OVERVIEW OF ORGANIZATIONAL THEORY AND ITS RELATION TO POLICE ADMINISTRATION (FROM MANAGING THE POLICE ORGANIZATION - SELECTED READINGS, 1978, BY LARRY K GAINES AND TRUETT A RICKS - SEE NCJ-47507)

• NCJ Number: 47510
• Author(s): L K GAINES
• Date Published: 1977
• Length: 28 pages
• Corporate Author: West Publishing Co
• Publication Format: Document
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

CLASSICAL ORGANIZATIONAL THEORY, HUMAN RELATIONS PHILOSOPHY, AND STRUCTURALIST PHILOSOPHY ARE EXPLAINED, AND THEIR IMPLICATIONS FOR AND IMPACT UPON POLICE ADMINISTRATION ARE DISCUSSED.

Abstract

ORGANIZATIONS ARE CONTRIVED SOCIAL GROUPINGS THAT PURSUE GOALS THROUGH A CONCERTED EFFORT ON THE PART OF MEMBERS. ORGANIZATIONS LIMIT THE BEHAVIORAL ALTERNATIVES OF MEMBERS BY MANIPULATING MANAGERIAL PROCESSES. THIS MANIPULATION DETERMINES THE ORGANIZATION'S PARTICULAR ORGANIZATIONAL THEORY HAS BEEN A PROCESS BY WHICH THE EMPLOYEE AND THE ORGANIZATION HAVE BEEN MANIPULATED IN DIFFERENT WAYS TO ACHIEVE THIS BALANCE. THE EVOLUTION HAS MOVED THROUGH THREE PHASES: CLASSICAL; NEOCLASSICAL OR HUMAN RELATIONS; AND STRUCTURAL/SYSTEMS ORGANIZATIONAL THEORY. POLICE ADMINISTRATION HAS EVOLVED AROUND THE PRINCIPLES OF CLASSICAL ORGANIZATIONAL THEORY, AN APPROACH CRITICIZED BY SOME FOR ITS PROMANAGEMENT BIAS. THE HUMAN RELATIONS PHILOSOPHY, WHICH WAS A REACTION TO THE MECHANISTIC ORGANIZATIONAL PRESCRIPTIONS OF CLASSICISTS, EMPHASIZES THE NEEDS OF THE INDIVIDUAL AND THE INFORMAL ORGANIZATION. HUMAN RELATIONS PHILOSOPHY HAS HAD LITTLE EFFECT ON POLICE ADMINISTRATION. THE STRUCTURALIST/SYSTEMS APPROACH, WHICH EMPHASIZES FORMAL ORGANIZATION AND GROUP THEORY AS OPPOSED TO HUMAN INTERACTIONS AND INFORMAL GROUPS, HAS HAD ITS STRONGEST INFLUENCE ON POLICE ADMINISTRATION IN THE AREA OF INFORMATION SYSTEMS. (LKM)