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Human Relations Contributors

Chris Argyris

Introduction

Even though management based on the assumptions of Theory X is perhaps no longer

widely appropriate in the opinion of McGregor and others, it is still widely practiced.

Consequently, a large maority of the people in the wor!places today are treated asimmature human beings in their wor!ing environments.

"n attempting to analy#e this situation, Chris $rgyris, of %arvard &niversity, compared

bureaucratic ' pyramidal values (the organi#ational counterpart to Theory X assumptions

about people) that still dominate far too organi#ations with a more humanistic '

democratic value system (the organi#ational counterpart to Theory * assumptions aboutpeople) as outlined in the table below.

Bureaucratic/ Pyramidal Value System

$ccording to $rgyris, following bureaucratic or pyramidal values leads to poor, shallow,and mistrustful relationships.

+ecause these relationships do not permit the natural and free epression of feelings, they

are phony or non-authentic and result in decreased interpersonal competence. /ithout

interpersonal competence or a 0psychologically safe0 environment, the organi#ation is a

breeding ground for mistrust, intergroup conflict, rigidity, and so on, which in turn lead toa decrease in organi#ational success in problem solving.

Humanistic / Democratic Value System

"f, on the other hand, humanistic or democratic values are adhered to in an organi#ation,$rgyris claims that trusting, authentic relationships will develop among people and will

result in increased interpersonal competence, intergroup cooperation, fleibility, and the

li!e and should result in increases in organi#ational effectiveness.

"n this !ind of environment people are treated as human beings, both organi#ational

members and the organi#ation itself are given an opportunity to develop to the fullestpotential, and there is an attempt to ma!e wor! eciting and challenging.

"mplicit in living these values is treating each human being as a person with a comple

set of needs, all of which are important in her' his wor! and in her' his life... andproviding opportunities for people in organi#ations to influence the way in which they

relate to wor!, the organi#ation, and the environment.

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Bureaucratic / Pyramidal Humanistic / Democratic

"mportant human

relationships-the crucialones-are those related to

achieving theorgani#ation0s obectives,i.e., getting the ob done.

The important human

relationships are notonly those related to

achieving theorgani#ation0sobectives but those

related to maintaining

the organi#ation0sinternal system and

adapting to the

environment as well.

Effectiveness in human

relationship increases as

behavior becomes more

rational, logical, andclearly communicated1 but

effectiveness decreases as

behavior becomes moreemotional.

%uman relationships

increase in

effectiveness as all the

relevant behavior(rational and

interpersonal)

becomes conscious,discussible, and

controllable.

%uman relationships are

most effectively motivated

by carefully defined

direction, authority, and

control, as well as

appropriate rewards andpenalties that emphasi#e

rational behavior andachievement of the

obective.

"n addition to

direction, controls,

and rewards and

penalties, human

relationships are most

effectively influencedthrough authentic

relationships, internalcommitment,

psychological success,

and the process ofconfirmation.

2et 3 "mmaturity ' maturity theory

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