Theory Drucker Vs Bennis Essay Research Paper — страница 3

  • Просмотров 380
  • Скачиваний 5
  • Размер файла 18
    Кб

teamwork within an organization. His theory regarding work groups basically concentrates on three major concepts, ?organic-adaptive? structure, group structure and ?Great Groups?. It is Bennis? view that the American establishments, once in a bureaucratic state, are being replaced by a more ?organic-adaptive? structure (Bennis, 1970, p. 24). According to Bennis, an ?organic-adaptive? structure is an ?adaptive, problem-solving, temporary system of diverse specialists that are linked together by coordinating and task evaluating specialists in an organic flux (p. 24). Bennis explains that any and all major accomplishments made by corporations are a result of a collaborative effort. In the past, oftentimes only one person generally received the credit for the accomplishment; however,

whether or not an accomplishment was publicly recognized as an individual or collaborative effort, the fact remained that nothing could have been achieved without a team of assistants. Bennis feels that in today?s society, that is complex and technologically sophisticated, the most urgent projects require the coordinated contributions of many capable people (Bennis, 1995, p. 3). Also, because timely information is the most important commodity, Bennis believes that collaborations is not only desirable, but inevitable (p. 3). According to Bennis, ?one is too small a number to produce greatness? (p. 3). Bennis also had the foresight, during the late sixties, to determine that ?while skills in human interaction will become more important, due to the growing needs for collaboration in

complex tasks, there will be a concomitant reduction in group cohesiveness?, and an ?organic-adaptive? corporate society will force ?people to develop quick and intense relationships on the job, and learn to bear the loss of more enduring work relationships? (Bennis, 1970, p. 25). Group structure is another element that is imperative to Bennis. He feels that ?groups are composed of a particular boss and his immediate subordinates, starting with the top and reaching lower levels later on. Thus, the unit of grouping is the actual ?family? group, and actual conditions become the focus of analysis. This phase is based on the principle that if organizational change is to take place, it must be supported by the actual organizational groupings and must be exemplified and reinforced by

top management? (Bennis, 1996, p. 125). Finally, Bennis believes that every organization that has made great discoveries and achieved supreme accomplishments are the result of ?Great Groups? (Bennis, 1995, p. 1). Individuals that participate in ?Great Groups? have several common characteristics (pg. 5-17): ? They must have a project that brings out their collective best. ? They are fully engaged in the ?thrilling process of discovery?, often, they do their most brilliant work in an austere environment. ? They all have exemplary leaders, and tend to lose their way if they lose their leadership. ? They are fueled by curiosity, and often have an unrealistic view of what they can accomplish. Another important aspect of a ?Great Group? is that the leaders are perceived as equals

(p.29). Bennis gives several examples of ?Great Groups?, the first being Michelangelo?s masterpiece on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, and quotes William E. Wallace in saying that Michelangelo ?was the head of a good-sized entrepreneurial enterprise that collaboratively made are that bore his (Michelangelo?s) name? (p. 5). However, Bennis uses Disney?s vision and making of the movie ?Snow White? as the prime example of a ?Great Group?. It began with Disney?s vision, followed by a rallying speech to boost morale, a recruitment process that produced the best animators in the business, and a team of people that were totally enthralled with Disney?s vision and achieving the impossible (pp. 37-38). Before it was ready to be released, ?Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs would have

required thousands of drawings, eventually running a total of eighty-three minutes and require 250,000 finished drawings, in conjunction with the hundreds of efforts of nonanimators (p. 36). Disney was immediately criticized with remarks like, ?Who?d pay to see a drawing of a fairy princess when they can watch Joan Crawford?s boobs for the same price?? (p. 38), just as he had been in 1932 with his first creation of Mickey Mouse in ?Steamboat Willie?, Disney was extremely successful in his production of ?Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs?. The movie, which premiered on December 21, 1937, became the biggest film of 1938, and brought in a total of $8 million (p. 46). It held the box-office record until ?Gone With the Wind? in 1939 and 1940 (p. 46). Disney showed how magnificent a