Reading “Power Failure in Management Circuits”

By Rosabeth Moss Kanter

The author rejected individual traits or situational appropriateness as key and finding the sources of leaders’ real power are:
1. access to resource and information
2. ability to act quickly

Power, is ability to mobilized resources (human and materials) to get things down.

Where does power come from?
1. access to resources, information and support necessary to carry out to a task
2. Ability to get cooperation in doing what is necessary.

Reading on HS205 week 1

Reading 1:
Marilyn Frampton “Organisation at work” HM 131R68

Industrialization and the Provision of labour

The specialization of labour developed as industrialization advanced and bigger organisations became more and more common in both the manufacturing and service sectors. Serving bigger markets, these organisations employ a larger labour force and utilise the division of labour.

Production process is broken down into a large number of separate tasks and each worker in required to specialise in only one small aspect of the total process.

The benefits for manufactures:
- Employ highly specific equipment
- Employ semi-skilled labour, saving money in training and hiring
- Great expertise in each level and increase productivities
So overall, products more with less costs.

While specialisation and division of labour are essential to the well-beings of all organizations, if they are fulfil their needs more efficiently, it is important to note that an excessive use of these techniques means that each worker may be restricted to a boring and repetitive job which provides very little satisfaction, further more, people need to feel that they are more than just one of the factors of production. Too much specialization can lead to de-skilling.