Suchergebnisse

To regard voluntary organizations as unique manifestations of organizational behavior requires an accurate account of the nature of such work systems. This paper appraises existing definitions of the voluntary agency in the context of organization science and presents evidence for replacing the nonvoluntary/voluntary dichotomy with entrepreneurial, professional, and bureaucratic organizations, on the one hand, and two voluntary-organizational subtypes on the other: "voluntary groups," in which volunteers operate as a socio-technical unit, and "voluntary agencies," in which volunteers cooperate with paid personnel. Moreover, when paid staff is involved, some voluntary work contexts were found to take on characteristics of all three other organizational types to form a mixed pattern. Further tests of the relative distinctiveness of both subtypes vis-a-vis other organizational types and theories is proposed. The research yields certain guidelines for the design of true group-based organizational systems, thus extending knowledge in that area. It also provides an example of how research extending beyond the narrow confines of bureaucracy to the many other organizational forms known to exist might be conducted; such research is sorely needed to inform the practice of organizational design as a whole.

Organization theory has been preoccupied for many years with the bureaucratic form. Insufficient attention has been given to alternative designs, including, in particular, professional organizations of various types. This article considers these professional organizations at length within the context of professional role motivation theory. It also considers the concept of fit or congruence as it enters into professional role motivation theory and into organization theory generally. Considerable support for the congruence concept is provided via an analysis of data on over 100 labor arbitrators. The findings indicate that (1) arbitrators work in a predominantly professional context and (2) professional motivation is closely associated with various indexes of arbitrator effectiveness. Effective arbitrators are more motivated to provide help to others, more desirous of status, more interested in acquiring knowledge and learning, more professionally committed, and to a somewhat lesser degree more desirous of acting independently. These patterns are found to characterize the lawyers within the sample to at least an equal degree. The data indicate that the professional organizational form encompasses professional components of otherwise bureaucratic organizations such as universities and governments, professional organizations such as law firms, and private professional practices. It is apparent that professional systems are important in the practice of organizational design and that they are distinct from the bureaucratic form.