Organizational Design
& Culture
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"It is horrible to think that the world could one day be
filled with nothing but those little cogs, little men clinging to little jobs and striving
towards bigger ones . . . The passion for bureaucracy is enough to drive one to
despair."
Max Weber (1909) |
Topics
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 | Factors Influencing Organizational
Design |
| Organizational Patterns |
| Work Teams |
| Organizational Culture |
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Readings
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Lecture Notes
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Web Resources
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Video Picks
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There
are several good movies that illustrate the negative way in which bureaucracy is
portrayed in the media. A couple of my personal favorites include: |
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Brazil
(1985) staring Jonathan Pryce, Robert De Niro, and Michael Palin and written
and directed by Terry Gilliam: The movie which has often been called
futuristic, is actually a 20th century satire that takes place (quoting
Gilliam) at the "Los Angeles-Belfast border." Jonathan Pryce plays
a lonely, mother-dominated bureaucrat whose life is changed by a chance
bureaucratic error - changed in ways that put off then-Universal Pictures
president Sid Sheinberg, who nixed the film's release because he thought the
result too dark and unwieldy. (The latter charge is probably true, but so
what?) Sheinberg's hand was called when the Los Angeles Film Critics
Association, whose members had seen covert screenings arranged by Gilliam,
voted it 1985's best film, which forced the movie's overnight release. It a
great movie that explores many of the negative images and stereotypes surrounding
bureaucracy. |
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| There
are also several good movies that illustrate the importance of good management
and organization. These include: |
| Fat
Man and Little Boy (1989) staring Paul Newman, John Cusak, and
Laura Dern: This movie tells the tale of one of the great
organizational and technological challenges of our time and one that forever
changed the world -- the quest to beat the Nazis to the atom bomb. |
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Right Stuff (1983) with an all star cast including Ed
Harris, Sam Shepard, Barbara Hershey, Jeff Goldblum, and Dennis Quaid:
It is an epic chronicle of the seven pilots chosen to be the astronauts of
Project Mercury. Also featured is the story of Chuck Yeager, the test pilot
who first broke the sound barrier. The movie received 6 Academy Award
nominations and one 4 awards for Best Sound, Best Original Score, Best Sound
Effects Editing, Best Film Editing. |
| From
the Earth to the Moon (1998) produced by Tom Hanks with an
all star cast: A twelve episode mini series that chronicles the tale
of the challenges of landing a man on the moon. The episodes touch on
many of the themes we will talk about throughout the semester. How
politics influences organizations, the importance of accountability, the
problem solving process, the importance of good communication, and the role
that leadership and motivation plays in any complex endeavor. |
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| There
are also a number of good films that illustrate the importance of teamwork in
helping an organization to fulfill its objectives. Two films that I think
you might enjoy are: |
| Memphis
Belle (1990) staring Matthew Modine, Eric Stoltz, Billy Zane,
John Lithgow, and Harry Connick Jr.: The movie tells the story of the brave
young men of a B-17 bomber named Memphis Belle who have just one more
mission to fly over Nazi-occupied Europe and they will be on their way home
to a hero's welcome. But this 25th mission turns out to be their most
dangerous. It is a good example of the importance of leadership and
teamwork. |
| Hoosiers
(1986) staring Gene Hackman, Dennis Hopper, and Barbara Hershey: Based on
the incredible true story of how a small-town high school's basketball team
became Indiana
State Champs in 1954. This film follows the controversial outsider who came
to town to teach high school history and coach basketball and who was not
afraid to make big waves in a small pond. It is another good example of how
leadership and teamwork can help an organization achieve its goals.
The movie received Academy Award Nominations for Best Supporting
Actor--Dennis Hopper and Best Original Score. |
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