Saturn’s Organizational Challenges & Theories.
ANSWER
- Mechanistic vs. Human Approaches: Mechanistic organizations are characterized by rigid hierarchies, strict job roles, and a focus on efficiency and control. Human approaches emphasize a more flexible and people-centric structure, valuing employee empowerment and collaboration. In the context of Saturn, if GM’s experiment leaned towards a mechanistic approach, it might have imposed top-down control and standardized processes, which could have clashed with the human-oriented philosophy Saturn was known for. This misalignment could have contributed to Saturn’s challenges or ultimate failure.
- Why Saturn Failed Using Organizational Theories: There could be various reasons for Saturn’s failure according to organizational theories. For instance, if Saturn deviated from its initial humanistic values and adopted a more mechanistic structure due to pressures or changes within GM, this misalignment with its core values might have led to a decline in employee morale, creativity, and innovation. Additionally, if Saturn couldn’t adapt to changing market conditions or didn’t have a clear strategic direction (common issues in mechanistic organizations), it might have struggled to remain competitive.
- Applying McGregor’s Theory X and Theory Y: McGregor’s Theory X suggests that employees are inherently lazy and need close supervision, while Theory Y posits that employees are self-motivated and can excel if given autonomy. In the case of Saturn, if the company initially embraced Theory Y by empowering its employees and involving them in decision-making, it could have contributed to its initial success. However, if GM imposed Theory X principles later, undermining employee autonomy and trust, it might have contributed to Saturn’s decline.
Please note that to provide a more specific analysis, you would need to watch the video and gather information about Saturn’s history and organizational changes to apply these theories accurately. When responding to your classmates, you can comment on their interpretations and offer alternative perspectives or additional insights based on the theories discussed above.
Question Description
I’m working on a sociology writing question and need the explanation and answer to help me learn.
After watching the video on the Saturn Car Company, respond to the following questions in 2-3 paragraphs.
1) How does the story of GMs experiment with Saturn relate to the differences between mechanistic and human approaches to organizations (Ch. 7 & 8 in your textbook)
2) Using organizational theories, why did Saturn fail?
3) How can you apply McGregor’s Theory X and Theory Y to the case of Saturn?
Once you have written your own post, respond to at least two other posts with a few sentences commenting on your classmates’ ideas. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=7uGqdE24kpo
Fill in the order form and submit all your files, including instructions, rubrics, and other information given to you by your instructor.
Once you complete filling the forms, complete your payment. We will get the order and assign it to a writer.
When your order is completed, it’s assigned to an editor for approval. The editor approves the order.
Once approved, we will upload the order to your account for you to download. You can rate your writer or give your customer review.
