Organisations and Formal-Informal Relationships
Formal and informal relations, and how cooperation differs from coordination.
Paper I Unit 4 Organisations with links to Paper I Unit 2 Administrative Thought and Unit 3 Administrative Behaviour
An organisation is a relationship as well as a structure
An organisation coordinates differentiated activities towards a purpose. It contains roles, authority, communication and resources, but it also contains people with their own interests and relationships. An organisational chart can show who reports to whom; it cannot by itself show whose advice is trusted or how employees actually resolve problems.
Chester I Barnard was an American executive and organisation theorist. He explained formal organisation through consciously coordinated activity. Communication, willingness to contribute and a common purpose are necessary to sustain cooperation; the existence of an office order alone does not guarantee it.
| Dimension | Formal organisation | Informal organisation |
|---|---|---|
| Origin | Deliberately established roles rules and authority. | Relationships emerging through repeated social interaction. |
| Basis of influence | Office responsibility and legitimate instructions. | Trust experience social standing group norms and personal connections. |
| Communication | Prescribed reporting consultation and approval channels. | Conversations peer networks and unofficial information flows. |
| Contribution | Predictability defined responsibilities and continuity. | Support quick problem-solving tacit knowledge and feedback. |
| Possible failure | Rigid procedure delayed feedback or goal displacement. | Rumours exclusion patronage resistance or concealment. |
How the two interact
A new employee may learn the formal procedure from a manual but rely on an experienced colleague to understand recurring exceptions. That informal assistance can make the formal system work. Conversely, a group may collectively discourage reporting errors, undermining the official quality-control process. Informality is therefore neither inherently beneficial nor inherently corrupt.
Formal roles, rules and reporting + Informal trust, norms and influence → Actual organisational behaviour → Feedback reveals useful support or hidden obstruction → back to formal roles
The formal plan and informal relationships jointly shape what an organisation actually does.
Managers should make formal channels usable, protect candid feedback and understand informal leadership. Recognising informal relations does not mean allowing personal connections to override eligibility, fairness or lawful process.
Cooperation is not the same as coordination
People may be willing to help but still duplicate work because responsibilities and timing are unclear. Cooperation describes willingness to work together; coordination aligns contributions so that they fit. An effective organisation needs both.
Paper II Unit 8 Civil Services provides applications in mentoring morale and workplace norms. Paper II Unit 4 Union Government and Administration illustrates coordination across formal units.
Can formal organisation function effectively without informal relationships?
Answer direction Explain what formal rules provide, then examine tacit knowledge trust and communication, including the risks of exclusion and patronage.
Previous: Note 6: LPG and the Changing Administrative Role | Next: Note 8: Organisational Typologies and Authority
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