Self-control

A useful classification of the types of control in organisations is that by Dalton and Lawrence (1971) (see Table 2.2, p. 35) and Hopwood (1974) which relates to administrative control, social control and self-control. However, this has certain limitations in that administrative controls are socially constructed and executed, both administrative and social controls are exercised through individuals, and individual behaviour occurs in a social context. Furthermore, as Hopwood suggests: administrative, social and self controls … can never be considered independently of one another. For if one type of control is working at counter-purposes with another, the potential power of each is considerably reduced and their joint outcome can often be problematic. The administrative controls of an enterprise may, for instance, be designed to reward productivity increases, but they may have little effect if the employees have developed their own social controls which place restrictions on productivity improvements. Or alternatively, the most sophisticated budgetary system may be of little practical consequence if it fails to elicit the achievement motivations of a significant number of managers and employees. (Hopwood, 1974)