Interpersonal dynamics in network organizations

Rus, Andrej (author)

Mrežna organizacija je organizacijska oblika, ki naj bi organizacijam omogočila visoko stopnjo fleksibilnosti. Teorija predvideva, da naj bi s pomočjo rušenja zidov birokratske avtoritete organizacije lažje dosegle kooperacijo in integracijo na ravni celotne organizacije, kar je danes predpogoj za konkurenčni uspeh na spreminjajočih se trgih. V tem članku smo analizirali preprostejšo obliko mrežne organizacije, t.j. matrično organizacijo, da bi razumeli medosebno dinamiko v organizaciji. Konkretno, pokazali smo, da se predvidevanja glede vzorca socialnih odnosov iz teorije mrežnih organizacij niso uresničila. V nasprotju s pričakovanji smo ugotovili,da se v matrični organizaciji niso razvila lateralna socialna omrežja, pač pa se je okrepila enosmerna vertikalna komunikacija z nadrejenimi. Da bi razložili tako odstopanje od teorije, smo v članku razvili razlago, ki se opira na fenomen statusne negotovosti. Razgradnja in odpravljanje birokracije povzroča statusno negotovost znotraj organizacij, na katero se zaposleni odzovejo tako, da okrog sebe vzpostavijo zaščitniška socialna omrežja, pri čemer se ponovno vzpostavi hierarhija. V članku sklenemo, da je mogoče birokracijo mehčati na številne načine, da bi vanjo vnesli fleksibilnost. Ne moremo pa zagotoviti fleksibilnosti z odpravljanjem birokracije in formalnih struktur.

• Language: English
• Keywords: družbena omrežja, medosebni odnosi, dinamika
• Work type: Not categorized
• Typology: 1.01 - Original Scientific Article
• Organization: FDV - Faculty of Social Sciences
• Year: 2003
• Number of pages: Str. 21-46
• Numbering: Letn. 19, št. 42
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-6016
• UDC: 316.4
• ISSN on article: 0352-3608
• COBISS.SI-ID: 22049629
• Publication date in RUL: 11.07.2014

Record is a part of a journal

• Title: Družboslovne razprave
• Shortened title: Družbosl. razpr.
• Publisher: Slovensko sociološko društvo, Fakulteta za družbene vede
• ISSN: 0352-3608
• COBISS.SI-ID: 7530242

Secondary language

• Language: Slovenian

Abstract

Network organization is an organizational form that holds a big promise of reaching organizational flexibility. It is often argued that by means of tearing down the walls of bureaucratic authority organizations can promote organization-wide cooperation and integration, essential features of competitive organizations in a changing marketplace. In this paper we look at a simpler version of network organization i.e. matrix organization in order to study interpersonal dynamics in an organization. Specifically, we look at social networks and show that the patterns of relationships predicted by the expectaions of theory of network organization does not emerge. Contrary to expectations, we find the lack of lateral networks and strong vertical communication with direct supervisors. The paper concludes by proposing a theory of status uncertainty as an explanation for the failure of network organizations to eschew bureaucracy and generate company wide integration and cooperation. The tearing down of bureaucracy creates status uncertainty within organizations which leads actors to build protective neworks recreating hierarchies in the process. The paper concludes with suggestion that bureaucracy could be altered in many ways to accommodate flexibility. But flexibility can not be achieved by tearing down bureaucracy.

• Keywords: social networks, interpersonal relations, dynamics