Organizational Politics Organizational Behavior Loosely

Organizational Politics

Organizational behavior loosely falls into three main categories or models: the rational, the political, and the caring. Rational organizations are characterized by "hierarchical collections of autonomous individuals who are connected to each other and to the organization by contractual agreements," (491). The rational organization and its members collectively focus on the pursuit of profit. Contractual agreements become the foundation for organizational relationships: workers consider their relationship to the organization in terms of legal arrangements and obligations. Work is performed in direct exchange for wages received, and wages are paid in exchange for the effective performance of specific duties. Moreover, a rational organization is characterized by hierarchical relations between employees and management individuals. At the top of the corporate structure is the CEO, beneath which work several levels of managers and at the bottom are the skilled and unskilled laborers.

A political model implies "the processes in which individuals or groups within an organization use non-formally sanctioned power tactics to advance their own aims," (485). These self-centered aims are not necessarily in conflict with the aims of the organization, especially when the individual demonstrates a high level of company loyalty and when an individual's career directly depends on the well-being of the organization. However unavoidable and necessary organizational politics are, political tactics can become messy, manipulative, and problematic for the organization as a whole. Political tactics can lead to abuse or misuse of power, but ethically correct political tactics can also be used as a means to bolster the powerless. Because all organizations consist of individuals and because these individuals will always be engaged in relationships with one another, no organization functions without some sort of political tactics.

A caring organization and its members are concerned less with profit and power than with genuine care for the organization as a whole, for all of its employees, and for its clients or customers. Caring organizations are most commonly represented in the service sector, but many traditional manufacturers are caring organizations as well. In a caring organization, "trust flourishes" among employees (492). Totally caring organizations are considerably rare, but tend to be highly successful and effective companies with high levels of job satisfaction and customer loyalty.

The statement: "the rational model of the organization implies that the corporation is based on consent, while the political model implies that the corporation is based on force, and the caring model implies that the corporation is based on interpersonal relationships" adequately summarizes the differences between these three organizational models. However, no organization embodies only one of these models. All three of these organizational approaches may be present in a single organization, or an organization exhibits two of these styles more strongly than another.