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Critical Theory
Critical theory is a social theory that criticizes and transforms society as a whole. Critical theories aim to dig beneath the surface of social life and uncover the assumptions that keep human beings from a full and true understanding of how the world works.
----Siyu Liu (Melody) -
Classical Management Perspective Of Macdonald's
The fast food phenomenon evolved from drive-in restaurants built in southern California in the early 1940s.Richard and Maurice McDonald owned such a restaurant. They wanted to make food faster, sell it cheaper and spend less time worrying about replacing cooks and car hops. The brothers closed the restaurant and redesigned its food-preparation area to work less like a restaurant and more like an automobile assembly line,which they called the Speedee Service System.
(Xueyan Zhang) -
Human Relations Perspective of The Hawthorne Effect
The human relations approach focuses on how organizational members relate to one another, and how individuals’ needs influence their performance in organizations. Mayo’s team discovered that, no matter what changes they made to the work environment，worker productivity increased simply due to the fact that researchers were paying attention to them. This is where the term “The Hawthorne Effect” developed.
(Xueyan Zhang) -
French and Rave's Bases of Power
After Raven revised the model of power into a sixth form, all the bases of power were further differentiated into unique characteristics. Coercion- personal and impersonal, reward- personal and impersonal, legitimacy- position of power reciprocity, and powerlessness, expert- positive and negative, referent- positive and negative and the sixth form informational- direct and indirect. which discusses the end result of information causing negative or a positive response.
Jessica Great -
Period: to
French and Rave's Bases of Power
After Raven revised the model of power into a sixth form, all the bases of power were further differentiated into unique characteristics. Coercion- personal and impersonal, reward- personal and impersonal, legitimacy- position of power reciprocity, and powerlessness, expert- positive and negative, referent- positive and negative and the sixth form informational- direct and indirect. which discusses the end result of information causing negative or a positive response.
Jessica Great -
5 Types of Power
Robert French and Bertram Raven produced a paper that discussed the five types of social power. These powers represented the control that one has over the other, for example: manager and employee. Although incomplete, these social powers help us understand authority and the structure behind it. Kaeler Moore -
The Centrality of Power
Power definition is based on the assumption “that it is something a person or group possesses and can exercise through actions.” There are five types of social power - reward power, coercive power, referent power, expert power, and legitimate power. (Eisenberg, p.158, 2014)
Tuan Anh Cao -
The Centrality of Power
Power relations in society cannot be reduced to the study of a series of institutions because they are rooted in an entire social network. Foucault thus stresses that power is part of the order of the relationship and that, far from being a monolithic principle to be tracked down in traditionally perceived institutions as holders of its legitimate monopoly, power intervenes at all levels of social apparatus.
Marite -
The centrality of Power
Power is assumed to be something that a group or individual has, and its role can be seen through action. In Robert French and Bertram Raven (1968), they described five types of social power.
Those are reward power, coercive power, referent power, expert power, and legitimate power. -
Progressive Capitalism in the U.S
The development of capitalism went from the nineteenth century with the gradual introduction of social legislation. The establishment of a welfare state in the U.S through the New Deal responds to the desire to reconcile dynamic capitalism with social justice. Debates over the welfare state crisis that emerged with the oil shocks and the questioning of policies in the 70s-80s led some authors to believe that the welfare state was only a parenthesis in the long run. history of capitalism.
Marite -
Foucanlt's Prison system
"Foucanlt's (1979) work on the history of prison systems reveal's how contemporary penal discourses articulate and literally create the "subject" of punishment--- namely, the prisoner. The prisoner becomes defined and controlled through communication about practices related to punishment. At the same time, discourse establishes the prisoner's relationship to society" (p.169). Ivana Huang -
Discipline and Punish: The Birth of the Prison by Michel Foucault
In the USA, detention finally becomes the essential form of punishment from the 1810 Penal Code. We witnessed the proliferation of prisons in the 19th century and the near abandonment of other ways of punishments. Panopticon (1975) is interpreted as a history of discipline and power which, before acting on ideology, is exercised through the imposition of gestures, attitudes, uses and distributions of space. Foucault's ambition was to show and see how the power act through the bodies.
Marite Ita -
Critical Theory
Critical Theory emerged in response to growing power from a small elite group of society. This theory exists to critique the world and to change it accordingly. It became big with companies having bad work conditions and unrealistic expectations/pay. Critical Theory paved the way for analysis of organizational culture and structure. Kaeler Moore -
Human Resources Of William Ouchi’s Theory Z
Human Resources attempts to truly embrace participation by all organizational members, viewing each person as a valuable human resource. Using this approach, organizations began to encourage employee participation in decision making. William Ouchi’s Theory Z believed that traditional American organizations should be more like Japanese organizations. Japanese culture values lifetime employment, teamwork, collective responsibility, and a sound mind and body.
(Xueyan Zhang) -
Reification or Verdinglichung
Karl Marx who promoted the ideology of Marxism explored the concept of alienation and reification on an economic manuscript. On the 1st of January 1901, Karl Marx created a western Marxism of concept. Reification blames the system for dehumanization, loss of freedom through exploitation and domination and bringing structures to a still. Reification is also known as Verdinglichung.
Jessica Great -
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Critical Studies
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Dennis Mumby's Ideology
Mumby expands upon the Critical Approach by explaining how ideology reinforces domination: It says specific ideas are universal, refuses to be contradicted, dictates change, and serves as a form of control. This is hegemony, and Mumby provides an analysis of IBM as a model for how culture leads to this. He deduces that the result is people organizing themselves around an existing rule system; yet, if something goes wrong, the system takes the fault instead of the individual. Julia Siebelink -
Dennis Mumby
Dennis Mumby investigated the relationship between ideology and organizational culture. Mumby argued, "that ideology functions in four different ways to support the power of organizational elites". His study provided a model for understanding how cultural elements can be critiqued to reveal the real ideology of a organizational group. Kaeler Moore -
Ideological Control
Known also as hegemony, ideological control works most effectively when the world view articulated by the ruling elite is actively taken up and pursued by subordinate groups. We see hegemony operating when the organization's interests and rules are maintained from the bottom up rather than having to be imposed from the top down. Monica Haverkamp -
The role of Critical theorist
"A critical theorist, then, gathers interpretive cultural data about race, class, gender, age, language, motives, and actions and makes judgement about the power relationships that exist in all aspects of organizing" (p.181). Ivana Huang -
Ideology
An ideology is “a system of ideas that serves as the basis of a political or economic theory. In our use, the term ideology refers to our basis, often unexamined, assumptions about how things are or ought to be.” (Eisenberg, p.161, 2014)
Tuan Anh Cao -
Ideology
Ideology, a form of social or political philosophy in which practical elements are as prominent as theoretical ones. It is a system of ideas that aspires both to explain the world and to change it.
----Siyu Liu (Melody) -
Learning Organization
Peter Senge breaks into the concert of theoretical postulates with his Learning Organization theory. Systemic thinking encourages the personal vision of each member. Promotes criticism of paradigms. Builds leadership through teamwork. It gives essential importance to the team as a space to develop and integrates all disciplines in a joint effort. Senge's theory is a constant invitation to flexibility in order to avoid comfort zones (Paulo Tort). -
Progressive Capitalism
This was dominate in industry in the US from the Industrial Revolution to the 1970s. During this time, the average weekly average wage of Americans reached a peak. And, during this period individuals and corporations experienced economic well-being. This is significant because progressive capitalism represented a shift from traditional capitalism where wealth and responsibility were given to owners rather than workers.
Gina Baldridge -
Critical Theory Approaches
Critical theory is characterized by unveiling the darker side of organizational communication. Critical theories look at status quo and how it came into existence, whose interests it serves, and how it devalues people. Critical approaches look at how employees control other employees. This is significant because it explains how organizational culture evolves and the impact that it has on individual workers.
Gina Baldridge -
Andrew Feenberg
Hope Schatzmann
1991, Andrew Feenberg publish a book called "Critical Theory of Technology" and it is significant because it helps develop how technology shapes life and culture. -
Jim Barker on Concertive Control
Jim Barker’s research highlights the power of “Concertive Control.” This is when employees create and maintain their own rules by self-managing collaboratively based on shared values. Barker provides evidence that this type of control can be even harsher than organizational rules and are strictly based on rational thought compelling absolute obedience. This is an important feature of the Critical approach to organizations. Julia Siebelink -
Axel Honneth
Hope Schatzmann
Axel Honneth Assumed position of Director of the Institute for Social Research at Frankfurt Univeristy, a major school of influence for Critical Theory research. (1993) -
Classical Management of AirAsia
Classical management theory is based on the belief that workers only have physical and economic needs.AirAsia has used management techniques from the administrative sector of the classical approaches to management. Staff members regularly fill in for each other to maintain efficiency (Schermerhorn et al, 2014) The Bureaucratic management theory has been implemented within AirAsia as well.
(Xueyan Zhang) -
The Hidden Power of Culture: Myths, Stories, and Metaphors
Myths, stories, and metaphor “are the day-to-day, commonplace surface-level forms of communication that contain implicit, hidden, and taken-for-granted ideological assumptions that reside at a deep structure level of power.” (Eisenberg, p.165, 2014)
Tuan Anh Cao -
Discourse
Discourse is more than simply a shared system of meanings. Instead, discourse- the interactions which occur between people- is itself always a site of struggle over competing meanings, varying ideas of what is true or real. Neither the body nor thoughts and feelings have meaning outside their discursive articulation' (Weedon, 1997) Patricia Jones -
Manufactured Consent
This hidden power of legitimation has a fortified value; in lieu of its stealth appearance Westerners are conditioned to consume first then are citizens. Most activities are set up around consumption or finds value for themselves and their families. In 2018 this is an ever-increasing truth to stay and be relevant in today’s society.
Letitia Scott -
Theories of Inclusive education
Peter Clough shares major stages of of thinking in the development of inclusive education, in his book. The inclusive education theory encourages all student to attend school, learn and be engaged. This theory is important because education is important for children and adults. Simone Ngwej -
Inclusivity- Exclusivity Dimension and Transparency-Opacity Dimension
Angela Trethewey and Steve Corman have planned a model that speaks two ethical dimensions that are used to evaluate any particular knowledge management system, they are the inclusivity- exclusivity dimension and the transparency-opacity dimension. Systems that are inclusive are more ethical than those that are exclusive. -Christina Mendez -
Globalization of Labor and Markets
The globalization of labor, which enables employers to hire low-wage workers overseas, has remade the economy of every nation, reshaped almost every industry, and touched billions of lives. Although this practice has led to human-rights abuses, they occurred far enough away from home that most people ignored them - until recently. Monica Haverkamp -
Globalization
Tina Rosenberg investigated the impact of globalization around the world and how it impacted jobs and workers onshore and offshore. Globalization has positive economic impact in some countries but also increases in crime and in some cases, economic collapse. This is significant because money from Western companies while helpful for struggling local economies abroad can also create issues there and at home where US workers suffer because jobs are placed offshore.
Gina Baldridge -
Feminism and Critical Theory
Hope Schatzmann
Joann Martin explores the similarities in Critical Theory and Feminist movements. This Stanford publihs article describes the commonalities and differences in the two https://www.gsb.stanford.edu/faculty-research/working-papers/feminist-theory-critical-theory-unexplored-synergies (2002) -
The Technological Panopticon – Knowledge Management
Critical scholars caution that the ideology what technology can do for storing, sorting and distributing organizational knowledge. A central assumption of the ideology is that its systems are universally desirable. A recognized common-sense way of thinking about one's organization, where everyone works together through sharing knowledge to ensure the company's future.
Letitia Scott -
Zoller's Ethnographic Study
Heather Zoller, a scholar of organizational and health communication at the University of Cincinnati, conducted an ethnographic study of an automobile manufacturing plant revealed that nearly every worker either experienced a physical ailment resulting from work or knew someone who did. Her study brings into focus the problematic ways that employees consent to health risks. Monica Haverkamp -
Healthy Organizations
"One area of organizational life that is commanding increased attention from critical scholars is employee health and well-being. Scholars have long been concerned with the devastating health consequences that work can have on employees" (p. 175). Ivana Huang -
Myths: Donald Trump’s Television Show “Celebrity Apprentice”
Trump's show relies heavily on myth, which contributes to the strength of a culture’s ideology and its sources of power. Although numerous occasions are uncovered to show the possibility and power of reality television, these accounts themselves are not made to be unique. The importance of myths draws our attention to the process of reflection that helps reshapes our beliefs. -Christina Mendez -
Critical Modes of Being
In 2005, writer & professor Stanley Deetz claimed that critical theory means more than simply just adopting a particular role, and is instead "a way of life" that is characterized by three tension-filled critical modes of being. Being filled with care, being filled with thought, and being filled with good humor are all components that aid in the service of organizational empowerment and justice. - Lauren Sarter -
Resistance: Challenging Organizational Power & Control
Dahlberg (2005) calls this "corporate colonization of the life world" The emphasis in critical organizational communication studies on organizational power, control, and domination. Yolanda Scott -
Global Transformation
Ganesh, Zoller, & Cheney (2005) urge organizational scholars to devote increased attention to global transformation which highlights how local social movements attempt to effect-large scale, collective changes in the domains of state policy. Yolanda Scott -
Ganesh, Zoller, Cheney- Global Transformation
How local social movements attempt to effect large scale, collective changes regarding policies, corporate practice, social structure , cultural norms and daily lived experiences. The importance is how society is changing within an organizational stand-point. Mobilizing grassroots campaign against corporate domination.-Jasmine Moreno -
Knowledge Management Systems
Knowledge Management (KM) Systems include a variety of searchable databases, interactive expert systems and electronic applications. These systems are designed to enhance and increase the value of a generation by improving the ability to share widespread information. However, these systems are also known to have increased the invasiveness of organizational oversight. One study done in 2011 provides that over 80 percent of workplaces employ some form of employee surveillance. - Lauren Sarter -
Employee Dissent
Employee Dissent refers to the verbal expression of disagreement or contradictory opinions" from that of management or the organization (Kassing) Patricia Jones -
Commodification and Co-Modification: Explicating Black Female Sexuality in Organizations by D.A. Forbes
Mumby’s work was applied to a case study where women are deciding to quit their businesses, supervise smaller firms, or start their own affiliations. Drawing on interviews and stories from nine Black women, discussing Black women through commodification, experiences of immaterialism, and use of their bodies, which along these lines provokes a confusing dispute of settlement and barriers. This is significant because he proposes how associations should change their practices. – Christina Mendez -
BP Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill
The Critical Approach led to the system being blamed for mistakes instead of individuals. A law was passed to try to rectify this that forced the senior executives to take the blame for their company. Thus, after the oil spill that killed eleven people, three BP executives were arrested for manslaughter and obstruction, and the company paid more than $4 billion in settlement. The Critical theory says organization dictates action so wrongful action is the organization’s fault. Julia Siebelink -
Barbara Ehrenreich Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) getting by in America
Ground breaking view into the lives of the working poor, from the undercover critical theorist perspective of Barbara. Sheds light and reality on the struggles of the working poor in our country. This book relates to the understanding of critical mode of being and the complexities of working in America.-Jasmine Moreno -
Garment Factory Fire- Karachi, Pakistan
12 hour fire blazed though a factory, killing more that 200 people, many of which were women who were trapped behind locked doors. No safety exits or emergency evacuation plan. Unsafe and dangerous, no care for the individual only for the economic benefit. An exploitation of vulnerable people trying make a living. This is important because it challenges the unfair exercise of power , in relation to critical theory . -Jasmine Moreno -
Systems Perspective
The US News & World Reports Article,Outsourcing to China Cost U.S. 3.2 Million Jobs Since 200–New research shows that more than three-quarters of jobs lost were in manufacturingstates that, Between 2001 and 2013, the expanded trade deficit with China cost the U.S. 3.2 million jobs, and three quarters of those jobs were in manufacturing, according to a report released Thursday from the Economic Policy Institute, a left-leaning Washington think tank. (Xueyan Zhang) -
Reification Ideology
Reification is the process of socially constructed and perceived as being real, objective ad fixed. According to the text, critical scholars agree that work hazards, especially those encountered during the early part of the 20th century, are directly related to organizational practices that valued efficiency and profits over worker well-being.
Letitia Scott -
Feminism: We should all be feminist
In 2014, Chimamanda Gozi Adichie published a book about feminism in the 21st century. In the book, she states encourages everyone to not see the word as an insult to anyone. She explains that feminism is just equality between men and women. Simone Ngwej -
Cybervetting
Cybervetting is the process whereby employers seek information about job candidates online. Typically the information that potential employers collect about potential employees is "informal, non-institutional, other-sourced, and/or aggregated" (Berkelaar & Buzzanell, 2015) Patricia Jones -
The 8 C's of Competency
In 2015, writers Ken Robinson & Lou Aronica introduced the idea of competency by highlighting 8 different ways students can thrive socially & economically. These 8 competencies: curiosity, creativity, criticism, communication, collaboration, compassion, composure & citizenship encourage thinking about problem solving, innovation, entrepreneurialism & flexible organization for teaching & learning. These notions help set people up for communicational success in any organization. - Lauren Sarter -
Cybervetting
The process whereby employers seek information about job candidates online, typically information through social media sites. Yolanda Scott -
Cybervetting.
Is cybervetting ethical?
Cybervetting is gradually leaning towards an unethical practice where the privacy of applicants is invaded. Privacy of personal life and past personal life experiences.
Will informing candidates ahead of time that cybervetting will be employed?
What if the information came across is not true? How valid is the information? How reliable is the source of this information?
Cybervetting gives room for more discrimination amongst a pool of candidates.
Jessica Great. -
Period: to
Cybervetting
Is cybervetting ethical?
Cybervetting is gradually leaning towards an unethical practice where the privacy of applicants is invaded. Privacy of personal life and past personal life experiences.
Will informing candidates ahead of time that cybervetting will be employed?
What if the information came across is not true? How valid is the information? How reliable is the source of this information?
Cybervetting gives room for more discrimination amongst a pool of candidates.
Jessica Great.
