The Second Phase in the Development of Concertive Control
After the initial phases of consolidation and team building, the second phase of development of concertive control involves teams developing strong norms. This phase was also characterized by the creation of formal rules and penalties for violations. The coordinator's role became more specific.
During this time, groups learned to cooperate with one another and to work together to achieve organizational goals. Moreover, employees felt more identification with their colleagues and with the organization itself. They also were able to exercise more control over their own behaviors.
This is a significant difference between the bureaucratic system and the postbureaucratic system. The former focuses on individuals following a set of rules, while the latter is based on a negotiated consensus between management and workers.
In the study of concertive control in self-managing teams, James R. Barker examined the effects of these new systems on the organization's culture. He found that people felt more watched and pressured by their colleagues in this system than in the previous bureaucratic system.
As control passed from management to workers, the former became more prescriptive and bureaucratic, while the latter became more value-based and participatory. Workers adapted to the new system and established new rules that reinforced the values of the organization.
These changes resulted in the development of a new, more effective control method. Concertive control has since become a prominent strategy in organizational management. It requires a negotiated consensus among managers and employees and entails horizontal surveillance.
