Theoretical Perspectives
Rational Systems
Natural Systems
Open Systems
Organizational Miscellany
100

This perspective emphasizes the importance of interpersonal structures in organizations and managing the complex goals/interests of organizational participants.

Natural Systems

100

Frederick Taylor is known for this, which focuses on standardized work procedures, specialized workers, and maximum efficiency

Scientific Management

100

Mayo is well known for this theory, which focuses how organizational participants cooperate with one another through the establishment of an underlying consensus around shared norms and values. 

Human Relations Theory

100

Open systems perspectives assume that organizations are significantly shaped by their ____________________.

Environment

100

This is a concise explanation of an organization's reason for existence.

Mission Statement

200

This perspective is critical of most organizations as mechanisms of control and social hierarchy.  It is interested in consensus and equal distribution of power.

Feminist Perspectives

200

This person is known for their examination of bureaucratic structure.

Max Weber

200

The idea that organizational participants have many interests, some of which may not align with the organization is called goal ________________________.

Complexity

200

Open systems perspectives, like general systems theory, assume that if an organization's boundaries are too rigid, it will suffer from this and eventually fall into chaos or die.

Entropy

200

In a logic model, these are the tangible results of an organization or program's processes.  They can usually be easily quantified.  

Outputs

300

This perspective focuses on efficiency, goal specificity, and the making sure participants are conforming to strict performance rules.

Rational Systems

300

Bureaucracies typically follow a well-defined structure of authority, typically known as organizational ______________________.

Hierarchy

300

Which end of alphabet letter theory reflects key ideas of natural systems perspectives?

Theory Y

300

This perspective emphasizes the pressures put on organizations by things like families, governments, corporations, religions, etc. 

Institutional Perspective

300

Name three common inputs that are included in logic models.  

Money, time, people, equipment, facilities, etc. 

400

This perspective focuses on the interdependence of organizations and their environments.

Open Systems Perspectives

400

Among other things, Rational perspectives are criticized for ignoring these kinds of factors and focusing only on processes within the organization.

External or Environmental

400

An influential idea in natural systems perspectives is that workers/participants are motivated by positive and negative reinforcements in the organizational environment comes from the behaviorist idea of what kind of conditioning.

Operant

400

This theory is concerned with the ways organizations respond and adjust to the different, sometimes unpredictable, needs of their environment.

Contingency Theory

400

This is a term that describes the underlying beliefs, assumptions, values and ways of interacting that contribute to the unique social and psychological environment of an organization.

Organizational Culture

500

Social work organizations typically operate from this organizational perspective

Trick Question.  There is no "typical" social work organization or organizational perspective. :)

500

Rational perspectives are concerned primarily with these kinds of organizational social structures.

Normative

500

Natural systems perspectives are primarily concerned with these kinds of social structures. 

Interpersonal or Behavioral

500

This lovely term describes the idea that there is not one way to meet an organization's goals.  There are lots of ways to get there, though some are better than others.  

Equifinality

500

Social work agencies are usually considered this kind of organization.

Human Services Organization