Individualism vs Collectivism

The scope of public administration is as broad as the outer space is vast. In public administration we find many concepts that are utilized to make decisions that benefit the well-being of the nation and its citizens. These concepts are normally schools of thought that follow a belief or practice usually backed by some form of scientific or empirical data. The two beliefs I will be discussing, although not explicitly structured as what the forefathers implemented can be seen in many facets of public administration today. Individualism and collectivism are as much opposites as the north and south poles, but they are commonly mentioned together when I watch CNN, Fox News, or MSNBC. Let us delve into these concepts a little deeper and attempt to uncover a relationship.

Individualism can be defined as a moral stance, political philosophy, ideology, or social outlook that stresses “the moral worth of the individual” (no author, 2011). It could also be interpreted as social theory that advocates the liberty, rights, and/or independent action of the individual (no author, 2009). Followers in this school of thought commonly are uninterested in external interference or opposition, choosing to value independence and self-reliance. In a political fashion, individualism can be dissected into two views (among many!). These two views are liberalism and anarchism, the more popular being the former.

Collectivism can be described as any philosophic, political, economic, or social outlook that emphasizes “the interdependence of every human in some collective group and the priority of group goals over individual goals (no author, 2011). One could also define collectivism as a political or economic theory advocating collective control especially over production and distribution (no author, 2010). Followers of this school of thought place the needs of the whole above the sum of its parts. Examples of collectivism, to some degree of course, can be viewed today in socialism and communism.

To compare and contrast, I will quote from an article written by David McKalip. Activists of collectivism, in its most extreme form of course, seek to control every aspect of the lives of everyone. Individualists only wish to win control over the degree of power possessed by government. Collectivism holds that all power and money will be put into the hands of a few elite people. Individualism holds that the individual is in charge of his/her life (McKalip, 2010). There are also differences in morality. According to objectivsm101.com, collectivism destroys proper moral judgment by attributing value choices to the group as opposed to the person making the choice. On the contrary, individualism can be viewed as the proper approach to this morality lapse since the individual, and not the group, gets the credit or blame (no author, 2005).

Clearly, there is a bit of a yin and yang relationship between collectivism and individualism. Collectivism and individualism are truly each other’s opposite. They could even be categorized as arch enemies.

References:

no author. (2011). Individualism. Retrieved

from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Individualism

no author. (2009). Individualism. Retrieved

from http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/individualism

no author. (2011). Collectivism. Retrieved

from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Collectivism

no author. (2010). Collectivism. Retrieved

from http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/collectivism

McKalip, D. (2010, April 22). The 100

years war: collectivism vs. individualism. Retrieved from http://www.campaignforliberty.com/article.php?view=795

no author. (2005). Individualism vs. collectivism. Retrieved from

http://objectivism101.com/Lectures/Lecture39.shtml

Task Coordination

Task coordination can be defined as synchronized duties performed harmoniously across the spread of an organization. Task coordination is an integral component of task management in any organization that is targeted to provide effective problem solving solutions through aligning current activities of employees with planned ones with purpose to harmonize and unify all employees’ efforts into a single stream for attaining common goals (none cited, 2004). Examples include all reps at a call center conforming to a set method of assisting customers or employees at the social security office maneuvering citizens through the process of recovering lost cards. What is needed to make task coordination successful?
Effective communication is paramount to task coordination. Effective communication is a two-way process – sending the right message, which is also being correctly received and understood by the other person (s) (none cited 2008). Clear and concise directions are necessary to carry out a set of directions across the span of major organizations. It needs to clearly spell out expectations as well as how to achieve success in the given task. The internet, intranet, & extranet can be used to communicate important updates or changes via emails, memos, instant messages, or video conferences.
Information systems also assist in the coordination of tasks. Information systems are any combination of information technology and people’s activities using that technology to support operations, management (none cited, 2011). Using information systems not only increases efficiency, but it also assists in cost savings ( in terms of private sector). With the use of information systems, tasks can be executed expeditiously. Changes that may have taken a few days via mail can now be delivered in seconds. Another bonus of information systems is that it allows the administrator to follow-up on issued tasks quickly.
There are many more ways to dissect task coordination, but these two stuck out in terms of the level of their importance. Administrators should seek to perfect techniques that enable them to facilitate task coordination in an expeditious manner in order to become successful.
References:
none cited, (2004). Task coordinator: aligning tasks with plans. Retrieved from http://www.vip-qualitysoft.com/articles/task-coordinator-aligning-tasks-with-plans/
none cited, (2008). Effective communication. Retrieved from http://www.effective-communication.net/
none cited, (2011). Information system. Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Information_system