| Course | PSY-3600 Organizational Theory |
|---|---|
| Module | Module 2 |
| Paper type | Written assignment: human resource theory and organizational structure |
| Length | About 456 words, 4 pages |
| Format | APA 7 student paper |
| School | Thomas Edison State University |
| Program | Bachelor of Science in Organizational Leadership |
| Updated | October 2026 |
Free sample paper for PSY 3600 Module 2
What We Assume About Movers Shapes How We Organize Them: Theory X, Theory Y and Structure
Student Name
Bachelor of Science in Organizational Leadership, Thomas Edison State University
PSY-3600: Organizational Theory
Mentor Name
Month Day, Year
What We Assume About Movers Shapes How We Organize Them: Theory X, Theory Y and Structure
Assumptions About People
McGregor, whose essay "The Human Side of Enterprise" is reprinted in Shafritz et al. (2016), contrasted two sets of managerial assumptions. Under Theory X, managers assume people dislike work, avoid responsibility and must be directed and controlled. Under Theory Y, they assume people can direct themselves toward objectives they are committed to, seek responsibility under the right conditions and have creativity that organizations rarely use. McGregor argued that managers' assumptions tend to produce the behavior they expect.
Crew supervision at our company reflects Theory X. Crews call dispatch for approval before any change to a job, from adding an hour to wrapping an extra item, and each move is checked by a supervisor who inspects packing after the fact. Experienced crew chiefs, some with twenty years on the job, need permission to make decisions they understand better than anyone in the office.
Dimensions of Structure
Tolbert and Hall (2009) measure structure on a few scales: how many different units, levels and sites an organization has; how much written rules steer what people do; and centralization, how far up the hierarchy decisions get made.
| Dimension | Our company | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| Complexity | Moderate: dispatch, estimating, crews, warehouse, billing; two locations | Coordination across units required |
| Formalization | High: written rules for every job change | Consistency, but slow responses on site |
| Centralization | High: dispatch approves all changes | Crews wait; customers wait |
Mechanistic and Organic Forms
Burns and Stalker (1961) compared Scottish and English firms facing slow and fast change and found that rigid, rule-bound structures with orders flowing down worked where conditions were steady, while loose, adaptable structures, with roles that shift, talk that runs sideways between peers and authority resting on expertise, suited changing conditions. Neither form is better in general.
A moving job is full of change: a customer adds items, an elevator is out of service, a couch will not fit through a door. Those situations call for organic authority on site. Scheduling, pricing and billing, by contrast, are stable and benefit from mechanistic rules.
A Split Design
I recommend keeping the dispatch, estimating and billing functions mechanistic while giving crew chiefs with at least five years of experience authority to make on-site changes up to a set value, such as two added hours or $300 in materials, reporting them afterward. This reflects Theory Y assumptions about experienced movers, reduces delays for customers and keeps the rules where stability helps.
Conclusion
Our structure reflects Theory X assumptions applied to everyone. Rules for the steady office work and room to decide for the crews on site, with trust in veteran crew chiefs, would suit both the jobs and the people in them.
References
Burns, T., & Stalker, G. M. (1961). The management of innovation. Tavistock.
Shafritz, J. M., Ott, J. S., & Jang, Y. S. (Eds.). (2016). Classics of organization theory (8th ed.). Cengage Learning.
Tolbert, P. S., & Hall, R. H. (2009). Organizations: Structures, processes, and outcomes (10th ed.). Pearson Prentice Hall.
PSY 3600 Module 2 instructions, in plain terms
PSY-3600 has six written assignments, one paired with each module, worth 35 percent together, and this page shows the one written for the second module, on human resource theory and how organizations are structured. You will explain the human relations and human resource perspectives, describe an organization's structure on standard dimensions and connect managers' assumptions about people to how the organization is designed. Classic readings such as McGregor's essay in the Shafritz collection and Tolbert and Hall's chapters on structure are the base. Apply concepts to specific practices, and remember that the midterm exam asks essay questions of the same kind. Show how assumptions about people produce specific structural features.
How the PSY 3600 Module 2 example is put together
The paper begins with McGregor's two sets of assumptions and shows Theory X at work in how crews must seek approval for every change. Tolbert and Hall's three dimensions of structure are applied in a table, showing moderate complexity and high formalization and centralization, with their effects. Burns and Stalker's mechanistic and organic forms explain why one structure cannot fit both scheduling and work on a customer's stairs. The paper recommends a split design, keeping mechanistic rules in the office and giving experienced crew chiefs organic authority within limits. The conclusion links assumptions, structure and the nature of the work. The split design keeps rules where work is stable and gives authority where it changes on the spot. The paper treats assumptions and structure as one connected argument.
PSY 3600 Module 2 rubric: what earns full marks
Marks reward a correct reading of human resource theory and structure, one real workplace analyzed closely and APA form. Papers that connect managers' assumptions to specific structural features show the integration the module intends. Measuring structure on defined dimensions shows command of the textbook. Using a contingency idea, such as mechanistic versus organic forms, to propose a design shows analytical thinking. A recommendation with clear limits shows practical judgment. Mentors also credit recommendations with clear limits, such as a dollar ceiling on crew decisions. Measuring structure on the textbook's dimensions before judging it keeps the argument grounded in course concepts.
PSY 3600 Module 2 help from the desk
Students lose points by describing Theory X and Theory Y as personality types, by listing structural terms without applying them or by recommending that an organization become fully organic without regard to its work. Apply McGregor's assumptions to specific practices, measure structure on the textbook's dimensions and use a contingency view to match structure to tasks. A free first draft of your PSY-3600 Module 2 written assignment can be shaped to your workplace. Practice explaining one concept per paragraph with an example, which is how the midterm essays will be judged. Avoid treating Theory X and Theory Y as personality types; they are managers' assumptions, and the paper should show them in practice.
Write yours, or have the desk draft it
This paper is an original model document written by our desk, not a submitted student paper and not an official Thomas Edison State University document. Read it for the moves, then write your own to the instructions in your classroom. If you want one built to your exact prompt and rubric, the first custom sample is free and arrives in 24 to 48 hours.
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PSY 3600 Module 2 questions, answered
Where can I find a free PSY 3600 Module 2 sample paper?
The written assignment above connects Theory X assumptions to the structure of a moving and storage company.
What are Theory X and Theory Y?
McGregor's contrasting managerial assumptions, that people must be controlled versus that they can direct themselves and seek responsibility.
What are the dimensions of organizational structure?
Complexity, formalization and centralization, as Tolbert and Hall describe them.
What is the difference between mechanistic and organic structures?
Mechanistic structures have rigid hierarchy and specialized roles; organic structures have flexible roles and knowledge-based authority.
What does the PSY-3600 midterm cover?
The midterm draws on Modules 1 to 3 through essay questions, is proctored, lasts two hours and is worth 25 percent.