Introduction to Organization and Management in Education

In this article, we will discuss the meaning of organization and management. We will also attempt to look at the different interpretations of the terms ‘management’ and ‘administration, and further examine the nature of behaviour in organizations.

There is a multiplicity of interrelated factors which influence the behaviour and performance of people as members of a work organization. It is important to understand the role of management as an integrating activity and as the cornerstone of organizational effectiveness. The manager needs to understand the main influences on behaviour in work organizations and the nature of the people–organization relationship.

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The Meaning of Organization

Reflect on the following questions or discuss them with a colleague(s) in your course.

· What comes into your mind when you come across the term organization?

· What do you see as the major difference between pupils and teachers in a school and passengers at a bus station or pupils in a classroom and passengers in a bus?

The Context of Organization

Organizations play a major and continuing role in the lives of us all. Organizations of one form or another are a necessary part of our society and serve many important needs. Organizations imply that human beings get together to fulfil their needs and goals for endurance. For example, people get together to coordinate themselves and their activities and efforts for more achievement. It is this collective effort and the pooling of resources to achieve a common goal, that is termed an organization.

To operate successfully, a school or any other government unit must have an organisational structure that provides for the clear allocation of functions and responsibilities to the various sections and departments of the establishment. Poor organizational structures are usually major causes of inefficiency, ineffectiveness and indecision. A good organization will establish a clear line of authority and responsibilities.

Organization on the other hand, refers to a formally organized and constantly varying network of interrelated activities and the behaviour of people.

Organizations are systems that are formally formed coordinated and are ongoing.

Membership in such organizations and their activities are governed by certain specified rules and procedures which determine the degree of authority and behaviour of each participating member. There are many different types of organizations. They can be classified according to the emotional involvement of their members or on the basis of their objectives.

For instance, primary organizations claim the complete personal and emotional involvement of their members. They are characterized by personal, direct spontaneous and face to face relationships e. g. families. Secondary organizations have an intellectual rationale and contractual relationships which tend to be formal and impersonal with explicitly defined obligations. Organisations formed on the basis of their objectives include service, economic, social, religious and government organizations.

Some definitions organizations

· ‘Organizations are intricate human strategies designed to achieve certain objectives.’ (Argyris 1960)
· ‘Organizations are systems of interdependent human beings.’ (Pugh 1971)
· ‘ A system of consciously co-ordinate activities or forces of two or more persons’(Bernard Chester: 1960)
Having read the resource information, discuss with a colleague or reflect on the following questions;
· What would be your classification of a special school? Give reasons for your answer.
· Why did special schools come into being?
· What are the objectives of special schools and what service do they render to society?

The Meaning of Management

What is the relationship between organization and management? Find out as you read on.
All organizations aim at accomplishing their collective goals. It is in this area of goal accomplishment, especially with formal organizations that proper management is needed.
Let us see what management can also be described as;

Management is an integral part of the people – organization relationship. It is essentially an integrating activity which permeates every part of the operations of an organization. It is fundamental to the effective operations of work organizations.

Management is a generic term and subject to many interpretations. It is sometimes referred to as administration of business concerns, and administration as management of public affairs. There is clearly an overlap between the terms, management and administration, and they tend to be used, therefore, in accordance with the convenience of individual writers.

The general definition of management is that it is the process of completing activities efficiently and effectively with and through other people. It can further be defined as a social process, which is designed to maintain the involvement and participation of individuals concerned in the implementation of institutional objectives.

Below are some definitions of management as defined by various scholars:

· Holt (1987) defines management as a way of getting things done through others, a process that is employed to achieve organizational goals.

· Donnelly et al (1992) lookstates at management as the process undertaken by one or more individuals to coordinate the activities of others so as to achieve results not achieved by one individual acting alone.

· Mullins (1999) state that management involves people looking beyond themselves and exercising formal authority over the activities and performance of other people.