Overview of Classical Theory
Have you ever felt that you are just a part of a bigger picture at work, or an unimportant piece to the puzzle? You think your boss could care less if you quit a job that you have worked for five or ten years? These feelings come from the classical theory’s beliefs of organizational communication.
Organizational communication is a continuous multiplex process to create, change and maintain the organization (Modaff et al., 2017). Organizational communication consists of several theories. Theories are ideas that are related to describe, predict and/or explain but do not work every single time.
Classical theory came around the 1900s with Frederick Taylor’s theory of scientific theory due to the economy’s change because of the industrial revolution. The military and Catholic church give the base of knowledge and understanding of an organization before the industrial revolution (Modaff et al., 2017).
The classical theory is compared to a machine in the machine metaphor. The parts of the machine represent the workers of the organization. The parts are only viewed as part of the organization.
The organization seen as a machine, there are considered three parts of the machine: predictability, standardization and specialization. Using this a metaphor, it suggests that organizations are predictable and efficient but lack individual characteristics.
Taylor’s theory of scientific management focused on maximizing profits and worker effort and performance. He wondered why employees put in the minimal effort to get their job done which is systematic soldiering. Soldering costs more for companies, because it takes more time to complete a task compared if the organization was efficient.
Employees could believe that soldering benefits them more. This could be based on rule of thumb, piecework pay and belief maximum effort will decrease in the amount of employees that the company needs to function.
Along with Taylor’s theory, Henri Fayol’s administrative theory described that there should be more focus on the management level (Modaff et al., 2017). The communication came from the top management or the bosses down to the lowest level or tier of employees and communication between the same level or tier employees only if it is necessary for the success of the organization.
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Following Fayol’s theory, Weber’s rational-legal bureaucracy theory is based on an ideal organization. Weber’s theory described three different authorities; traditional authority, charismatic authority and rational authority (Modaff et al., 2017).
Even though this theory is over hundred years old and has its limitations, this theory can still be seen today. This can be seen in jobs that are related to customer service and assembly lines. The employees can feel like they are going to be easily replaced if they leave the company.
Employees should try to put in their input whenever their boss asks. Also, if an employee is in customer service, the employee can try to put his or her personality into the wardrobe to help physically show individual characteristics.
For employers, there are precautions that can be taken. Make sure the employees know that their voices are heard. Also, employers should acknowledge that their employees have individual characteristics to help make the employees feel valued which could help prevent systemic soldering.
Reference:
Modaff, D. P., Butler, J. A., & DeWine, S. (2017). Organizational communication: Foundations, challenges, and misunderstandings (4th Ed.). Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon.
Alexander, M. (2018, October 25). LUNAMARINA, Getty Images/iStockphoto [Digital image]. Retrieved March 07, 2021, from https://www.techrepublic.com/article/5-signs-your-employees-feel-undervalued/
[Digital image]. (2020, December 29). Retrieved March 07, 2021, from https://hocthuyetdoanhnghiep.edu.vn/he-thong-co-cau-to-chuc-hanh-chinh-cua-weber/bureaucratic-theory-by-max-weber/
Aragaki, A. (2016, February 9). Communication Media Usage [Digital image]. Retrieved March 07, 2021, from https://medium.com/@arianaragaki/the-machine-metaphor-94c540ecb555
