Den osynliga styrningen : En studie i självorganiseringens styrningsmekanismer

Sammanfattning: Background: Our study investigates the phenomenon of self-organization since many companies choose to work in smaller teams and project groups to respond proactively to change. Problems that may arise with a greater delegation of responsibility in organizations is insufficient goal congruence throughout the different organizational levels. Management control is the solution to problems with goal congruence but its meaning is often translated into the monitoring and supervision of employees. This creates negative associations to the influence that management control has over work performances in self-organizing teams. Organizations are therefore forced to balance their exercise of control between a tougher and more free form of governance to reach goal congruence in all organizational levels. Self- organization thus places high demands on management when control is to be transparent to employees and at the same time congruent with the self-organization that is conducted throughout the organization. Purpose: To create an in-depth understanding of the prerequisites and control mechanisms of self-organization. Completion: The study adopts a qualitative method in which data was collected from SMHI's IT department. During four weeks, material was collected from four interviews with representatives from three different organizational levels. Conclusion: The study results in the coexistence of though and free control through transparent control mechanisms to ensure goal congruence in self-organized work. The results proves how the client's involvement in teamwork and the group's priorities are driven by cultural and self-managing mechanisms. Furthermore, the cybernetic process with interactive features is described as a tough control that generates increased autonomy in self-organizing teams. To achieve well-functioning self-organizing teams the prerequisites instigate knowledge sharing, communication and flexibility in the work process. The control mechanisms and the prerequisites of the team contribute to the perceived autonomy amongst the team members to influence their work, which is the most important factor for the control to appear invisible. The parallel work of prerequisites and control mechanisms creates effective and well-functioning teams working towards congruence with the organization's goals. In organizations that require flexibility and efficiency through team-based work, these dimensions are tools used by management to control teams with transparency