TECHNOLOGY AND ORGANIZATION THEORY

Technology can be defined as the means which are used to transform the inputs of the
organization to its outputs. Technology can be incorporated in various ways by an organization.
Technology can be used in the core processes or can be used in processes which are peripheral to
the core processes.
Various theories aim to correlate technology with the characteristics of the organization. To
achieve this purpose various theorists removed the abovementioned distinct ways in which an
organization uses technology.
We will now discuss the contributions of Woodward and Perrow and then use those theories to
analyze the technology and structure of Teach for India.

JOAN WOODWARD

Small
Batch
and Unit
Producti
on

Large
Batch
and Mass
Productio
n

Core
Technolo
gy and
Labor
Processe
s

Continuo
us
Process
Productio
n

1. Small Batch and Unit Production Restricted number of orders. This kind of technology
is associated with labor process wherein a worker is involved in every process from the
beginning to the end and is therefore considered least complex.
2. Large Batch and Mass Production Used in undifferentiated mass markets. The
technology is moderately complex and there is division is labor.
3. Continuous Process Production Automated process. Labor is only required for
supervision and it is the most complex form of technology.
The technology incorporated determines the decision making authority among the workers.

CHARLES PERROW Charles Perrow extended the scope of the research and therefore found two dimensions which
are as follow
1. Task Variability This includes whether the process is standardized or there is variability
in it.
2. Task Analyzability This includes the degree to which formal procedures are needed in a
process.
He further classified technology on the above two parameters which are listed below
1.
2.
3.
4.

Routine Technology Low variability and high analyzability

Non routine technology High variability and low analyzability
Craft technologies Standard procedures for most of the processes
Engineering technology High variability

TEACH FOR INDIA AND TECHNOLOGY

Technology touches almost every part of our lives, our commodities and our homes. Yet most of
the schools fail to integrating technology into classroom learning.
Teach for India aims at incorporating technology in its curriculum in ways that deepen and
enhance the learning process.

Key
component
s of
learning
Active
engageme
nt

Feedback

Participatio
n in groups

Frequent
interaction

Through the means of the abovementioned components of learning, Teach for India is coming up
with more interesting and diverse materials for learning.
Technology has also changed the way Teach for Indias fellows teach by offering the fellows an
effective way to assess the students. Although Teach for India focuses on the economically
challenged schools and students which do not have access to the resources to provide quality
education, their IT team supports its innovation and growth.
Moreover, the application process for fellowship has been completely automated and now no
hard copy applications are accepted.
Additionally, a pen-pal program was established between the students and kids in Wheaton
Woods Elementary School in Maryland, USA. They have also taken up an initiative wherein
students from municipal schools, aspiring for admission in IITs, are coached online through a tie
up with Vidya Mandir Coaching Center. The classes happen in Delhi and are tele casted live.
This can be better understood by looking at one of the fellows contribution in this field as seen
in the image below.

ANALYZING THE TECHNOLOGY USING WOODWARD AND

PERROWS CLASSIFICATION
- WOODWARD As Teach for India has a decentralized management system with only four
levels of hierarchies (Board, CEO, COO and local enterprises), therefore small batch and
continuous processing technologies are most successful and this enables the organization to
exercise the greatest level of autonomy. Technology doesnt determine the organizational
attributes of Teach for India such as span of control, centralization of authority and formalization
of rules and procedures, to a very large extend.
Following the footsteps of Teach for America, TFI has taken up the initiative of implementing
Student Achievement Management System (SAMS) to effectively measure and advancing
students achievements. This, is implemented successfully, would be the most complex and
complicated project. This would then result in a shift from small batch to large batch and
continuous processing technologies and would affect how technology impacts the organizational
attributes of Teach for India.

- PERROW The processes are not standardized and the fellows enjoy the flexibility and use
their experiences to introduce systems as per the environment. They can incorporate technology
in education, rural transformation, private sector, training school leader, school leaders and many
more. They put in a lot of effort and resources by effectively measuring and defining the impacts
of Teach for India.
As mentioned above, there are as such no formal procedures. There is a standard procedure when
it comes to recruiting the fellows and managing the operations of the company.
Therefore Teach for India can be included in the non-routine technology classification of Charles
Perrow as there is high variability and low analyzability.
Perrows technology framework can be used to describe the Teach for Indias organizational
principles such as formalization decision making, social control, and environmental issues.

- JAMES THOMSON James Thomson proposed a method to classify the types of

technology used by both manufacturing and service organizations.
1. Long linked technologies used mostly in manufacturing organizations
2. Mediating technologies Used mostly by service organizations
3. Intensive technologies used where there is a change involved

Therefore by analyzing hot TFI uses technology and then applying Thomsons model to get we
find that it belongs to the service organization and hence falls under the category of mediating
technologies.
The recent commercialization of the education sector has now made them more of an industry
rather than a service. But as TFI focuses on backward areas where there is a lack of resources,
therefore it is still in the service sector.
Teach for India uses technology as an integrating mechanism by using it to integrate its operation
with the government, which have been an active supporter to their cause.
As mentioned previously, it also works together with various coaching center for training
purposes of the students. The fellows are also recruited by the means of technology

CONCLUSION
By analyzing the technology and the structure of Teach for India using the three models helped
us to get an insight into how it is using technology and how TFI is using it as an integrating
mechanism.
Technology doesnt play a major role in accomplishing the companys mission and vision but has
become one of the focuses of the company due to its many advantages. Its use and
implementation is currently scattered but is expected to become more converged in the coming
years.