The Omnipotent View of Management
Summary
The omnipotent view of management says that managers are directly responsible for the success or failure of an organization. This is a dominate view in management theory and society in general. The symbolic view of management takes the view much of an organization’s success or failure is due to external forces outside the manager’ control. The view of managers as omnipotent is consistent with the stereotypical picture of the take-charge executive who can overcome any obstacle in carrying out the organization’s objectives.
The symbolic view organizational results as being influenced by factors outside the control of managers: economy, customers, governmental policies, competitors’ actions, the state of the particular industry, the control of proprietary technology, and decisions made by the previous manager in the organization. Reality suggests a synthesis. In reality, managers are neither helpless nor all powerful. Internal and external constraints that restrict a manager’s decision options exist within every organization.
Just as individuals have a personality, so, too, do organizations. We refer to an organization’s personality as its culture. Organizational culture is a system of shared meaning and beliefs held by organizational members that determines, in large degree, how they act towards each other and outsiders. This definition implies three things:
First culture is a perception; second, an organization’s culture is described in similar terms. Finally, organizational culture is a descriptive term. Research suggests, that there are seven dimensions that capture the essence of an organizations culture.
1. Innovation and risk taking (the degree to which employees are encouraged to be innovative and take risks)
2. Attention to detail (the degree to which employees are expected to exhibit precision and analytical skills)
3. Outcome orientation (the degree to which managers focus on results or outcomes rather than on the techniques and processes
The omnipotent view of management says that managers are directly responsible for the success or failure of an organization. This is a dominate view in management theory and society in general. The symbolic view of management takes the view much of an organization’s success or failure is due to external forces outside the manager’ control. The view of managers as omnipotent is consistent with the stereotypical picture of the take-charge executive who can overcome any obstacle in carrying out the organization’s objectives.
The symbolic view organizational results as being influenced by factors outside the control of managers: economy, customers, governmental policies, competitors’ actions, the state of the particular industry, the control of proprietary technology, and decisions made by the previous manager in the organization. Reality suggests a synthesis. In reality, managers are neither helpless nor all powerful. Internal and external constraints that restrict a manager’s decision options exist within every organization.
Just as individuals have a personality, so, too, do organizations. We refer to an organization’s personality as its culture. Organizational culture is a system of shared meaning and beliefs held by organizational members that determines, in large degree, how they act towards each other and outsiders. This definition implies three things:
First culture is a perception; second, an organization’s culture is described in similar terms. Finally, organizational culture is a descriptive term. Research suggests, that there are seven dimensions that capture the essence of an organizations culture.
1. Innovation and risk taking (the degree to which employees are encouraged to be innovative and take risks)
2. Attention to detail (the degree to which employees are expected to exhibit precision and analytical skills)
3. Outcome orientation (the degree to which managers focus on results or outcomes rather than on the techniques and processes