Critical Theory in Organization
What is Critical Theory?
Critical theory deals with issues to do with the misuse of power and work towards eradicating unjust practices. This theory therefore considers company’s as sites of domination where transfer of information may be regarded as tool for abuse. Abuse of power through communication is manifested through offering of privileges to some members of the company unequally, the use of command hence determining who should speak to whom, the control of technology accessibility as well as setting of rules for the use of this technology and the use of language so as to incapacitate workers (Zaremba 2010). Some of the terms used in critical theory are ideology which basically refers to the beliefs of laborers in the organization on the standard and the natural order of activities which may neither be neither normal nor natural. Writers who offer strategic management assignment help at Edudorm essay writing service notes that manufactured consent is another term used in critical theory as it refers to acceptance and at times the buying of suppressing ideologies. Hegemony term on the other hand refers to the control of one group by another group thus resulting to the overpowered group to accept as well as support the ideologies of the other group in power. Finally emancipation term in critical theory refers to the main objective of liberating those who are treated unjustly, which is basically carried out by the critical theorists (Zaremba 2010).
Critical Theory Addressing Issues of Democracy in Organizations
It is important for organizations to reconfigure where the company considers both the employees and the stakeholders as a common unit of stakeholders. In doing this the organization will be able to encourage every stakeholder into collaborating and cohesively working together towards achieving a common goal since the work place has allowed democracy in the company. Experts who offer MBA assignment help at Edudorm essay writing service indicates that however, critical theory has its limitations as it assumes that theory is the correct one and goes further to divide the organization into three subdivisions where we have the oppressors, the oppressed and the enlightened group (Zaremba 2010).
This is however in accurate interpretation of the humankind. As the emancipation objectives are carried out, they may result in creation of hegemonic misuses. The critical theory argues out that most of the companies have perceptions on the roles for men and women. This however acts as a form of oppression where the male voices seem to be privileged over women and other minorities. As a result of this the women and the minority group are unable to work well.
Critical Theory In The Case Of Shell Oil Company in the Gulf of Mexico
According to Shell Oil Company in the Gulf of Mexico, the critical theory is quite applicable. The organization has great power over the environmentalists who are responsible for conservation and management of the natural resources. The company argues out that there are no environmental impacts but according to the environmentalists, there are numerous negative impacts. It is therefore clear that the shell oil organization is in control and hence making the environmentalists to accept their ideologies (Kinane 2016). Also through critical theory, oppression is also witnessed as the accessibility of the appropriate technologies is unequally offered to all. Authors who offer conflict management assignment help at Edudorm essay writing service points that this has resulted to inadequate clean up and management by the environmentalists. This has therefore resulted to lack of collaboration among the environmentalists and the company thus leading to the decline of the new lease. For there to be collaboration, and acceptance of the new lease, emancipation must occur with an aim of liberating the environmentalists who are treated unjustly. It is after the emancipation activity that cohesion, collaboration and attainment of shared goals occur. This will therefore result to preservation, management of natural resources and profit gaining of the shell oil organization all working towards the development of the entire government (Kinane 2016).
While communicating on the oil spillage accident in the view of critical theory, the shell company representative, that is the coast guard, argues out that there is a minor spillage which he approximated from the airplane survey, however this is not the accurate or rather the considerable spillage according to the environmentalists, but they however accept and buy the company’s ideology since they don’t have access to satellite technology (Kinane 2016). Though the environmentalists want to carry out an assessment, they are unable to carry out the natural resource damage assessment due to lack of equipment such as the plane and support from the government. This therefore leaves the organization in a controlling power over the environmentalists. Tutors who offer corporate strategy assignment help at Edudorm essay writing service acknowledges that the organization also declares that they sprayed the dispersants and the organization provides photographs of them skimming but according to the natural resource damage assessors, there are no traces of dispersants were sprayed (Kinane 2016). In view of critical theory, as a result of the controlling power of the shell power against the environmentalists the environmentalists are forced to buy the company’s ideology as they are overpowered by the company.
Conclusion
As a result of this oppression, in view of critical theory, there is the existence of conflict between the organization and the environmentalists. In this case, it is recommendable that both the government, shell organization and the environmentalists should come together to work out together and should perceive each other as stakeholders. In doing this all stakeholders will be willing and determined to attain their goals for the greater good.
References
Kinane S. (2016). Damage From Shell oil spill in Gulf of Mexico still unclear; US considers more offshore leases.
Kinane S. (2016). Update on impact of Shell Oil spill in Gulf of Mexico.
Zaremba. (2010), Foundations Systems Culture and Power, Oxford University Press, Inc.
https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/critical-theory
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Critical_theory
https://www.ebsco.com/research-starters/religion-and-philosophy/critical-theory
