Does an Organization Decide?

This seems fairly straightforward, and brings to light a significant concept: that an organization is not an actor, in the sense previously discussed. That is to say that the organization itself does not undertake any action or make any decision. It is the individuals within the organization who decide and act.

And this is the source of inaccuracy: if one suggests that the organization has made a decision, this obscures the fact that the decision was made by a person. Others within the organization may attempt to have input into or influence a decision, still others may agree or consent to the decision, and still others may undertake action to effect the decision - but the fact remains that the decision is not made by the organization, but an individual.

I would also suspect it to be true that a decision made by an individual within an organization is not universally accepted by all members of that organization. Some may oppose rather than support it, and a great many others may be unaware of it and wholly uninvolved.

And so, an "organization" can be seen as an effect of a purpose. The people and physical artifacts that the organization comprises are means to achieving its end. This may bear further consideration.

It also seems reasonable to suggest that an organization influences the decision-making process of its members, in that self-interest is replaced by the interests or goals of the organization as the driving force behind each decision to act.

However, organizations are often held liable, in a legal and political sense, for any action undertaken by a person who is identified as a member of that organization, even if the action is not motivated by the purpose of the organization. This seems a separate topic, to be explored later.

There is also the dynamic of people working in groups: not only are decisions influenced by the common purpose, but they are negotiated with and influenced by others with whom the decision-maker interacts. There are internal considerations - such as whether a decision will be accepted by other members of the organization, and whether they will support or resist the decision, whether they will assist in effecting it, and whether they will reward or punish the decision-maker or those who act in support of the decision. But to be clear, each of these actions is undertaken by an individual, not "the organization."

So it is the task of each individual within the organization to decide and act - and the suggestion that "the organization" makes decisions and undertakes actions is inaccurate.