INGLÉS II - TRABAJO PRÁCTICO Nº 10 – COMUNICACIÓN

INGLÉS II - TRABAJO PRÁCTICO Nº 10 – COMUNICACIÓN SOCIAL
TEXTO: HANDY, CHARLES (1995) The Existential Culture (Dionysus). 1. The Four
Gods of Management. Part I. The Theory of Cultural Propriety. Gods of Management The
Changing Work of Organization. Oxford University Press. New York, Oxford, 25-27.
1- Observe lo expresado en cursiva y negrita, reflexione sobre su significado teniendo
siempre en cuenta el contexto:
a) This is not a recipe for self-indulgent selfishness, for Kant's categorical imperative applies: that whatever we ordain or wish for ourselves must be equally
applicable to the rest of humankind. (Párrafo 1)
b) …and a secretary to form a partnership association. (Párrafo 3)
c) Its picture is a cluster of individual stars loosely gathered in a circle. (Párrafo 3)
d) The existential culture is excellent, therefore, when it is the talent or skill of the
individual that is the crucial asset of the organization. (Párrafo 4)
e) …and even the bargaining power that association brings. (Párrafo 5)
f) Management in their organizations is a chore … (Párrafo 6)
g) And like a housekeeper, a manager has small renown… (Párrafo 6)
h) …because of their charters, have objectives that outlive and outgrow their
employees. Indeed, the Dionysian culture causes shudders… (Párrafo 9)
i) …in which individual dealers ply their trades independently… (Párrafo 9)
j) They behave like Dionysians, and as long as they are talented, they can get away
with it… (Párrafo 10)
k) Whenever individual talent is at a premium… (Párrafo 11)
l) Existentialism on the shop floor is a new phenomenon. (Párrafo 11)
2- ¿En qué consiste la ideología existencialista?
3- ¿En qué se diferencia esta cultura con respecto a las otras tres culturas analizadas por
Handy?
4- Explique las ideas vinculadas por therefore en el párrafo 4.
5- ¿Por qué los profesionales prefieren la cultura existencialista?
6- ¿Cuál es el rol de administrador en este tipo de cultura?
7- Descubra el referente de lo subrayado:
This is marvelous for them,…(Párrafo 7)
8- El autor describe su experiencia laboral en una universidad. Elabore una lista con los
rasgos de este ámbito caracterizado por la cultura existencialista.
9- Explique las ideas vinculadas por Indeed en el párrafo 9.
10- ¿Qué ocurre cuando se administra exclusivamente mediante consentimiento?
11- Explique las ideas vinculadas por el primer so que aparece en el párrafo 10 y por not
just..but…also en el mismo párrafo.
12- ¿Cuáles son las características de los “nuevos profesionales”?
13- Explique las ideas vinculadas por But en el párrafo 11.
The Existential Culture (Dionysus)
1
Dionysus, god of wine and song, presides over this culture because he, if anyone,
represents the existential ideology among the gods. Existentialism starts from the
assumption that the world is not some part of a higher purpose; we are not simply
instruments of some god. Instead, although the fact that we exist at all is an
accident, if anyone is responsible for us and our world, it is ourselves. We are in
charge of our own destinies. This is not a recipe for self-indulgent selfishness, for
Kant's categorical imperative applies: that whatever we ordain or wish for
ourselves must be equally applicable to the rest of humankind. Wine and orgies
won't work unless someone makes the wine, and that someone must potentially
include us.
2
The organizational implications of existential thinking are great. In the other
three cultures, the individual is subordinate to the organization: The style of the
relationship may vary, but the individual is there to help the organization achieve
its purpose and is paid in one way or another by the organization for doing that. In
this fourth existential culture, the organization exists to help the individual achieve
his purpose.
3
How does this happen? Well, think of doctors: four of them, each an individual
with his own speciality but who agree to share an office, a telephone, and a
secretary to form a partnership association. Or think of architects or lawyers, or a
cooperative of artists. Theirs is a communal culture, existing only for its participants. Its picture is a cluster of individual stars loosely gathered in a circle. But the
picture will remain essentially unchanged even if a star or two departs. The stars are
not mutually interdependent.
4
The existential culture is excellent, therefore, when it is the talent or skill of the
individual that is the crucial asset of the organization.
5
This is the culture preferred by professionals. They can preserve their own
identity and their own freedom, feeling owned by no one. And yet they can be part
of an organization, with the colleagues, the support, and the added flexibility, and
even the bargaining power that association brings.
6
Dionysians recognize no "boss," although they may accept coordination for their
own long-term convenience. Management in their organizations is a chore,
something that has to be done like housekeeping. And like a housekeeper, a
manager has small renown: An administrator among the prima donnas is at the
bottom of the status lists.
7
Dionysian cultures are splendid places to work in. I have worked in one myself -a
university. Professionals usually have job security, agreed fee scales, allocated
territories or spheres of influence, and guarantees of independence. This is
marvelous for them, but not for those who have to lead or organize or manage such
people.
8
For there are no sanctions that can be used on them. Dismissal, money, perks, or
punishment all are outside the jurisdiction of the leader. Even promotion or
selection decisions are made, as a rule, by groups of equals. Professionals do not
willingly take orders, fill in forms, or compromise on their own plans. Every teacher
likes to be the uninterrupted king in his own classroom, just as every doctor is the
god of his consulting room. You enter by invitation only, criticize on request, and
command by consent. For these are the organizations of consent, in which the
manager governs with the consent of the governed and not with the delegated
authority of the owners. It may be democracy, but it is very difficult and exhausting
to deal with such a culture.
9
One would not expect to find many such organizations around, certainly not in
business or industry, where organizations, because of their charters, have objectives
that outlive and outgrow their employees. Indeed, the Dionysian culture causes
shudders in the ordinary organization or manager, precisely because of the lack of
mandated control. When you can manage only by consent, every individual has the
right of veto, and so any coordinated effort becomes a matter of endless negotiation.
Only when every person can do what he wants, and could in fact operate without the
organization at all, are there fewer problems. Antique hypermarkets, in which
individual dealers ply their trades independently, although under one roof -a
marketing cooperative for independent growers or craftsmen- can usually be
managed (though they would not use the word) without too much difficulty. There
would be few conflicting objectives, few needs to compromise individual desires for
a common good.
10
Organizations, however, put the common good before the individual need, and so
they tend to try to translate Dionysians into Athenians, the existential into the task
culture. They are, of course, right, as judged by their own interests, to try to do so.
Individuals, however, like the notions of individuality and personal professionalism
that reside in the Dionysian idea. There is a growing band of "new professionals" individuals who define themselves according to their trade, not just doctors and
lawyers, but now also the "systems analyst," "research scientist," "public relations
adviser," and "consultant." These people see themselves as independent
professionals who have temporarily lent their talents to an organization. They are
often young and usually talented and can command an open market salary and
reputation. They behave like Dionysians, and as long as they are talented, they can
get away with it, for the organization needs them enough to manage them on the
terms of their consent. Increasingly, therefore, the specialist groups and any research
or development activities are acquiring an existential flavor.
11
Whenever individual talent is at a premium, the Dionysian flavor is probably
necessary, and organizations do well to recognize it and accommodate it. But the
cult of Dionysus is growing and is no longer related to individual talent. We all
would like the benefits of existentialism without its responsibilities and risks.
Existentialism on the shop floor is a new phenomenon. We shall return to this in the
second part of this book.