history and organizational communication

One aspect of the textbook for this class that I like is the attention to the historical aspects of organizational. As Considering how scholars and researchers have viewed organizations over time gives insight into current thinking about organizations, organizational communication, and organizing. And as Andres notes, understanding the time in which a perspective emerged gives us insight into why the perspective was adopted and why it might persist--or not--today.

NuNu blogs that history is partisan--written from a particular viewpoint, with others' viewpoints left out. For example, when I was sitting in Spartan Stadium for the graduation ceremony a few weeks ago, I noticed that all the names painted on the upper part of the stadium are male. Women's accomplishments in sports are typically absent from university stories.

Fábio noted that management theories build on or are a reaction to management theories in the past. Although scientific management has been highly criticized, at the time, it did serve to focus on exactly how work is accomplished. Kcee, I emphasize with you losing an entry. What I often do is compose in notepad or word and then paste into my blog. Kcee gives an excellent example of the division of labor in the VA. Aloha123 brought up the notion of resistance to domination. History tells us that people who are oppressed will find a way to fight back. In my research on organizational surveillance, when employees feel the surveillance is unreasonable, they'll figure out ways to subvert the system.

Great comments so far this week! Keep up the blogging!!!

--Professor Cyborg