any organization must have an individual or discernible group that guides the organization toward accomplishing its goal(s). Without strong leadership, individual members of an organization are left to their own devices in terms of achieving the organization\u2019s goals. If you have too many people trying to lead, you\u2019ll end up with an organization stretched entirely too thin to accomplish anything. The opposite of leadership is followership. If an organization is to thrive, it must have strong leadership and followers willing to follow that leader.<\/p>\n<h2>Types of Organizations<\/h2>\n<p data-pm-slice=\"1 1 []\">Blau and Scott (1962) outlined four major types of organizations, based on who they primarily serve:<\/p>\n<ol start=\"1\" data-spread=\"false\">\n<li>Mutual Benefit Associations \u2013 Serve their members (e.g., unions, clubs)<\/li>\n<li>Business Concerns \u2013 Focus on profit and efficiency (e.g., corporations)<\/li>\n<li>Service Organizations \u2013 Provide a direct service to the public (e.g., schools, hospitals)<\/li>\n<li>Commonwealth Organizations \u2013 Benefit society as a whole (e.g., military, public safety)<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>Each type of organization has different communication needs and challenges. For example, a service organization may need to communicate empathy and clarity, while a business concern might prioritize efficiency and cost-effectiveness.<\/p>\n<h3>Mutual Benefit Associations<\/h3>\n<p class=\"p1\">The first type of organization is the <strong><a class=\"glossary-term\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\" aria-describedby=\"definition\" href=\"#term_1167_1963\">mutual benefit organization<\/a><\/strong>, which is focused on providing for its membership. Some examples are \u201cpolitical parties, unions, fraternal associations, clubs, veterans\u2019 organizations, professional associations, and religious sects\u201d (Blau &amp; Scott, 1962, p. 45). People generally join these types of organizations because of the benefits of membership. When these organizations are first established, organizational members are typically highly involved. However, once one of these organizations has been established, most members become passive and allow the minority to run the organization.<\/p>\n<h3>Business Concerns<\/h3>\n<p class=\"p1\">The second type of organization is the\u00a0<strong><a class=\"glossary-term\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\" aria-describedby=\"definition\" href=\"#term_1167_1964\">business concerns organization<\/a><\/strong>, which focuses on doing well for the organization. According to Blau and Scott, the \u201cdominant problem of business concerns is operating efficiency\u2014achieving maximum gain at minimum cost to further survival and growth in competition with other organizations\u201d (1962, p. 49). Most for-profit organizations fall into the category of business concerns. Business concerns organizations face problems associated with \u201cmaximizing operating efficiency in a competitive situation\u201d (Blau &amp; Scott, 1962, p. 43). Due to the need to cut costs and maintain a competitive advantage, these organizations often appear cold and callous in their treatment of members and customers.<\/p>\n<h3>Service Organizations<\/h3>\n<p>According to Blau and Scott (1962),\u00a0<strong><a class=\"glossary-term\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\" aria-describedby=\"definition\" href=\"#term_1167_1965\">service organizations<\/a><\/strong> are \u201cones whose prime beneficiary is the part of the public in direct contact with the organization, with whom and on whom its members work\u2014in short, an organization whose basic function is to serve clients\u201d (p. 51).\u00a0 Service organizations can include \u201csocial-work agencies, hospitals, schools, legal aid societies, and mental health clinics\u201d (Blau &amp; Scott, 1962, p. 51). The basic problem service organizations face is \u201cthe problems associated with the conflict between professional service to clients and administrative procedures are characteristic of service organizations\u201d (Blau, &amp; Scott, 1962, p. 43). Often, service organizations are steeped in organizational hierarchies and procedures that prohibit providing the easiest and fastest service to potential clients.<\/p>\n<h3>Commonwealth<\/h3>\n<p class=\"p1\">The last type of organization discussed by Blau and Scott is <strong><a class=\"glossary-term\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\" aria-describedby=\"definition\" href=\"#term_1167_1966\">commonwealth organizations<\/a>,<\/strong> \u201cwhere the prime beneficiary is the public-at-large\u201d (1962, p. 44). Some examples of commonwealth organizations include \u201cthe State Department, the Bureau of Internal Revenue, military services, police and fire departments, and also the research function as distinguished from the teaching function in universities\u201d (Blau &amp; Scott, 1962, p. 54). All of these organizations were created because they represented areas where the general public needed some level of protection or knowledge, or the organization serves administrative purposes of the government. Overall, the crucial problem that commonwealth organizations pose is the development of democratic mechanisms that allow them to be externally controlled by the public (Blau &amp; Scott, 1962, p. 43).<\/p>\n<div class=\"textbox textbox--key-takeaways\">\n<header class=\"textbox__header\">\n<p class=\"textbox__title\">Key Takeaways<\/p>\n<\/header>\n<div class=\"textbox__content\">\n<ul>\n<li class=\"p1\">When analyzing various definitions of the term \u201corganization,\u201d three common themes emerge: structure, goal, and people. An organizational structure examines how an organization functions internally and interacts with its larger external environment. The goal is the general purpose that a group tries to achieve. Lastly, the people refer to the various internal and external stakeholders associated with the organization.<\/li>\n<li class=\"p1\">There are four common organizational types: mutual benefit, business concerns, service, and commonweal.<\/li>\n<li class=\"p1\">Mutual benefit organizations (e.g., fraternities, sororities, clubs) are designed to benefit the individuals who belong to the group.<\/li>\n<li class=\"p1\">Business concerns primarily focus on organizations turning a profit for themselves and their shareholders (e.g., companies like Walmart and Citibank, as well as your local grocery store or restaurant).<\/li>\n<li class=\"p1\">The service organization is geared towards providing a specific service to people within society (e.g., hospitals, legal aid societies, etc.).<\/li>\n<li class=\"p1\">Commonwealth organizations are generally run by the government for the greater good of society (e.g., the military, fire\/police departments, the Department of Education, etc.).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"textbox textbox--examples\">\n<header class=\"textbox__header\">\n<p class=\"textbox__title\">References<\/p>\n<\/header>\n<div class=\"textbox__content\">\n<p class=\"p1\">ASTD. (2006). Managing organizational knowledge. In E. Biech (series Ed.),\u00a0<i>ASTD Learning System, Vol. 8<\/i>. Alexandria, VA: ASTD Press.<\/p>\n<p>Atwood, C. G. (2009<em>). Knowledge management basics: A complete how-to guide<\/em>. Alexandria, VA: ASTD Press.<\/p>\n<p>Balderrama, A. (2010, February 22). Available jobs, not enough skilled workers [online article].<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">Blau, P. M., &amp; Scott, W. R. (1962<i>). Formal organizations: A comparative approach<\/i>\u00a0(2004 printing). Stanford, CA: Stanford University Press.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">Carper, W. B., &amp; Snizek, W. E. (1980). The nature and types of organizational taxonomies: An overview.\u00a0<i>Academy of Management Review, 5<\/i>, 65\u201375.<\/p>\n<p>Gross, E. (1969). The definition of organizational goals.\u00a0<em>The British Journal of Sociology, 20<\/em>, 277\u2013294.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">Hajdin, M. (2005). Employee Loyalty: An Examination.\u00a0<i>Journal Of Business Ethics, 59<\/i>, 259\u2013280. doi:10.1007\/s10551-005-3438-4<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">Hamburger, E. (2011, December 7).\u00a0<i>These charts tell the real story of Android vs. Business Insider. iPhone<\/i>. Retrieved from\u00a0<span class=\"s1\">http:\/\/www.businessinsider.com\/android-vsiphone-charts-2011-12<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">Hart, D. W., &amp; Thompson, J. A. (2007). Untangling employee loyalty: A psychological contract perspective.\u00a0<i>Business Ethics Quarterly, 17<\/i>, 297\u2013323, pg. 300.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">Kellog, D. (2011, September 26).\u00a0<i>In U.S. market, new smartphone buyers increasingly embracing Android\u00a0<\/i>[Press release].<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">Latham, G. P. (2007).\u00a0<i>Work motivation: History, theory, research, and practice<\/i>. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE. In a study conducted by D. S., Van<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">Rooy, D. L., &amp; Viswesvaran, C. (2010).\u00a0<i>Satisfaction, citizenship behaviors, and performance in work units: A meta-analysis of collective construct.<\/i><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">Wrench, J. S. (2012).\u00a0<i>Casing organizational communication<\/i>. Dubuque, IA: Kendall-Hunt.<\/p>\n<p>Wrench, J. S. (in press). Communicating within the modern workplace: Challenges and prospects. In J. S. Wrench (Ed.),\u00a0<i>Workplace communication for the 21st century: Tools and strategies that impact the bottom line: Vol. 1. Internal workplace communication.\u00a0<\/i>Santa Barbara, CA: Praeger.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"textbox textbox--exercises\">\n<header class=\"textbox__header\">\n<p class=\"textbox__title\">Attributions<\/p>\n<\/header>\n<div class=\"textbox__content\">\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/open.library.okstate.edu\/orgcomm\" rel=\"cc:attributionURL\">Organizational Communication<\/a>\u00a0Copyright \u00a9 by\u00a0Dr. Sarah Hollingsworth\u00a0is licensed under a\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-nc-sa\/4.0\/\" rel=\"license\">Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License<\/a>, except where otherwise noted.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"glossary\"><span class=\"screen-reader-text\" id=\"definition\">definition<\/span><template id=\"term_1167_1952\"><div class=\"glossary__definition\" role=\"dialog\" data-id=\"term_1167_1952\"><div tabindex=\"-1\"><p>It's a structured system of individuals working together to achieve shared goals.<\/p>\n<\/div><button><span aria-hidden=\"true\">&times;<\/span><span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Close definition<\/span><\/button><\/div><\/template><template id=\"term_1167_1954\"><div class=\"glossary__definition\" role=\"dialog\" data-id=\"term_1167_1954\"><div tabindex=\"-1\"><p>allows information and resources to flow in and out freely.<\/p>\n<\/div><button><span aria-hidden=\"true\">&times;<\/span><span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Close definition<\/span><\/button><\/div><\/template><template id=\"term_1167_1955\"><div class=\"glossary__definition\" role=\"dialog\" data-id=\"term_1167_1955\"><div tabindex=\"-1\"><p>attempts to insulate the organization, which can lead to obsolescence.<\/p>\n<\/div><button><span aria-hidden=\"true\">&times;<\/span><span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Close definition<\/span><\/button><\/div><\/template><template id=\"term_1167_1956\"><div class=\"glossary__definition\" role=\"dialog\" data-id=\"term_1167_1956\"><div tabindex=\"-1\"><p>Goals that are reflected, immediately or in the future, in a  product, service, skill or orientation which can affect society.<\/p>\n<\/div><button><span aria-hidden=\"true\">&times;<\/span><span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Close definition<\/span><\/button><\/div><\/template><template id=\"term_1167_1957\"><div class=\"glossary__definition\" role=\"dialog\" data-id=\"term_1167_1957\"><div tabindex=\"-1\"><p>Goals that an organization has in adapting to the external environment.<\/p>\n<\/div><button><span aria-hidden=\"true\">&times;<\/span><span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Close definition<\/span><\/button><\/div><\/template><template id=\"term_1167_1960\"><div class=\"glossary__definition\" role=\"dialog\" data-id=\"term_1167_1960\"><div tabindex=\"-1\"><p>Top level management employee who is involved in day-to-day decisions of: (1) who will manage or run an organization, (2) how to handle conflict management, and (3) output goal prioritization.<\/p>\n<\/div><button><span aria-hidden=\"true\">&times;<\/span><span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Close definition<\/span><\/button><\/div><\/template><template id=\"term_1167_1959\"><div class=\"glossary__definition\" role=\"dialog\" data-id=\"term_1167_1959\"><div tabindex=\"-1\"><p>Goals that attempt to position an organization within the environment compared to other organizations within the same market.<\/p>\n<\/div><button><span aria-hidden=\"true\">&times;<\/span><span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Close definition<\/span><\/button><\/div><\/template><template id=\"term_1167_1962\"><div class=\"glossary__definition\" role=\"dialog\" data-id=\"term_1167_1962\"><div tabindex=\"-1\"><p>It's a mutual dependence or dependence on one another.<\/p>\n<\/div><button><span aria-hidden=\"true\">&times;<\/span><span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Close definition<\/span><\/button><\/div><\/template><template id=\"term_1167_1963\"><div class=\"glossary__definition\" role=\"dialog\" data-id=\"term_1167_1963\"><div tabindex=\"-1\"><p>This type of organization is focused on providing for its membership. Examples include political parties, unions, fraternal associations, clubs, veterans\u2019 organizations, professional associations, and religious sects.<\/p>\n<\/div><button><span aria-hidden=\"true\">&times;<\/span><span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Close definition<\/span><\/button><\/div><\/template><template id=\"term_1167_1964\"><div class=\"glossary__definition\" role=\"dialog\" data-id=\"term_1167_1964\"><div tabindex=\"-1\"><p>This type of organization focuses on doing well for the organization.  For example, achieving maximum gain at minimum cost to further survival and growth in competition with other organizations.<\/p>\n<\/div><button><span aria-hidden=\"true\">&times;<\/span><span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Close definition<\/span><\/button><\/div><\/template><template id=\"term_1167_1965\"><div class=\"glossary__definition\" role=\"dialog\" data-id=\"term_1167_1965\"><div tabindex=\"-1\"><p>These types of organizations is to serve clients.\u00a0 Examples include social-work agencies, hospitals, schools, legal aid societies, and mental health clinics.<\/p>\n<\/div><button><span aria-hidden=\"true\">&times;<\/span><span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Close definition<\/span><\/button><\/div><\/template><template id=\"term_1167_1966\"><div class=\"glossary__definition\" role=\"dialog\" data-id=\"term_1167_1966\"><div tabindex=\"-1\"><p>This type of organization serves the public-at-large. Examples include the Department of State, the  Internal Revenue Service, the military, police and fire departments.<\/p>\n<\/div><button><span aria-hidden=\"true\">&times;<\/span><span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Close definition<\/span><\/button><\/div><\/template><\/div>","protected":false},"author":133,"menu_order":1,"template":"","meta":{"pb_show_title":"on","pb_short_title":"","pb_subtitle":"","pb_authors":[],"pb_section_license":""},"chapter-type":[],"contributor":[],"license":[],"class_list":["post-1167","chapter","type-chapter","status-publish","hentry"],"part":1163,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.ccconline.org\/2250organizationalcommunication\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/1167","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.ccconline.org\/2250organizationalcommunication\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.ccconline.org\/2250organizationalcommunication\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/chapter"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.ccconline.org\/2250organizationalcommunication\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/133"}],"version-history":[{"count":32,"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.ccconline.org\/2250organizationalcommunication\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/1167\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2698,"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.ccconline.org\/2250organizationalcommunication\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/1167\/revisions\/2698"}],"part":[{"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.ccconline.org\/2250organizationalcommunication\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/parts\/1163"}],"metadata":[{"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.ccconline.org\/2250organizationalcommunication\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/1167\/metadata\/"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.ccconline.org\/2250organizationalcommunication\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1167"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"chapter-type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.ccconline.org\/2250organizationalcommunication\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapter-type?post=1167"},{"taxonomy":"contributor","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.ccconline.org\/2250organizationalcommunication\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/contributor?post=1167"},{"taxonomy":"license","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.ccconline.org\/2250organizationalcommunication\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/license?post=1167"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}