Research the evolution of a formal organization-harvard university

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Introduction
The organization that I have opted to study its theoretical framework and evaluate how it has evolved to its present state is the Harvard University. Before getting into the evolutional details of the organization we have to have precise background information of the organization; as a way of establishing the information needed of the organization in question (Bunting, pg 5).
Harvard University is a private league university that was founded in the year 1636, in Cambridge, Massachusetts by the Massachusetts legislature. It was the first and the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States of America (Harvard College, par 3).
Harvard University was founded by John Harvard who was the person who sponsored its activities and construction. The college was initially formed with the aim of training Congregation and Unitarian clergy and even though the college wasn’t in any way affiliated to the church it was offering courses that included the doctrines of the church. In the 18th and 19th Century college emerged as a cultural amongst the Boston elites when the 21st president of the university between the years (1869- 1909) Charles Eliot decided to transform the college and affiliated it with other colleges. Thus, making it a centralized research university thus making Harvard becoming one of the members of the Association of American university in 1900 (Harvard College, par 5).
The university was formed in a very strange time when the political and economic temperature of United States of America as the country was in the verge of the civil wars that was experienced in the country as a result of the struggle for the natural recourses. Indeed, the institution was introduced into this atmosphere and would thrive in the hostile environment that was being seen in the country at that time. Thus it was one of the long serving institutions that have serviced all these changes in the world today. It has been an institution that had been in existence since the time of the great depression, to the Second World War. For these reasons, one can indicate that organization was a strong one that went through many changes associated with the great financial depressions. The changes made a lot of companies to stop operating and collapse during this financial hardship and meltdown (Aldrich, et al, p.33).
During its introduction the organization was formed as an organization that would take care of the interests and education of the local society. It had no plans of becoming an international leading organization that has survived all these years (Aldrich, et al, p.33). From the 15th century to today’s strong and influential organization that offers its clients with effective services. Additionally, offering its rivals competition and maintaining at the top of the rankings of organizations that are offering efficient services (Eleanor, p.2). It should be noted that Harvard University is an academic university with one of the largest financial donations from well wishers and other organizations with an estimate of $27.4 billion as for the year 2010 September.
Evolution of an Organization
The evolution of an organization in general Business terms is basically defined as the movements (steps) in which a successful organization has gone through from the time of its inception to the modern day. In that case, this is were the companies history is analyzed from the day of its inception and monitoring of the way the company has succeeded in the business in the modern market (Bobembry, para.2).
An organization is defined as a group of people who have come together in order to fulfill a specific goal, or even maintain a specific interest. Therefore it’s a system that has been constructed in order to fulfill a specific long/short term goal (Bobembry, para.2). It should be noted that an organization is formed by a group of people in order to fulfill a certain factor. On completion of the goals the organization might decide to stick together or even split up and each party in the organization go on to pursue their own dreams. It should be noted that Organizations are strictly different from the other collective groups such as families, friend circles, public masses and a group of spectators or audiences (Aldrich, et al, p.30).
This has got a different meaning in business terms therefore according to Aldrich et al, (p.53) in their book “Organizations Evolving” they described the term evolution of an organization as the processes in which a company takes from the day that it is initially formed to the modern day in which the company is in today. In addition, the term evolution of an organization contains the steps in which an organization goes through in order to become the most successful in the field of business. This is because each organization just like any living organism has to follow set steps that will show the different stages in which the organism or organization will have gone through in attempts aimed at improving its existence in the market or universe (Harvard College, para.6).
Evolution of an Organization is therefore a way that is aimed at monitoring the ways in which an organization has been able to transform its image in the market place. In addition, evaluating the ways in which the organization has gone through. This is done in order to overcome the challenges it will face and come up to be the most productive and successful organization in its field of specialization (Bobembry, para.2).
This paper takes a clear evaluation of the steps in which Harvard University have been able to make it in the education field; and how it was able to pass through numerous problems such as the civil war, the first and second world wars, the great depression and the recent would inflation that hit the world in the year 2007, among other natural and artificial problems that affected America. Additionally, how the organization managed these changes that were threatening the collapse of the organization (Eleanor, p.2).
In order for an organization which in this case is Harvard University to be said to have undergone a successful evolution process the organization has to go through four phases (Stages). Moreover, for it to be successful in the sections that includes the pioneering stage, differential stage, integrative stage and associative phase; the paper highlights on each section of organizational evolution process. It also evaluates the different approaches that have been used by the managers of the Harvard University since the time it was established to date. Some of theses approaches that had been discussed by Aldrich, et al, p.53 they include; the Classical Management Theory, Behavioral Theory, The Quantitative Theory , Contingency Approach, System Management Approach, Bureaucratic (Neo-Human Relation Management) Approach (Aldrich, et al, p.53).
The Evolution of Harvard University
Harvard University has emerged to be one of the most successful academic institutions in the entire universe. This is clearly seen in view of the fact that the academic organization has been in existence for many years. Indeed, it was formed in the 16th century and it has been in existence in the United States of America from that year to date and emerging the best and oldest academic institution in the world (Docstoc, p.6). This is a clear indication that the organization has undergone through many challenges in the past and has dealt with these problems to the extent of managing to be the most renowned institution of higher education in the entire world.
Harvard university was established in 1636 and from its inception it has managed to become the most adorable and superior institution of higher learning in the United States of America. The organization is seen as a very successful organization since it has been able to successfully go through these four stages pioneering stage, differential stage, integrative stage and associative phase in order for it to emerge the best university (Glasi, p.4).
In the pioneering stage is where the/an organization emerges into the market or the group of people joins their hands together in order to form the organization. In the process the individuals will introduce the organization to the public thus make the organization be introduced to the public. In view of the above idea, Harvard University was founded by John Harvard whose initial plan was to start a college that was supposed to teach the young boys the doctrines of Congregation and Unitarian clergy. It was later transformed into a research university thus growing to become the now renowned organization (Glasi, p.7). The atmosphere in which the university was formed was a heated one; in that the organization was constructed in the colonial period. This was when the United States of America was still under the colonial control and also the organization. For this reason, it was very hard for the university to become a dominant organization. In addition, it was a small organization that was initiated and just fulfilled the interest of the community around it which in t...