Overview of the Role Theory of Management

Overview of the Role Theory of Management

The Role Theory of management is based on individuals within the organization adapting to the formal and informal roles that come with their position. According to CSU-global Module 3 (2013), “Roles shape the way we see ourselves and help to define the behaviors we exhibit and don’t exhibit within organizations” (p.5). These roles are defined by the position held by the individual and how they interrelate to other individuals and their role in the organization. The formal role definitions specify the duties and responsibilities. The informal role definitions form expectations for behavior in that role. The role definitions are a large part of the culture that is formed within the organization.

Role theory was initially discussed as a sociological study defining social roles and their related expectations. According to Wikipedia (2013), the definition of roles “became more prominent in sociological discourse through the theoretical works of George Herbert Mead, Jacob L. Moreno, and Linton. Two of Mead’s concepts – the mind and the self – are the precursors to role theory”. Many of the behavioral and relational management theories also discuss roles and interaction between employees and supervisors in a way that reflects some of the premises upon which role theory is based. We are often utilizing this information from the study of roles when we consider how to affect change within and organization and when we discuss that organizations culture.

The concepts inherent in the role theory can be applied throughout all areas of a business, from training new employees and supervisors to appointing the best managers to take on the most sensitive and complex portions of an organization. Wil...

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...ways to improve that service delivery even further. Role theory in an inherent part of a personal and organizational pursuit of excellence.

References

Broderick, A. J. (1999). Role theory and the management of service encounters. Service Industries Journal, 19(2), 117-131.

Colorado State University-Global Campus. (2013). Module 3-Management and management theory [Blackboard ecourse]. In ORG-502 Effective organizations: theory and practice (p.5), Greenwood Village, CO: Author.

Lorette, C. (2013). What is the role theory in organizational leadership? Retrieved from http://smallbusiness.chron.com/role-theory-organizational-leadership-4958.html.

Wikepedia. (2013). Role theory. Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Role_theory

Williams, D. (1969). Uses of role theory in management and supervisory training. Journal of Management Studies, 6(3), 346-365.