Such organizations as Disney, Apple, and Google are original aren’t they? Well that is at least what we as consumers would like to think. At the beginning of class on Thursday we struggled to come up with organizations that could be qualified as thriving and having a unique identity. We came up with ONE organization that we all agreed had a unique identity and that was WikiLeaks, however, soon enough it will inevitably fall in to the category of “unoriginal”. Perhaps there is not an organization with an extremely unique identity and what is actually so unique is the consumer. Consumers, as we discussed, are very loyal and many times prideful. They stick to their brand or organization till death do them part. A person’s allegiance with an organization is serious and when that organization is threatened most consumers take it personally. For example, Ms. Murray mentioned phone company services asking, “Who would want to pay $200 for phone service instead of $100 with “her company” for a cheaper price?” later referring to the others as snobs. Ms. Murray’s identity with her phone company service is validated by the more expensive phone company services that she will never pay for. Sigmund Freud stated that organizational identification was a defense mechanism. No one talks about their own organization and the people in it. This idea facilitates an elitist mindset that helps organizations identify themselves. We will never hear Ms. Murray talk bad about her phone company service, because being a part of that organization gives her a sense of pride and connection with something that is bigger than her blackberry.
There are certain aspects of organizations that keep consumers involved such as “stories” and personal experiences. Every organization has its story and it tends to tell people about the essence of the organization. We know that when we go to Best Buy they have the option of buying a geek from the Geek Squad, and Alabama Power strives off of its “southern appeal”. We as consumers buy into those ideas and try to pick up whoever we can along the way to jump on board. The other way that people become so attached to an organization is how the organization markets itself. What suits a person’s lifestyle tends to help create their identity with that organization. Normally the most identifiable aspect of an organization is its slogan. Nike says to “Just Do It”, Gatorade says “Is it in you?”, and Verizon says to “Rule the Air” each of these slogans in some way or another represents each of our lifestyles, beliefs, morals, and everyday approaches to life.
Towards the end of class we compared three major companies Target, Wal-Mart, and Kmart. We discussed each company’s mission and uniqueness. For Target their mission was to expect more and pay less and it’s preferred shopping with clean colors and Starbucks. Wal-Mart says that low prices are their promise and the consumer can find just about anything in Wal-Mart from tires to taxes done. Kmart’s mission is broader and is closely related to that of any retail store but it is prided on its layaway plan. These companies are only unique to the consumer’s preference. None are more special than the other as far as who is winning the greatest retail store competition, but they are special because of what the consumer has to say about them. Organizational identity is a very vague thing. So many organizations share similar qualities that make it hard for them to be out of the ordinary. But as we discussed in class conceivably it is the consumer that makes the organization extraordinary. Are we as consumers buying too much into the hype? Do we think there will ever be an organization that stays unique over time?
-Angelica Howard
Monday, February 21, 2011
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
The Organizational Culture of UA and Organizational Identity
On Wednesday, our class finished discussing organizational culture and began our discussion of organizational identity. We began Monday by talking about social networking and its relationship with organizational culture. The advantages of social networking with organizational culture were that people involved had a constant and quick outlet of communication with each other. Through Twitter and Facebook, members of the group can speak without opening their mouths or being together at all.
The disadvantages of social media communication were a lack of privacy and formal communication. A couple of students said that they didn’t feel like talking through this outlet was down to earth or they felt that it was too much. A few students felt that social networking was good for organizational communication because of it being constant and open.
After the discussion of communication through social media, we began to talk about the organizational culture of UA. We discussed our culture through the “Six Communicative Practices Prepared by Shiv Ganesh.” The first practice listed on the sheet is facts. The class came up with facts we knew about UA, like the university was founded in 1831 and the football team holds 13 national titles. The next practice listed on the handout is practices. The class discussed UA student practices like studying at Gorgas and tailgating on the quadrangle. Vocabularies was the 3rd communicative practice that we spoke about in regard to UA organizational culture. We of course said that Roll Tide was the common vocabulary or speech used among students at the university. Although metaphors are the next communicative practice talked about on the handout, we didn’t really touch on this. The class talked about the communicative practice of stories and we mentioned the story of how the football team became the Crimson Tide and we talked about the integration. The 6th communication practice we discussed was rites and rituals. The class agreed that a common ritual for UA students was taking pictures in front of Denny Chimes or your college after graduation.
When we came to the conclusion of the six communicative practices, we began our discussion of organizational identity. The discussion began with talking about what our ideas of identity were. A few students related identity back to their COM 340 classes and we discussed the common misconception that people have completely different identities than each other. The identity of companies and organizations such as Wal-Mart and Target were then discussed. A few students said that they wouldn’t shop at Wal-Mart because of their reputation for poor business practices and dirtiness. The identity of Wal-Mart had been tarnished by documentaries and law suits. Target’s identity was well received because of their cleanliness, lack of poor feedback and media coverage, and because we knew people who worked for Target that said positive things. Although the business and missions of Target are similar, Target had a better identity for the students of our class. Professor Murray asked at the end of our session for us to think about an organization or company that had a completely unique identity and mission/goals. The class seemed to be stumped. Are there any thriving or successful companies or organizations with a unique identity? Are there any organizations that you support because of their unique goals/missions and organizational identity?
-Ricky Norris
The disadvantages of social media communication were a lack of privacy and formal communication. A couple of students said that they didn’t feel like talking through this outlet was down to earth or they felt that it was too much. A few students felt that social networking was good for organizational communication because of it being constant and open.
After the discussion of communication through social media, we began to talk about the organizational culture of UA. We discussed our culture through the “Six Communicative Practices Prepared by Shiv Ganesh.” The first practice listed on the sheet is facts. The class came up with facts we knew about UA, like the university was founded in 1831 and the football team holds 13 national titles. The next practice listed on the handout is practices. The class discussed UA student practices like studying at Gorgas and tailgating on the quadrangle. Vocabularies was the 3rd communicative practice that we spoke about in regard to UA organizational culture. We of course said that Roll Tide was the common vocabulary or speech used among students at the university. Although metaphors are the next communicative practice talked about on the handout, we didn’t really touch on this. The class talked about the communicative practice of stories and we mentioned the story of how the football team became the Crimson Tide and we talked about the integration. The 6th communication practice we discussed was rites and rituals. The class agreed that a common ritual for UA students was taking pictures in front of Denny Chimes or your college after graduation.
When we came to the conclusion of the six communicative practices, we began our discussion of organizational identity. The discussion began with talking about what our ideas of identity were. A few students related identity back to their COM 340 classes and we discussed the common misconception that people have completely different identities than each other. The identity of companies and organizations such as Wal-Mart and Target were then discussed. A few students said that they wouldn’t shop at Wal-Mart because of their reputation for poor business practices and dirtiness. The identity of Wal-Mart had been tarnished by documentaries and law suits. Target’s identity was well received because of their cleanliness, lack of poor feedback and media coverage, and because we knew people who worked for Target that said positive things. Although the business and missions of Target are similar, Target had a better identity for the students of our class. Professor Murray asked at the end of our session for us to think about an organization or company that had a completely unique identity and mission/goals. The class seemed to be stumped. Are there any thriving or successful companies or organizations with a unique identity? Are there any organizations that you support because of their unique goals/missions and organizational identity?
-Ricky Norris
Monday, February 14, 2011
@World. #Who have we become?
The aspect of social media has shaped our generations culture. We find ourselves tweeting about restaurants we dined at, as well as current fleeting and possibly irrelevant thoughts about our busy lifestyles. Due to Facebook, the phrase “Long lost friend” no longer exists in our vocabulary anymore. But words such as “Fail, FML and BBM have become normal in our daily conversations. Instead of reciting the pledge of allegiance before our day begins, we tune into our Ipods and recite Glee songs. Whether we want to admit it or not, we have created a culture where one-way communication has become our greatest companion.
Are you hot with Bieber fever? If you asked Ozzy Osburn this question he would blankly stare at you. Even though that is nothing new for Ozzy, many older cultures would stare vacantly as well because they are unaware of our younger generations sophistication. The Best Buy Superbowl commercial that aired on Sunday confirmed the distinction of how culture has changed over the years. This commercial did a great job showing how trends as well as individuals interests alter overtime. Ozzy demonstrated the idea talked about in class about cultural reproduction. Ozzy has passed down his own system of beliefs and ideals relevant to his time and Bieber has altered them to make them current. The commercial stated, “We are going to lose Ozzy and bring the new one.”
Our culture is also being defined by the organizations we are building. Say goodbye to tiny cluttered cubicles and hello to free open workspace. Google began a culture as a carefree work environment where no barriers exist. Communication flows equally among members, which creates a positive new work environment. Members can sit in a hammock and eat lunch while typing up their next project. If an employee feels the need for a break, they can benefit from a bike ride or even enjoy a swim. Google is known for the philosophy of being serious without a suit. Many companies are following in Google’s footsteps, which are creating a new organizational culture in our world.
Our culture has fashioned the concept that everything is easy. You no longer have to go find the news or the movies you want, they will magically discover you. Prior generations would have never imaged a world without physically touching and folding a newly printed newspaper. Our culture just has to press the “On” button and our Ipads will effortlessly flash high definition videos of breaking news. Has our culture gone too far? Are we going to look back 50 years from now and wonder if we have lost everything we were founded on? Or better yet, are things such as Facebook and twitter helping us build a stronger connected culture than ever before?
By: Courtney Brennan
Are you hot with Bieber fever? If you asked Ozzy Osburn this question he would blankly stare at you. Even though that is nothing new for Ozzy, many older cultures would stare vacantly as well because they are unaware of our younger generations sophistication. The Best Buy Superbowl commercial that aired on Sunday confirmed the distinction of how culture has changed over the years. This commercial did a great job showing how trends as well as individuals interests alter overtime. Ozzy demonstrated the idea talked about in class about cultural reproduction. Ozzy has passed down his own system of beliefs and ideals relevant to his time and Bieber has altered them to make them current. The commercial stated, “We are going to lose Ozzy and bring the new one.”
Our culture is also being defined by the organizations we are building. Say goodbye to tiny cluttered cubicles and hello to free open workspace. Google began a culture as a carefree work environment where no barriers exist. Communication flows equally among members, which creates a positive new work environment. Members can sit in a hammock and eat lunch while typing up their next project. If an employee feels the need for a break, they can benefit from a bike ride or even enjoy a swim. Google is known for the philosophy of being serious without a suit. Many companies are following in Google’s footsteps, which are creating a new organizational culture in our world.
Our culture has fashioned the concept that everything is easy. You no longer have to go find the news or the movies you want, they will magically discover you. Prior generations would have never imaged a world without physically touching and folding a newly printed newspaper. Our culture just has to press the “On” button and our Ipads will effortlessly flash high definition videos of breaking news. Has our culture gone too far? Are we going to look back 50 years from now and wonder if we have lost everything we were founded on? Or better yet, are things such as Facebook and twitter helping us build a stronger connected culture than ever before?
By: Courtney Brennan
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
Rationality (Second half)
On Wednesday, February 2, our class discussed the second part of Rationality. We started class reviewing Monday’s lecture about the theories of Max Weber and Frederick Douglas. Then we were introduced to Henri Fayol’s Theory of Classical Management. A summary of this theory is, the employees should know where they fit, should receive individual rewards and should think about the company’s goals before their own. The problem with this theory is that it does not adequately explain how the organization works.
The second half of class we reviewed two different case studies to determine which theory each was using and the problems involved with their theory. The first case study is an example of Henri Fayol’s Theory of Classical Management. This case was about a small southern ice cream parlor called Creamy Creations Ice Cream Shoppe. A retiree owned it by the name of Bob Peterson. After a year and a half of owning Creamy Creations, Bob decided to sell the business to Burger Barn, a local fast-food chain that was striving to expand into other types of food services. After the turnover, Burger Barn wanted more efficiency within the parlor so they instituted more workstations behind the counter. Creating more workstations increased efficiency but took away from the personalization of Creamy Creations Ice Cream. While Bob owned the parlor, his main goal was personal interactions and friendliness between the employees and the customers. Not only were there less personal interactions but also less people were staying and eating their ice cream at the parlor. The problem that Creamy Creations Ice Cream was experiencing was that Burger Barn was not concerned about the personal aspects among the parlor but more concerned with the efficiency of the business and what would speed up the process allowing less people to wait in line. If I was called in as a communication consultant by Burger Barn executives, I would tell them they need to keep a quality product, encourage customers to come back and also personalize their interactions rather than the customers just getting their ice cream and leaving.
The second case study was an example of Max Weber’s Bureaucracy theory. The setting of this case study is in a mental hospital with many ill patients. One specific patient was Horris James Wilcox Jr. It was documented that Wilcox watches too much TV and has emotional outbreaks because of the different tragedies he sees on TV. Recently, he was complaining, “The sky was falling.” Wilcox watched an Air force Fighter plane explode in the sky on TV so the nurses thought of these statements as an emotional reaction to what he saw. It wasn’t until a few days later when the wall behind Wilcox collapsed onto him. Apparently, there has been a leak in the water pipe and the wall has been painted over 3 times in the last year. It turns out that there was miscommunication among all the employees at the hospital. The head of residential life was having her secretary sign all of her documents for her without reading them which led to the complaint of a water pipe leak being overlooked in Wilcox’s room. The hospital follows a bureaucracy system. The problem that the hospital ran into is that the miscommunication or lack there of it, lead to Wilcox’s death. The employees within the hospital only care about money and promotions, which led them to their current lawsuit.
Which theory is most commonly recognized within businesses in 2011?
By: Katie O’Laughlin
The second half of class we reviewed two different case studies to determine which theory each was using and the problems involved with their theory. The first case study is an example of Henri Fayol’s Theory of Classical Management. This case was about a small southern ice cream parlor called Creamy Creations Ice Cream Shoppe. A retiree owned it by the name of Bob Peterson. After a year and a half of owning Creamy Creations, Bob decided to sell the business to Burger Barn, a local fast-food chain that was striving to expand into other types of food services. After the turnover, Burger Barn wanted more efficiency within the parlor so they instituted more workstations behind the counter. Creating more workstations increased efficiency but took away from the personalization of Creamy Creations Ice Cream. While Bob owned the parlor, his main goal was personal interactions and friendliness between the employees and the customers. Not only were there less personal interactions but also less people were staying and eating their ice cream at the parlor. The problem that Creamy Creations Ice Cream was experiencing was that Burger Barn was not concerned about the personal aspects among the parlor but more concerned with the efficiency of the business and what would speed up the process allowing less people to wait in line. If I was called in as a communication consultant by Burger Barn executives, I would tell them they need to keep a quality product, encourage customers to come back and also personalize their interactions rather than the customers just getting their ice cream and leaving.
The second case study was an example of Max Weber’s Bureaucracy theory. The setting of this case study is in a mental hospital with many ill patients. One specific patient was Horris James Wilcox Jr. It was documented that Wilcox watches too much TV and has emotional outbreaks because of the different tragedies he sees on TV. Recently, he was complaining, “The sky was falling.” Wilcox watched an Air force Fighter plane explode in the sky on TV so the nurses thought of these statements as an emotional reaction to what he saw. It wasn’t until a few days later when the wall behind Wilcox collapsed onto him. Apparently, there has been a leak in the water pipe and the wall has been painted over 3 times in the last year. It turns out that there was miscommunication among all the employees at the hospital. The head of residential life was having her secretary sign all of her documents for her without reading them which led to the complaint of a water pipe leak being overlooked in Wilcox’s room. The hospital follows a bureaucracy system. The problem that the hospital ran into is that the miscommunication or lack there of it, lead to Wilcox’s death. The employees within the hospital only care about money and promotions, which led them to their current lawsuit.
Which theory is most commonly recognized within businesses in 2011?
By: Katie O’Laughlin
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
Rationality (first half)
In this chapter, we are going to learn about how people do business in different places, and how rationality plays a role in this. Aristotle’s rhetorical theory, the “enthymeme” involves both “rational” and “intuitive” thinking. Rational plans are schemes that show relatively direct paths to the accomplishment of our goals. Men like Robert Ivie and Max Weber believed that rationality is subjective, and that it is colored by attitudes, preferences, historical trends, and politics. These men argue that employees should be hired and promoted through merit, and that there should be a clear chain of command. Also, organizations should take input from their consumers when planning change. In South America, however, it seen as more reasonable to hire someone they know or are related too because they believe in “palanca;” which is the theory that people need to be interdependent in order to survive.
The four principles of scientific management invented by Frederick Taylor are also very important to the idea of rationality. This theory really brought science into the business world, and ties strongly into efficiency and effectiveness. If there is a standardized system for doing work, businesses would be more efficient. Scientific management is closely linked too Theory X in that work cannot be satisfying and that there must be external rewards for incentive. In contrast, Theory Y states that people can be satisfied through their jobs if they are treated with respect and their work is enjoyable. This theory ties back into Aristotle’s theory of “enthymeme.”
There must be some way to incorporate all these theories together without losing your employees or going bankrupt. Trying to incorporate parts of both sides of the spectrum is where Chester Barnard defined efficiency and effectiveness. Mr. Bernard stated that effectiveness is the extent to which an organization meets its primary objectives which is getting the product manufactured and sold. Efficiency came next and Bernard states that embracing values, goals, and hopes would lead to employee satisfaction and would lead to individual and organizational achievement of goals.
There are many different theories on how to run a business in the best way, and there are many different theories on what is the rational way; what theory do you think is the best business model?
-Anthony Bolz
The four principles of scientific management invented by Frederick Taylor are also very important to the idea of rationality. This theory really brought science into the business world, and ties strongly into efficiency and effectiveness. If there is a standardized system for doing work, businesses would be more efficient. Scientific management is closely linked too Theory X in that work cannot be satisfying and that there must be external rewards for incentive. In contrast, Theory Y states that people can be satisfied through their jobs if they are treated with respect and their work is enjoyable. This theory ties back into Aristotle’s theory of “enthymeme.”
There must be some way to incorporate all these theories together without losing your employees or going bankrupt. Trying to incorporate parts of both sides of the spectrum is where Chester Barnard defined efficiency and effectiveness. Mr. Bernard stated that effectiveness is the extent to which an organization meets its primary objectives which is getting the product manufactured and sold. Efficiency came next and Bernard states that embracing values, goals, and hopes would lead to employee satisfaction and would lead to individual and organizational achievement of goals.
There are many different theories on how to run a business in the best way, and there are many different theories on what is the rational way; what theory do you think is the best business model?
-Anthony Bolz
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