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ABOUT

The Self and The Structure is a four week course on organizational practices. The course aims to interrogate the prevalent logics of organization, reflect on individual roles and engagements,  and develop new conceptualizations for organizational settings. This course is premised on an argument that conscious thinking may not only aid one to structure thoughts but allow one to construct valuable reflections to accommodate change, develop empathetic relations, and develop agile frameworks. Conscious thinking here expands to hold the coordinates of the empathetic self. The participants further evaluate and develop new conceptualizations to design the form of life in an organizational setting.

Hierarchy

Organizational Structures

Classical Management Theories 

Taylorism

Control

No Rules Rules (Netflix and the Culture of Reinvention)

Safety

Self

No Rules Rules (Netflix and the Culture of Reinvention)

Psychic Prison

Gareth Morgan and his eight organizational metaphors

Decentralisation

Many Headed Hydra by Peter Linebaugh & Marcus Reddikar

Balance

Many Headed Hydra by Peter Linebaugh & Marcus Reddikar

Structure

Organizational Structures

Through the four weeks, the course developed collective ideas and reflections through a series of structured conversations. In the first week, the conversations opened up the predominant and prevalent logics of structuring through classical management theories. Conversations further opened up discussions towards factory logics, universal standardisations, efficiency, workability, power, responsibilities, its impacts on human psyche and relationships and the role of the individual in an organisation. These conversations were anchored with a series of readings and movies, movies provided a platform for analysing and evaluating situations with contextual reference. Each one added layers to structured methods of thinking - rationality, emotions,empathy, evaluations, the idea of questioning a given framework, collective responsibility. The group developed new conceptualizations of structuring logics that accommodate change, are agile, develop familial networks and friendships, and mobilise empathy.

Hierarchy

The Gentlemen's Agreement

Assembly Line

Classical Management Theories 

Standardisation 

Classical Management Theories 

Authority 

Many Headed Hydra by Peter Linebaugh & Marcus Reddikar

Power

Economy & Society by Max Weber & Theory of Bureaucracy

Structure of organization

The Gentlemen's Agreement

Mcdonalization

Classical Management Theories 

System and other parallel ecologies

The Gentlemen's Agreement

Framework

Demand

Classical Management Theories 

The Gentlemen's Agreement

PRACTICES

Multiplicity

 

Many Headed Hydra by Peter Linebaugh & Marcus Reddikar

Organizational Structures

Organization

Structure

Gareth Morgan and his eight organizational metaphors

Prevalent Organisational Logics

An organisational structure defines how activities such as task allocation, coordination and supervision are directed toward the achievement of organisational aims. The evolution of management thoughts of an organisation begins with the question of what, why and how do we manage? The discussion revolved around the structural thinking, networking and structuring of the organisation. The discussion began with an introduction that encompassed organisational structures : Flat, hierarchical, circular, matrix, network. How the structuring of an organisation happens beyond the logics of cost and time. Largely discussed management theories: Taylorism, Fordism, Assembly line, Mcdonaldization and their effects on society and the individual were discussed. The impact of Standardisation, Human Psyche, Habits and Behaviour were discussed. The logic of rhizome was discussed with the examples of There are multiple coordinates like people, agencies, material such as objects, finance, data and their interpersonal relationships which are formed to be structured forms an arborescence which branches and keeps on getting complex.

Working Structures 

No Rules Rules (Netflix and the Culture of Reinvention)

Management 

Extrastatecraft the power of infrastructure space by Easterling, Keller

Politics

Gareth Morgan and his eight organizational metaphors

Transformation

Gareth Morgan and his eight organizational metaphors

Machine

Gareth Morgan and his eight organizational metaphors

Context of local practices

While dealing with all the norms,rules and working in the framework of institutions, discussions around the local practices became necessary. It made us connect to various individuals,organisations,mandals, to understand and build new systems of organisations. These were the practices of structured thinking which helped us explore newer patterns of networks,mutuality,friendships etc. And these networks and friendships created a new alternate system which passed through the formal top down bureaucratic system. The alternate networks and organisation patterns thus allowed to open up new conversations and possibilities to navigate through the formal systems. These networks are non-hierarchical and everyone helps each other to negotiate in most cases.Thus different organisational structures and work dynamics through cases of smaller offices, individual ventures, corporate offices, events and activities were explored.

Gareth Morgan and his eight organizational metaphors

Culture

System

Apocalypse Now

Standardisation 

Urban Substructure 

Extrastatecraft the power of infrastructure space by Easterling, Keller

Infrastructure

Extrastatecraft the power of infrastructure space by Easterling, Keller

Markets

Extrastatecraft the power of infrastructure space by Easterling, Keller

Role of self and importance of design of form of life

The importance of the role of the self in an organisation emerged through various readings and discussions. These discussions and reflections oriented Self as an entity which mobilises agency through participation. Structures of thinking allows one to appropriate and generate systems and processes for one selves and others, to realign forces to manage better. Prevalent organisational and management structures have been connected with self, and as highlighted and critiqued by Max Weber as well. Here the self is barely identified as human emotions and reactions, rather as data. Self should be understood in a more nuanced way, where structures not only are designed keeping emotions in mind, but also how they create strong organisational structures. The way power gets mobilised and then expressed is through an individual who belongs to that structure put in place. The questions of “ifs” follow any scenarios, when designing an organisation or life as a larger rhizomatic structure, these questions should be closely thought through and understood on how each and every manoeuvre plays a role in generating emotions and consequences.

Brain

Gareth Morgan and his eight organizational metaphors

Flux

Gareth Morgan and his eight organizational metaphors

Organism

Gareth Morgan and his eight organizational metaphors

Subordinate

Dominance 

Apocalypse Now

Economy & Society by Max Weber & Theory of Bureaucracy

Bureaucracy

Social Positions

Evalution

Economy & Society by Max Weber & Theory of Bureaucracy

Party

Economy & Society by Max Weber & Theory of Bureaucracy

Power

The Godfather

Institution

The Godfather

Networks

Authority

Apocalypse Now

Policies

Economy & Society by Max Weber & Theory of Bureaucracy

Experiments

Gareth Morgan and his eight organizational metaphors

Responsibility 

Apocalypse Now

Caesarism 

Economy & Society by Max Weber & Theory of Bureaucracy

Emotional

Economy & Society by Max Weber & Theory of Bureaucracy

Accountability 

Economy & Society by Max Weber & Theory of Bureaucracy

Utility

Extrastatecraft the power of infrastructure space by Easterling, Keller

Control

Economy & Society by Max Weber & Theory of Bureaucracy

Cartography & 
Decalcomania

Strategies

Following the conversations and local practices which were studied throughout the course. Each of the practices is structured differently which helped in structuring newer dimensions of friendship, mutuality, form of life and networking. The ideas of building connections and friendships among the different coordinates of the city (vendors in local) helped to build and connect people, have fun and also benefit from each other's involvement. Reappropriating the method of transaction/selling (vegetable vendors) in order to manage the remains/wastage at the end of the day. Strengthening the network and giving a space for conversations (auto-rickshaw drivers) by adding or combining certain elements to the existing object which affords it. Making all the backend workers inclusive in the actual event (ganpati idol and pandal makers) and celebrating their effort in putting together the entire event. Building interaction possibilities in cloud based organisations

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EXCHANGE

Connecting people with the intent of exchanging knowledge, helps in easing the practice while simultaneously building networks within the same practice. 

PARALLEL ECOLOGIES

This strategy engages with the generation of, or by supporting the parallel ecologies that help sustain these practices or the pause in these practices. Through this method the system becomes more efficient but also helps nurture festivity in those who are part of the making/preparing process. 

Efficiency

Structural thinking and emotions 

Context

PAUSE

Pause is a strategy that is conceptualized to intervene in the voids that are located in these agile and fast paced practices. 

FRAMEWORK

The strategy provides a system through which friendship and mutuality emerges to support or nurture existing networks and connections.

Strengthening Networks

1. Space of conversation
2. Designing life form
3. focusing on improving quality of life 

CONTRIBUTORS

2022 - 2023

Aditi Gaikwad - Arnav Mundhada - Avantika Padalkar - Bhoomi Bakrania - Chetasvi Patel - Heeya Mashru - Hrishekesh Chhapriwal - Keerat Kaur Gill - Khushi Bagrecha - Khushi Surana - Nidhi Bhoir - Prachi Shah - Pranav Kadambi - Pranjal Sancheti - Ruchi Klantri - Sakshi Maeen - Shaurya Pawar - Shubh Sankhala - Tanisi K - Tanushree Bhagwat

Auto rickshaw drivers

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Policies

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