Re: SERIOUS: Formal vs. informal organizations

[EZRIEL <ezriel -at- GALOR -dot- COM>]

This is my first real post to the list folks, so turn the flamers on
"lightly toast" please.

As Chas. Barnard wrote in his amazingly boring book, "The Functions of
the Executive", formal, rigid organisations breed informal groupings
within organisations. From my own experience, there are many occasions
when I discussed issues with a colleague over lunch, and was able to
find out information in a much timelier fashion...and the world did not
come to an explosive end.

Of course there are a couple of important things to consider. First of
all, I cannot hijack the hierarchy with all of the employees here. There
is still one applications specialist who insists on formal meetings to
respond to a simple question (such as... How are you today?). Secondly,
those of us who can manage to work in both types of organisations fight
hard to protect the people who cannot work in the formal structure. Some
of these people are the most productive employees here.

The point I am trying to make is that even in a rigidly defined
structure, there is some informality.  Some people have trouble dealing
without it. Contractors do not fit in the mould that strict
organisations have established.  The person that Mr. Plato described was
probably unsure of how he was to fit into the pecking order of the
company.

Take Care
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Ezriel Yellin, Technical Writer                 ezriel -at- galor -dot- com
Gal-Or Systems and Software Development Ltd.    Tel-Aviv, Israel
(03) 623-5347
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There's so much comedy on television. Does that cause comedy in the
streets?

- Dick Cavett -


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