Monday, 26 January 2009

What is an organization?


I found several definitions of what an organization could be including those outlined in the text by Laudon and Laudon[1]. In summary an organization can have one or many members in a hierarchical structure that will adopt a particular culture, value set and rules. The organization can be either traditional or virtual and will operate within organizational boundaries, although research suggests that there are several types of boundaries that can be considered: efficiency; power, competence and identity[2] Santos, Eisenhardt (2005).This is were it all starts getting interesting as this paper suggests that an organization’s boundary doesn’t just identify what the organization is but also what is in the environment.

[1] Laudon, J., Laudon, K. (2007). Management Information Systems- Managing the digital firm, 10th edition. Harlow, Essex: Pearson Education

[2] Santos F,M.,Eisenhardt K,M. (2005), Organizational boundaries and theories of an organization, Organization Science Vol. 16 Issue 5, 491-508

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3 comments:

  1. chrischJanuary 27, 2009 6:14 pm

    nice post. i particularly liked this definition 'an organization’s boundary doesn’t just identify what the organization is but also what is in the environment'. I agree with this statenent as I feel that organizations are indeed not identified by boundaries but by what is inside the boundaries. An organization has inputs (which come from the 'external' environment) and outputs (that end up to the environment) and in my opinion the boundaries of an organization is where the organization is separated by the environment.

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  2. RAVIFebruary 25, 2009 7:25 pm

    Francis I like that you read Snowden work... he uses the phrase “if it works you amplify its usage and when it doesn't you dampen it”.... heard him saying that plenty of times at the Knowledge Cafe in the Lecture (Talk)...

    The thing is Francis CoP in the traditional format of Face-to Face (personalisation) works well in smaller groups (2-6 people) from previous experience (you might differ); else it becomes dominated by individuals or is like a lecture... However, using IT (codification) it is possible to have larger pool of people, for example: a forum (BIS4430 discussion board) to share ideas....

    [got plenty more to say... if you really want to know...?]

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  3. RAVIFebruary 25, 2009 7:27 pm

    Francis good job with your concise definition(s)... ;-)

    One thing I want to ask you... I think we both belong to the same organisation: Middlesex University... or are we just customers (students) that are using the services...?

    Another point to consider is that when many students graduate they leave the University, but some join the Alumni Association, which is part of the University that is like a social or business network or even could develop as CoP...

    What are your views on this? ( . .. if any)

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