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Organisations
Four paradigms for understanding
organisations: Radical structuralism

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Lecture Aims

• Introduce radical structuralism and show how it manifests in

organisations
• Illustrate the effects of radical structuralism
• Discuss the advantages and limitations of radical structuralism
• Next steps

3
RMIT University 3
RMIT University 4
What are organisations? Systems of order?
Or systems of exploitation and oppression?

RMIT University 5
 What is your purpose, or intention?

You have come here to learn about management.

Radical structuralism – a “conflict and radical
This entails confronting the unsavoury aspects of organisations, and
change” paradigm
understanding the concepts of–power,
allows youconflict,
control, to see,and
exploitation. These aspects of management and organisations are not
examine, and understand these aspects of
anomalous. They are part of economic life and must be understood if
organisational life
they are to be addressed.
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 But how can we understand power, control,
social division, and conflict?

Critical theory, the foundations of radical structuralism

Critical Theory allows us to analyse the roots of dissent, conflict,

and coalition.
Critical theory enables managers to understand both sides of an
argument.
Critical theory enables managers to understand that antagonism
stems from deep-seated and profoundly different assumptions and
world-views.

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 Radical structuralism
“Philosophers have hitherto only interpreted the world in various ways; the point is to change it.”
Karl Marx (1818 – 1883)

The intellectual foundations of critical theory and radical structuralism may be

found in the work of Karl Marx.

Marx provided a critique of the political economy and the status quo.
Concerned with social division, inequality, and conflict within the political
economy.

Earlier work dealt with alienation (estrangement from our work and what we
produce); later work focused more on the political economy and the
antagonistic arrangements within, which Marx theorized would lead to crisis
and therefore radical change.

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 Radical structuralism
Organisations are analysed as capitalist
class relations (i.e. owner and labourer).
 Organisations are portrayed in terms of:
 Capitalist mode of production
characterised by exploitation and
alienation of the workers by the
owners of the means of production.
 Calls for worker emancipation, and
for the establishment of a more
democratic and egalitarian
organisation. (where power
difference is not so great)
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A critical organisational discourse
emerges:
In the US:
C. Wright Mills (1956) The Power Elite
A. Gouldner (1954) Patterns of Industrial
Bureaucracy
A. Gouldner (1955) Wildcat Strike
In the UK:
R. Dahrendorf (1959) Class and Class
Conflict in an Industrial Society
 Radical structuralism

Systems of oppression? Systems of production?

• Organisations are portrayed as

systems of oppression, rather than
as systems of order.
• Stories emerge of social divisions,
power, exploitation, inequality and
conflict within organisations.
• Social classes in organisations are
made visible.
• Worker emancipation requires the
establishment of a more democratic
and egalitarian form of organisation.

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 Radical structuralism

Systems of oppression? Systems of production?

• Organisations are portrayed as

systems of oppression, rather than
as systems of order.
• Stories emerge of social divisions,
power, exploitation, inequality and
conflict within organisations. Irreconcilable
• Social classes in organisations are ideologies
made visible.
• Worker emancipation requires the
“An ideaofis asomething
establishment you have; an ideology is something that has you.”
more democratic
Morris Berman, historian
and egalitarian form of organisation.

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 Radical structuralism
Why should contemporary managers care?

“Capitalist organisations alienate and exploit workers” (Burawoy, 1979).

Critical theorists have shifted the image of management and the theoretical agenda “from
saviour to problem” (Crowther & Green, 2004: 119).

Emergence of pejorative language in the description of organisations and management

practices. A call for action. A threat to organisations’ legitimacy, and therefore their survival.

Organisations are embedded in a broader, political context. Pretending otherwise is “naïve

realism” (Hirschheim & Klein, 1989).

And……

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The justification for radical structuralism

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 If organisations do not recognise and address
problems, they will be exposed in ways that threaten
the viability of the organisation.

Social media has redistributed power, to an extent. But

social structure is difficult to change.

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15
16
 Let’s revisit functionalism, in light of the preceding…

Organisational ‘truths’ are only partially represented by functionalist tools and

thinking, such as process models.

A ‘rational ideal’ that is guided only by a quest for efficiency is lacking in

humanity, and is a fallacy, anyway.

The job of analysts is to unmask organisational ‘truths’ and facilitate the

establishment of more democratic and egalitarian organisations, and the
emancipation of workers.
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 How do analysts unmask organisational truths?
• By looking of
Systems foroppression?
systemic organisational behaviours that perpetuate
Systems inequality
of production?
and suffering (e.g. machine paced labour?)
• Organisations are portrayed as
• By unveiling inequality regimes
systems of oppression, rather than
• asBy lookingof
systems fororder.
organisational practices that are taken-for-granted but which
• disadvantage
Stories emerge and oppress
of social workers
divisions,
• power, exploitation,
By analysing inequalitythat
the narratives andbusiness and their supporters use to
conflict
defend within practices and gain Irreconcilable
their organisations. more freedom from regulation (discourse
• Social classes in organisations are
analysis)
made visible. ideologies
• By materialising the ideology guiding business and critiquing this ideology
• • Worker emancipation
By studying historicalrequires
practicesthe
and drawing parallels between the past and
establishment of a more democratic
and “An
present,idea is something
to show
egalitarian formthat
of thereyou
arehave; an ideology
“immutable
organisation. is something
nature-like that has you.”
laws” in operation
(Hirshheim & Klein, 1989: 1207) Morris Berman, historian

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Unequal systems and resistance

How do workers redress

the reduction in bargaining
power or inequalities?

How is freedom from

oppression and exploitation
attained?

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Calls for emancipation: Workers as active agents
within organisational relationships
Workers’ resistance to unequal power in the workplace:

Individual action:
– Verbal complaints
– Go-slows
– ‘Cheating’
– Absenteeism
– Looking for other work
– Sabotage
– Theft
Collective action / Worker coalition:
– Strikes
– Go-slows
– ‘Sick-out’
– The formation of trade unions

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 Radical structuralism: some strengths and cautions

Seeks to reveal false assumptions about the world and uncover the
truth, which will emancipate the oppressed.

Sees resistance and activism as positive, because it is a “sign of labor

becoming aware of its collective interest, which in turn is a prerequisite
for social progress” (Hirschheim & Klein, 1989: 1207).

BUT….

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 How do we unmask organisational truths?

Systems of oppression? Systems of production?

• Organisations are portrayed as
systems of oppression, rather than
as systems of order.
• Stories emerge of social divisions,
power, exploitation, inequality and
conflict within organisations. Irreconcilable
• Social classes in organisations are
made visible.
ideologies
• Worker emancipation requires the
establishment of a more democratic
and “An idea is something
egalitarian you have; an ideology is something that has you.”
form of organisation.
Morris Berman, historian
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 How do we unmask organisational truths?

Systems of oppression? Systems of production?

• Organisations are portrayed as
systems of oppression, rather than
as systems of order.
• Stories emerge of social divisions,
power, exploitation, inequality and
Whose
conflict within versionIrreconcilable
organisations. of reality is true?
• Social classes in organisations are
made visible. ideologies
Radical structuralism is not neutral
• Worker emancipation requires the
establishment of a more democratic
and “An idea is something
egalitarian you have; an ideology is something that has you.”
form of organisation.
Morris Berman, historian

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 Distorted
version of truth

Distorted
version of truth

If we believe that the truth about economic life and

organisational behaviour can be objectively
established, but we can only see our own distorted
version, how can our views ever be reconciled?

How can this divide be overcome?

Should it be overcome, or will this simply perpetuate

unjust arrangements?
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 Radical structuralism: some strengths and cautions

• Ignores the problems arising from coalition (e.g. conflict between workers;
manipulation and exploitation of members; elevation of leaders into different
“spheres”)

• Radical structuralism “has a tendency to oversimplify” – are all organisations

exploitative? Are there own two broad groups in economic life? (owners &
workers)

• Engages in trenchant criticism, promotes resistance, and thereby is poor at

facilitating understanding and cooperation

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 Radical structuralism
Why should contemporary managers care?

And what might be done?

Understand why people resist; understand the power of ideological differences.

Understand your own ideological views – does your ideology “have you”? (Reflexivity).
View organisations from multiple paradigms.
Look at organising processes critically, and from the perspective of the least powerful.
Walk in their shoes.
Develop organising processes in collaboration with those who must live with them.
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 Summary

We explored the roots of dissent and conflict affecting organisations

– Dissent and conflict stems from the material conditions of people’s
lives and different world-views (ideologies)
– Managers must understand the roots of conflict
– Some organisational problems are intractable
– Be aware of economic decision making (policy) and organising
processes that give rise to exploitation and oppression

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Multi-paradigmatic perception: two dimensions, four paradigms

Assumptions
Order & regulation Four radically
about society different ways
Functionalism Social relativism
of seeing
organisations
Objectivism Subjectivism

Assumptions
Radical structuralism Neo-humanism about our
knowledge of
society
Conflict & radical change
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RMIT University Burrell & Morgan, 1979: Sociological Paradigms and Organisational Analysis
Multi-paradigmatic perception: two dimensions, four paradigms

Assumptions
Order & regulation Four radically
about society different ways
Functionalism Social relativism
of seeing
organisations
Objectivism Subjectivism

Assumptions
Radical about our
humanism / knowledge of
neo-humanism
society
Conflict & radical change
29
RMIT University Burrell & Morgan, 1979: Sociological Paradigms and Organisational Analysis
References
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Freund, J. (1969). TheSociology of Max Weber.
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Goffman, E. (1959). The presentation of self in everyday life.
Hamilton, P. (Ed.). (1991). Max Weber, Critical Assessments 2 (Vol. 2). Taylor & Francis.
Hatch, M. J., & Cunliffe, A. L. (2012). Organization theory: modern, symbolic and postmodern perspectives. Oxford
university press.
Dahrendorf, R. (1959). Class and class conflict in industrial society. Stanford University Press.
Durkheim, E. (2014). The division of labor in society. Simon and Schuster.
Gouldner, A. W. (1954). Patterns of industrial bureaucracy.
Guba, E. G. (Ed.). (1990). The paradigm dialog. Sage Publications.
Mills, C. W. (1999). The power elite. Oxford University Press.
Guy, G. (2011). Language, social class and status. In R. Mesthrie (Ed.), The Cambridge handbook of
sociolinguistics (1st ed., Vol. 1, pp. 159–185

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