Diagnosis Using the Contingency Theory
The problem in Troutville city council according to Fred Fiedler’s perspective from the contingency theory is that the Troutville city council leadership lacks support from its subordinate, a factor which according to Fiedler might have been brought about by a number of reasons. For instance, the interaction of the Troutville leadership and its surrounding (subordinates) might not be a favorable one which explains the reluctance in voting for the new ideas among the councilors (Islam & Hu, 2012). The delay in the implementation of the new law reforms are also as a result of the fact that the powers and authority given to the leadership in Troutville are not authoritarian but rather democratic. Hence, though the idea originates from the leadership, it is up to the other councilors to either vote for or against it and this explains why the laws have not been implemented yet since some of the councilors have expressed their dissatisfaction (Kimata, 2013). According to Fiedler, the degree of the favorableness of the situation to the members highly determines the response from members. In the case of Troutville, the favorableness of the new law rules differ among the members which explains the voting for and against it.
Diagnosis Using the Neoclassic Perspective.
Looking at the problem using the neoclassic perspective, it is clear that the problem facing Troutville is lack of good interpersonal relationships and lack of a sense of belonging especially among the Troutdale police. This explains why the Troutdale police expressed their willingness for the approval of the new laws although Allen, who voted against the approval felt like were contented with their current contacts (Greiving, 2014). In essence this shows the poor social-psychological relations between the leadership and Troutdale police in that the leadership was not aware of the police dissatisfaction. From the theory, there is need for the management or leadership to understand the way workers behave and relate to each other and this seems to be lacking in the Troutville leadership and this explains why the Troutville city council is unable to come to a mutual understanding when it comes to passing of the law. According to the neoclassic perspective, workers need some economic boost to motivate them. In comparison to other officers, the Troutdale police earn the lowest. Additionally, from the neoclassic perspective, a leader who is not on the loop about the workers social interaction is most likely to face resistance on policies and decisions. The neoclassic is rooted on the human relations and behavioral movements. Therefore, the leadership’s failure to be actively involved in the social relations amongst the employees is one of the reasons why they are faced with resistance to the formulation of their new rules.
Diagnosis of the Problem from the Bureaucratic Theory.
From a bureaucratic point of view, when a person in leadership appoints people to serve under him, it is most likely for his own merit more than it is for the job they are appointed for. In which case, the disagreements facing Troutville sprout up from the same reason. Those voting for the agreement are most likely more closely related to the mayor and they could be getting a benefit of sorts by this agreement. The bureaucratic theory posits that providing an incentive to a worker who is inferior either by increasing his pay or status one of the surest ways of maintaining hierarchy in an organization (Kim, 2008). Bearing that in mind, the disagreement cropping up in Troutville results from the fact that while the mayor and his supporting councilors advocate for a raise in the finances and probably status of the Troutdalepolice in order to maintain their hierarchy, some of the councilors are opposed to it hence the delays. The bureaucratic theory posits that in a bureaucracy, the subordinates must follow set rules contrary to which disagreements erupt between the leadership and the workers.
Reintegrating the Public in the Planning Process
One way of reintegrating the public in the planning process in Troutville would be by enlightening them about the advantages that the agreement would bring about as compared to before. Involving the public in the making of the new rules and educating them on the benefits that they stand to accrue from the new agreement would be another way of winning back their trust. Ensuring coherence and good interpersonal relations amongst the Troutville councilors in order to give a united front to the public would be another way of winning the public trust in the planning process. Conducting company social responsibility (CSR) which mainly entails the Troutville leadership clearly informing the public about their reforms and policies to the thus engaging the public positively. This allows for public participation in the planning process and boosts their trust and confidence in the planning process. Improvement of the social psychological conditions in the workplace between the Troutville leadership and the councilors including the Troutdale police is another way of working towards involving the public in the planning process.
References
Greiving, T. (2014, Nov 04). Three noteworthy scores, from neoclassic to synthetic. Variety, 325, 57.
Islam, J., & Hu, H. (2012). A review of literature on contingency theory in managerial accounting. African Journal of Business Management, 6(15), 5159-5164.
Kim, D. (2008). Political control and bureaucratic autonomy revisited: A multi-institutional analysis of OSHA enforcement. Journal of Public Administration Research and Theory, 18(1), 33-55.
Kimata, A. (2013). Organizational framework for managing the multiplicity of contingency factors: investigation using the modern Japanese recycling business. International Journal of Organization Theory and Behavior, 16(2), 221-244.