Althauser
S315
[Note: Those who chose to utilize these detailed questions to guide their reading can expect to take in more of the background detail in this important reading; in turn, this should provide a grounding for your grasp of the key concepts that Kunda defines and applies through this book. These are concepts that should easily find examples in workplaces you will inhabit after graduation. That aside, the 'more important' material is shown in bold].
1.What sorts of workspaces do Tech’s employees occupy on any given workday? (2-3)
2.What are Dave Carpenter’s views on the nature of organizational culture and its role in helping ‘manage’ what he describes as ‘unmanageable’ personnel? What is his perceived role (4-5) ?
3.What is Ellen Cohen paid to do, as a culture shaping “culture expert” (5-7)?
4.What does “Tech’s strong culture” mean to Carpenter and Cohen? In what way is culture something to be “engineered”, as a mechanism of control (7-8)? In what ways do values replace formal structure, and culture replace traditional controls? (10).
5. What is the ‘foremost problem of management’? (11) How are Tech’s cultural engineering practices an outgrowth of Mayo’s Human Relations work and Bendix’s observations about ‘a shortage of control inherent in bureaucracy’? (12-14) [Note the rather different take on the role of discretion and its relation to management’s ends!] (12)
6.What kinds of ‘claims against the self’ does this type of ‘normative control’ make? (13-14) According to critics of such control, what are the risks to individual posed by these claims (15)? How may such control betray its own purposes? (15) How do proponents of ‘strong cultures’ then attempt to counter these criticisms (16-17)?
7.What positions and present tasks are associated with employees Tom O’Brien (17-18) and Rick Smith (18-19)? Perhaps indicative of the undercurrents of real work at Tech, what kinds of explanations for his dilemma does Rick offer (19)?
8.What is Kunda’s take on the degree of influence of this unilateral, top-down normative control? How do ‘members’ respond to this control? (21)
9.In the Conclusion to this chapter, what are the basic claims for normative control made by management? What are the questions Kunda will explore about these claims? (22-23)
Intro to chapter; Organization of Work (26-38):
1.What plans did the founders of this company make for the type of company Tech would become? (26-27) What policies were adopted to implement these plans? (27). What perspectives dominate the company even to this day? (28).
2.What organizational characteristics describe Tech as an “engineer’s sandbox”? (28). How does the newer ‘business perspective’ challenge the earlier ‘technical’ perspective? (29). What developments have pushed the business perspective to the forefront (29)? Over what central issue is there continuing tension? (29)
3.What characterizes the organization of work in Engineering? (30-1). What is the key committee in Engineering? Why is it so important? (31)
4.What are the two sets of functions or responsibilities clustered under “product development groups” and “program offices”? (32). {Hint: strategy and marketing are among the program office groups}
5.Within SysCom Group, one of the product development groups in AdProd, what are the responsibilities of PRODUCT (caps are my emphasis) managers of line product development groups (33)? What are the responsibilities of PROJECT managers like Rick Smith (34-5) responsible for a subset of projects? What is the managerial job title is responsible for each project (35)?
6.When project ABC gets in trouble, how far up the reporting ladder do concerns with its problems reach? What are the types of issues this troubled project has to deal with? (35-37) The handling of this project suggests that “projects are inherently unstable” (37.1). What organizational features are typical in this kind of situation? (37-8).
7.What sorts of job titles and occupations are found at the three wage levels of Tech (38)? {Be clear about the differences between Wage Class 2 and Wage Class 4 workers).
8.What stereotypes or assumptions are contained in the ‘prevailing image’ of engineers (39-40)?
9.What sort of forks in the career road do engineers encounter at tech (41-2)?
10.What does entry into and movement up a manager’s career ladder require (42-44)? What skills are required (44)? How does a manager maintain a good reputation (45)?
11.What spaces do tech employees use to interact with each other? (46-48)
12.How does Tech’s work environment reflect the same tension between control and chaos found in the organization as a whole? (48).
Throughout this chapter, enumerate examples of Tech's cultural values (to be sure, often presented by manager's, and emerging in the early days when engineers rather than managers dominated this workplace. These values are also portrayed as this workplace's working 'environment.' Any list of values emerging are not necessarily free of contradiction: competing views of what it means to 'do the right thing' emerge and proponents of each engage in verbal conflict at certain moments.
(50-78):
1.How many different forms does the evidence of company viewpoints take as an employee makes their way into their work space (50-51)?
2.What does ‘organizational ideology’ consist of (52)?
3.What are some of the abstract principles, catch phrases and key words found in the documents and booklets comprising ‘official statements’ about Tech (53-58)?
4.Why is Sam Miller such a key figure in the definition of Tech culture? (59)
5.What were the ‘three managerial themes’ found in Tech’s cultural materials? (53-63)
6.What is the nature of this tension between “freedom” and “responsibility”, between the joys of technological invention and success and the business and company-focused discipline (60-65, esp 65).
7.What are some of the themes of managerial thinking (59-67)? [see esp the summary at 67.2]
8.What are some of the implications of the prevalent view of the relationship between the members and the corporate community (68)?
9.How does 'engineering culture' look like another example of development project in engineering (69)?
10.How does Kunda describe the assumptions of the member’s role at Tech? (70-1)
11.Why do some of Kunda's respondents feel that there isn’t a corporate philosophy (72)
12.What are some of the elements of the ‘technical’ role advice (73-75? Which have to do with thoughts, feelings or actual behavior?
13. What is the key differences between the managerial and the engineering expert perspectives (77-78)?
(78-91)
14. Who are the key types of Tech watchers? (78) What are the major differences in the depiction of Tech and the tone of the literature each type of watcher produces? (79, 79-82,87). What is their shared central theme (88)?
15. What does Kunda mean when he write "ideological formulations -- ready-made words of wisdom, platitudes posting as insight -- become a constant background noise"? (88.2)
16. What are examples of the two main themes of Tech's organizational ideology'? (89) How is control of workers at Tech organized around "culture" as opposed to "structure"? (90) What catch phrases are central to the emerging 'vocabulary of motives' (90)? How are Tech's negative and problematic aspects treated by journalists and inside consultants? (91) How does the author frame the question of the impact of this 'pervasive rhetoric'? (91)
[Catalogue textual examples of role embracement, role distance, symbolic violence,agents of control in action and possible "limits to the power of rituals, etc".
After cataloging the differences in the types of interactions above, you will be in a position to notice how these differences affect the forms that embracement and distance take in these different types of presentations/meetings. Differences in interactions will help explain and keep distinct the varied forms that embracement and distancing take. For example, how does this aspect of these different interactions -- the relative statuses of presenters and participants in top management presentations vs. training workshops -- affect role embracing or role distancing behaviors?]
(92-108) "Talking Down"
1. Why does Kunta view employee gatherings, with their speeches, presentations, lectures, workshops, etc, as 'presentational rituals'? (92-3) How do they create a 'frame'? What is a 'frame'? (93) What is the author's reason for asserting that the experiental outcomes of ritual performances are more ambiguous than expected by some? (94)
2. What characterizes the pre-meeting and the post-meeting as transitional phases (95, 101,105)? What is the significance for the effectiveness of manager's normative control that Dave would remark that 'bottom-up' business practice is "...not a Tech stroke; its a real stroke!?" (96) What range of reactions to Dave's speech does the author observe (98-99)?
3. What sort of behavior is evident, once question and answer begins after a presentation? (98-101) How do speakers like Dave deal with dissenting or challenging questions (100 from Ron, 103-4 from Rick Danko. Why was Rick's smile (104-5) so crucial to the interactive history of the key players?). What is 'role embracement'? (106.1). "Role distancing"? (107.0) How would you describe the characteristics of role distancing (107) and role embracement (108.1) in these top-down presentation rituals?
[NOTE THE DISTINCTION between "playful role distancing", "serious role embracement" and "frame-breaking" behaviors (107.1)]
4. So what are the risks to senior management that in their pushing of organizational ideology, they may very well undermine that own authority? (108)
(108-142) "Talking Across: Training Workshops"
5. Who are the typical participants in training and education workshops? (108) What are some of the reasons why various participants come to workshops? (109)
6. What are some of the ways in which workshop participants understand the meaning of the concept of culture? (110-111) How does Ellen counter expressions of anger or dissenting opinions? (111-3) What sorts of things can participants learn about (118.3 sums these up) -- from the John's "bullets"-based presentation (115), a presenter's self-mocking (119) or joking behaviors (117) or 'song and dance' (119-120) and the 'timeouts' (117-118).
7. What about working at Tech - including the harsh underlying realities of this project-based work -- draws participants to a 'career seminar' or workshop? (122) What are the ideas being stressed in this workshop? (123-5) How do analyses (parodies, really) of Tech culture help convey these ideas? Try to sum up the overall message these workshops convey to participants in a single sentence.(122-128).
8. How does the 'talking across' structure of these workshops compare with that of the earlier, "talking-down" workshops? (128) What are some of the consequences of the presenter - audience relationship found in 'talking across' workshops? (128-129). In particular, how does Kunda characterize the role distancing and expressions of role embracement in these training workshops? (129.0)
9. What are the different purposes of the different types of workgroup meetings? (130)
Team Meetings (130-142)
10. In what ways do participants differentiate their own views or reports with critical comments about elements of tech culture? In what ways are underlying issues made apparent? What aspects of the underlying terrain of multiple group projects and issues about these that projects form the heart of these meetings become apparent? (132-5)
11. With their business perspective, how do managers view engineers? (135-6)
12. What specific conflicts between central tenets of Tech cultures arise? (136-7) In what ways do higher level managers handle overt challenges to the ritual frame, the basic Tech culture? (137-8). How are timeouts used to deal with often conflictual exchanges? (139) How else is strong opposition to one's project or ideas dealt with? (140)
(142-159)
Intergroup Meetings (142-149)
13. What aspects of Tech's organizational setup prompt occasions for Intergroup meetings? (142). What's at stake for those who present at these meetings? (143). What sorts of political purposes are served at these meetings? (142-3) What are some of the familiar elements of the ritual frame are apparent (143-6)
14. How are familiar formulations of Tech's organizational idealogy apparent both in backstage activities of participants and open, heated exchanges during or in-between meetings? (146-148) How do some attempt to wrap Tech culture around themselves like the Flag, seeking advantage against proponents of competing projects? (147-8)
Timeout Meetings (149-154)
15. How is the ritual apparent in these meetings quite a contrast to that apparent in the other types of meetings? (149-150) What is the "golden bull"? (150-1,154)
16. Discussion... How do work group meetings contrast with the other types of meetings? (153-4). How do features of these meetings that exert pressures on participants to express "role embracement" also work to promote "role distance"? (153-4). How does pressure for role embracement in work group meetings compare in intensity with that found in the other types of meetings discussed in this chapter? (153.2,155.1,156.1). In which type of meeting is role distancing and the contradiction between it and role embracement most easily and typically apparent? (154)
Conclusion to Chapter 4: Ritual and Normative Control (a key! section)
17. Basically, what is going on during presentational rituals at Tech? (154) What are the two distinct features of rituals? (155) What is 'symbolic power'? (154-155.0) What are 'agents of control' and where are they found? (155.1, 129.0)
18. Why is symbolic power exerted so subtly? (155.2) What are mini- 'social dramas' and where have we seen them described in this text? When symbolic power is exerted, what is the most dominant response by Tech employees? (156.1) What differences are there in the character of role embracement (156.1) and role distancing (158.0) in the three types of meetings?
Over time, what are the hypothesized effects of displays of role embracement on those who perform them? (156.2-157.0)
19. What are the limits to the power of ritual to elicit the expression of role embracement? (157.1) How does the ritual form itself contain opportunities to suspend role embracement? (157.2)
20. What features of this suspension does the concept of 'liminality' draw our attention to, either in Turner's studies of tribal cultures (157.2) or at Tech (157.3-158.0). According to Kunda's analysis, how does this liminal mode often strengthens Tech culture rather than radically undermine it, and preempt real dissent? (158.1-159.0)
21. How then does an 'unstable balance' between role embracement and role distancing emerge? (159.1 and 154-159).
1. What constitutes Tech's "member role"? (160-1) How do members manage to construct a sense of self in the face of attempts at normative control? (161)
2. What forms do established boundaries of the self take? (163) What methods do employees use to establish each? (163-167; 167-170)
The Full Member ... Managing Boundaries (162-170)
3. What forms of behavior do boundaries around work time (163-167) and social relationships (167-170) take?
Managing Role Responses (170-187 )
4. What examples does Kunda offer for the two forms of actively managing the thoughts and feelings prescribed by the member role?
Speaking of the self (187-188)
5. What are the two types of self-definitional struggles Tech employees experience? (187)
Successful selves: controlled displays: behavior displays (188-192)
6. In what type of interactions are these behavior displays typically found? (188)Why here and not during interactions that are located within ritual frames?
7. How do some employees manage to control and present an "ambiguous balance of role embracement and role distancing? (189-192). [Look at the quotations on these pages and see how they illustrate this 'how'.]
Successful selves: artifactual displays (192-197)
8. Where do artifactual displays occur? (192)
9. What are examples of the four 'regions' in which these displays are found? (Which examples illustrate role embracement? Role distancing? Or combinations of both? (192-197)
Failing selves: burn out (198-204 )
10. What are symptoms and indicators of burnout? (198-9) What is burnout thought to be caused by (six causes are listed)? (199-201).
11. What is conveyed by 'displays' of burnout behaviors? (202-203)
12. What are the connotations of burnout that illustrate the ambiguity of Tech members' work experiences? (204)
Marginal Members (205-213): Wage Class 2: On the Sidelines (205-209)
13. To what extent are ideological demands and member role expectations focused on Wage Class 2 workers? How do they relate to Tech?
Outsiders: The "Extra-culturals" (209-213)
14. What role is attributed to temporary workers? (209-213)
15. What are enlargement dramas? (210-212) What do they reveal? (213)
Conclusion to Chapter 5: The Unstable Self (213-216)
16. What is the fundamental dilemma posed by the prescriptive power of normative control (214.2)?
17. How is sociological ambivalence manifested at Tech? (214.3-215.0)
18. How does the character of the 'organizational self' that has emerged from Kunda's analysis challenge the traditional continuum of "positive engagement" to "alienation or non-engagement" that has long been applied to management-labor relations? (215.2-216)?
The Management of Culture
1. How does Tech management seek to propagate the ideology of Tech culture? (218-220). What is the essence of the normative control pursued by proponents of Tech's engineering culture? (219-220) Who are the 'control agents' at tech? (219.1) How does normative control coexist with or supplant other forms of organizational control? (220)
2. What are the "consequences of a designed and managed culture" for Tech employees? (220-222) What are the central experiences of Tech membership? (221.2) What kind of self emerges? (221.2-222). How does Kunda describe the actual culture he observed at Tech, as opposed to that framed by organizational ideology? (222.1).
3. Whatever the extent to which the purposes of engineering culture have been served, how does Kunda describe the actual effect of Tech's engineering of culture on its employees? (222.2)
Culture and Corporate Power
4. What does Kunda think of the argument for tyranny? How close does Tech get to various available measures of the ultimate success of normative control? (223-224)
5. What are the three concerns about the extent and impact of corporate power that Kunda raises? (224-226) How does he characterize the effect of corporate power in each case? (225.0, 225.1,225.2-226.0).
6. What are Kunda's two final suggestions ("prescriptive lines of thought") about how to address these types of concerns? (226-7)'
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