Understanding Organizations...Finally!

CHAPTER 17

In Praise of the Anchored Form

I have some bad news for you. Not only do none of the seven forms of organizations exist in the real world, but they should not exist. The forms don’t exist because, as noted earlier, they are just words and diagrams on paper or screen—depictions of reality, not reality itself. And they should not exist because every organization is replete with nuances, complexities, and contradictions that cannot be ignored. But please don’t put down this book quite yet. I will explain.

Figure 17.1 repeats the diamond diagram again, this time with all but one of the forces removed. With no countervailing force, the remaining one can propel the organization into outer space, so to speak—out of control. A Programmed ...