This paper examines how my career as an engaged employee at Charles Schwab supports the theories of social organization in organizational structure proposed in Robert Prodanciuc’s work entitled ‘Social Organizations’ (Prodanciuc, 2012) I intend to explore how the major components of organizations including social actions system, structure, organizational effectiveness and other general characteristics of organizational systems play out and can keep employees engaged and high performing in a real life example.
From the very beginning of my tenure at Charles Schwab (Schwab) as junior level Human Resources Generalist, it could be argued that I was affected by a social actions system. Schwab is a discount brokerage firm started in the early 1970’s …show more content…
706) Bernard c. Reimann states that organizational effectiveness can be viewed using three dimensions namely, decentralization, specialization and formalization. The success of higher performing organizations is not an answer that is the same for all organizations, but one which makes sense within their environment. Schwab, which is the largest discount brokerage firm in business, with over $2 trillion in assets manager, is a high performing company. ("Schwab History," 2015). Using Reimann’s dimension theory, they could be described as decentralized because authority and decision making were delegated to the local decision makes. Even the representatives on the phone were empowered to make decisions in the moment with the client on the line. They were specialized by function as described above by the client segmentation, and they formalized the roles by using specific job documentation, and training programs for the positions supporting each segment. Even the technology for the smaller clients was specific to that line of …show more content…
If it is true, as discussed by Prodancuic that, “the layout mode of the rooms, halls and of the open spaces from an organization building can offer base clues regarding the operating system of its management” (Prodanciuc, 2012, p. 7) the story at Schwab is about openness and connectivity. As you exit the elevator on each floor, you can see across to the other side of the building; with a virtual ‘sea’ of cubicles in between. Managers sit in cubicles amidst there team members. There is easy access to each other and to the leader. As an HR Business Partner, I would walk the floors every morning, and because of this structure, could easily develop relationships with many of the employees and leaders in the client organizations I supported.
In conclusion, my journey at Charles Schwab is a reflection of the different theories of organizations described in several resources including Prodanciuc’s ‘Social Organizations”. Whether it be the social connection, the functional structure, the view of the bureaucratic dimensions or the physical structure, my engagement and those of my fellow employees were enhanced by the organizational structures employed by Charles
From the very beginning of my tenure at Charles Schwab (Schwab) as junior level Human Resources Generalist, it could be argued that I was affected by a social actions system. Schwab is a discount brokerage firm started in the early 1970’s …show more content…
706) Bernard c. Reimann states that organizational effectiveness can be viewed using three dimensions namely, decentralization, specialization and formalization. The success of higher performing organizations is not an answer that is the same for all organizations, but one which makes sense within their environment. Schwab, which is the largest discount brokerage firm in business, with over $2 trillion in assets manager, is a high performing company. ("Schwab History," 2015). Using Reimann’s dimension theory, they could be described as decentralized because authority and decision making were delegated to the local decision makes. Even the representatives on the phone were empowered to make decisions in the moment with the client on the line. They were specialized by function as described above by the client segmentation, and they formalized the roles by using specific job documentation, and training programs for the positions supporting each segment. Even the technology for the smaller clients was specific to that line of …show more content…
If it is true, as discussed by Prodancuic that, “the layout mode of the rooms, halls and of the open spaces from an organization building can offer base clues regarding the operating system of its management” (Prodanciuc, 2012, p. 7) the story at Schwab is about openness and connectivity. As you exit the elevator on each floor, you can see across to the other side of the building; with a virtual ‘sea’ of cubicles in between. Managers sit in cubicles amidst there team members. There is easy access to each other and to the leader. As an HR Business Partner, I would walk the floors every morning, and because of this structure, could easily develop relationships with many of the employees and leaders in the client organizations I supported.
In conclusion, my journey at Charles Schwab is a reflection of the different theories of organizations described in several resources including Prodanciuc’s ‘Social Organizations”. Whether it be the social connection, the functional structure, the view of the bureaucratic dimensions or the physical structure, my engagement and those of my fellow employees were enhanced by the organizational structures employed by Charles