Theoretical Perspectives and Research
Introduction
Modern, post-modern, critical theory and symbolic-interpretive are four different perspectives that provides different ways to analyse and understand organisations, however this essay shall focus on two perspectives, namely the modern and critical theory. These two perspectives have different views on concepts that might appear similar, thus this essay shall examine the different stands they each take. Concepts that can be examined include, power, control and conflict, organisational structures, organisations culture and organisation and its environment. This essay shall closely examine how the two perspectives have different views on the subject on power, control and conflict pertaining to the different ways to analyse and understand organisations. In order to fully understand the perception of the relationship between power control and conflict, Hatch and Cunliffe (2006) stated that ‘conflict is a manifestation of the continuous struggle over control that power relations imply’ and the consequence of conflict is resistance. This relationship shall be the core of the subject in this essay.
According to an American political scientist named Robert Dahl (Dahl cited in Hatch & Cunliffe, 2006, p. 254), power is defined as ‘A has power over B to the extent that he can get B to do something that B would not otherwise do.’ Though the modernist and critical theorists both agree that power relations are determined by political and economic structures however they disagree in many aspects of the subject (Hatch & Cunliffe, 2006). The modernist suggests the strategic contingencies theory with the relation to power. This theory states that it is the ability of an actor to protect others from uncertainties determines their power as stated by (Mills & Simmons, 1995). Thus the organization grants power to people who are central to operations, who are capable of solving uncertainties in an organization. An example of such instances can be reflected in the case of
Modern, post-modern, critical theory and symbolic-interpretive are four different perspectives that provides different ways to analyse and understand organisations, however this essay shall focus on two perspectives, namely the modern and critical theory. These two perspectives have different views on concepts that might appear similar, thus this essay shall examine the different stands they each take. Concepts that can be examined include, power, control and conflict, organisational structures, organisations culture and organisation and its environment. This essay shall closely examine how the two perspectives have different views on the subject on power, control and conflict pertaining to the different ways to analyse and understand organisations. In order to fully understand the perception of the relationship between power control and conflict, Hatch and Cunliffe (2006) stated that ‘conflict is a manifestation of the continuous struggle over control that power relations imply’ and the consequence of conflict is resistance. This relationship shall be the core of the subject in this essay.
According to an American political scientist named Robert Dahl (Dahl cited in Hatch & Cunliffe, 2006, p. 254), power is defined as ‘A has power over B to the extent that he can get B to do something that B would not otherwise do.’ Though the modernist and critical theorists both agree that power relations are determined by political and economic structures however they disagree in many aspects of the subject (Hatch & Cunliffe, 2006). The modernist suggests the strategic contingencies theory with the relation to power. This theory states that it is the ability of an actor to protect others from uncertainties determines their power as stated by (Mills & Simmons, 1995). Thus the organization grants power to people who are central to operations, who are capable of solving uncertainties in an organization. An example of such instances can be reflected in the case of