The Definition of the SituationPBOG: the sociology of organisational lifeWorking hypothesis by Clive Burgess©1st October 2012Global Watching for the mobile generationCurious... looking beyond the obvious at the bigger picture

Clive Burgess ©2012

The Definition of the SituationGlobal Watching for the Mobile GenerationCurious... looking beyond the obvious at the bigger picture

Working hypothesise... ideas from my twitter thread... trying to pull all of the stuff together so I can see what's going on... still following the money... in search of gold...

Clive Burgess... A security bloke in search of the truth1st October 2012 – my view of social reality in organisational life

Although my ideas may not be quite right it is my hope that some of my stuff may stimulate others to develop new ideas or thoughts that may be put into practice now or in the future

Clive Burgess ©2012

The Definition of the Situation Global Watching for the Mobile GenerationCurious... looking beyond the obvious at the bigger picture

PBOG: the sociology of organisational life➔Sustainable Development ~ Simplified model ➔Reframing Organisations ~ Joan V Gallos et al 2003 ➔The Hidden Persuaders ~ Vance Packard 1957➔In Place of Austerity ~ Dexter Whitfield 2012

CONFLICTReproduction & Transformation of the Welfare State➔Control & Resistance ~ The Global fightback ➔PBOG: the sociology of organisational life ~ Four-frame approach to develop the definition of situation

Clive Burgess ©2012

The Definition of the Situation

PLANGovernance, Policies & Procedures, Strategic Plans, Action Plans etc

Patterns of BEHAVIOURAct like or Observe & Monitor

Rational ORGANISATION We want you to do this with these to produce that

GUIDELINES legal or otherDirectives, Acts, Orders, Regulations, Rules, Codes of Practice , Codes of Conduct etc

PBOG: FOUR-FRAME APPROACH

Clive Burgess ©2012

SD PLAN: Policies & ProceduresHealth & Well-being including Welfare Benefits & NHS

Education & Employment including NI payments & Pensions

Housing & Built Environment including Social Housing

Energy Security & Poverty

Transport & Infrastructure including subsidies

Economy including Income Tax & VAT

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT – SIMPLIFIED MODEL

Clive Burgess ©2012

PBOG: Reframing Organisations

Guidelines ~ Human Resources

● People - 99%

Who is doing what, where, when, how & WHY?

Economic performance

Behaviour ~ Politics● Neo-Liberalism● Conservatism● Corporate/business interests

Organisation ~ Structure ● State-Monopoly Capitalism

● The Big Society

● Tax Payer Alliance ~ Big Brother Watch

Dispossession, Disinvestment, Destabilisation,

Depoliticisation & Disempowerment

Plan ~ SymbolsLiberal Democratic Ideology

Using the age of Austerity to interpret guidelines direct & implement plan

Green tree & yellow smiley

PBOG: FOUR-FRAME APPROACH

Clive Burgess ©2012

Reproduction & Transformation of Public Services & the Welfare State

Neo-liberal reproduction & transformation of the welfare state consists of four processes

● (P) Personalisation● (B) Financialisation● (O) Privatisation ● (G) Marketisation

The reproduction & transformation of public services

● Extend wealth creation in the public sector● To reconfigure the state ● Reformulate social relations.

The age of Austerity● Created opportunities to accelerate

marketisation & privatisation● Role back the state centre-stage● Bail out of banks & financial institutions as

corporate welfare (the well-being of corporations at public expense)

Financial Crisis ~ Setback for neo-liberalism

● Failure of securitisation● Deregulation● Property market collapse

Clive Burgess ©2012

PBOG: In Place of Austerity

(P) Personalisation● Individual choice mechanism

● Consumerism & market research

● Emphasis on individual participation through complains & comments

(B) Financialisation● Capitalisation of income streams & securitisation of assets

● Individual budgets, direct payments & vouchers

● Payment-by-result

● Community asset ownership

● Social investment bonds/shares

● Private finance of infrastructure

● Asset-based welfare state

(O) Privatisation● Transfer of public services to arms length trading

companies & enterprises

● Whole & multi-service PPP contracts

● Sale of assets by flotation or trade sale

● Leasing infrastructure via long term concession contracts

● Social investment market

(G) Marketisation● Commissioning & contract culture

● Commodifying (commercialising) services

● Commodifying (commercialising) labour

● Restructuring the state for competition & market mechanisms

● Restructuring democratic accountability & user involvement

● Embedding

● business interests

PBOG: FOUR-FRAME APPROACH

Clive Burgess ©2012

PBOG Reproduction & Transformation

PLAN● Implement● Direct, Inform, Instruct, Train● Interpretation

BEHAVIOUR● Evaluate, Review● Follow● Cooperate

ORGANISATION● Competition● Focus & Feed-back● Coordination

GUIDELINES● Conditions● Enforce, Encourage (Nudge)● Competence

Clive Burgess ©2012

PBOG Control & Resistance

PLAN● Implement● Direct, Inform, Instruct, Train● Interpretation

BEHAVIOUR● Evaluate, Review● Follow● Cooperate

ORGANISATION● Competition● Focus & Feed-back● Coordination

GUIDELINES● Conditions● Enforce, Encourage (Nudge)● Competence

Clive Burgess ©2012

PBOG ~ Dialectic Processes

Cultural Process● Paper to People● Paper to Paper● People to People

Activities & RelationshipsDialectic process

● Systems Theory● Activity Theory

COOPERATECOMPETITION

TEAMWORK

Controlled by Roles & Responsibilities

PEOPLE MANAGEMENT

Dance of the dialectic

Clive Burgess ©2012

PBOG: Dialectic Process

PAPER● Plan● Guidelines

PEOPLE● Behaviour● Organisation

Each process contains control & resistance, reproduction & transformationas they constantly conflict with each other.This in turn produces an aspect.The processes move a bit like a swing-ometer used by the BBC during local or generalelection time. Sometimes lesser, sometimes greater – see cultural change

Clive Burgess ©2012

Control & Resistance

Resistance to the cuts

Clive Burgess ©2012