HR9610 Critical Organisational Analysis Through a postmodern lens: A critical evaluation of NHS Culture Wordcount: 3266 MARK: 83% Nicely written, organised and presented. You explain the features of the postmodernist / contemporary perspective and acknowledge that it is a reaction against modernism. I agree with your emphasis on the role of narrative, discourse and the way power operates. And you avoid making the common mistake of saying that it somehow unmasks the 'real' truth. All that was very good. Your discussion of some of the preferred methods of post modern philosophising was at times a little impenetrable, but I suppose that is characteristic of the approach. You make a clear attempt to apply and relate them to NHS discourse and some of your own experiences. That was good, but at times a little high level and abstract. It would have been good to see the discussion of more specific practices during your own time working in the organisation. Good use of supporting references throughout. Contents 1.Introduction3 2.Choice of perspective3 3.Critical Literature Review on Culture4 3.1 Introduction4 3.2 Culture and the Postmodernist Perspective5 3.3 Intertextuality5 3.4 Antenarrative6 3.5 Deconstruction6 3.6 Conclusion7 4.Critical Evaluation of practices & behaviours in the NHS7 4.1 Introduction7 4.2 The NHS Narrative7 4.3 Alternative Voices8 4.4 Government Power9 4.5 Conclusion10 5.Conclusion10 6.References12 7.Bibliography17 1. Introduction This essay will explore organisational culture through the postmodern lens and critically evaluate the practices and behaviours of the NHS. The NHS has been chosen as life in the UK and the NHS are inextricable, whilst culture provides a moral compass for workplace struggles (Reid, 2012; Bennett & Williams, 2013; Hatch, 2018). I was drawn to the postmodern perspective of culture as education tends to be rooted in modernistic views and one way to explore alternative perspectives is to write about a culture you have experienced (Geyh, 2003). The NHS claim culture “matters” and “shapes the whole organisation”, yet there are reports that there is a culture of blame, silencing and bullying (NHS Improvement 2017; BBC, 2015; Triggle, 2013). To understand what is really happening, without presenting the NHS as a sacred hero or a sinking ship, it is important to look at how the NHS discuss their culture, how others discuss their culture, and what is excluded (Scott, Mannion, Davies & Marshall, 2003; Matthew, 2009). The choice of perspective will be justified in section two, followed by a critical literature review of postmodernism and culture in section three. A critical evaluation of behaviours and practices in the NHS follows in section four, leading to final conclusions. 2. Choice of perspective This essay aims to expose hidden narratives, reveal silenced voices, and analyse accepted realities in the NHS to unpack ideological illusions of organisational culture and concealed power relations. For ...

1. HR9610 Critical Organisational Analysis
Through a postmodern lens: A critical evaluation of NHS
Culture
Wordcount: 3266
MARK: 83%
Nicely written, organised and presented.
You explain the features of the postmodernist / contemporary
perspective and acknowledge that it is a reaction against
modernism. I agree with your emphasis on the role of narrative,
discourse and the way power operates. And you avoid making
the common mistake of saying that it somehow unmasks the
'real' truth. All that was very good.
Your discussion of some of the preferred methods of post
modern philosophising was at times a little impenetrable, but I
suppose that is characteristic of the approach. You make a clear
attempt to apply and relate them to NHS discourse and some of
your own experiences. That was good, but at times a little high
level and abstract. It would have been good to see the
discussion of more specific practices during your own time
working in the organisation.
Good use of supporting references throughout.
Contents
1.Introduction3

2. 2.Choice of perspective3
3.Critical Literature Review on Culture4
3.1 Introduction4
3.2 Culture and the Postmodernist Perspective5
3.3 Intertextuality5
3.4 Antenarrative6
3.5 Deconstruction6
3.6 Conclusion7
4.Critical Evaluation of practices & behaviours in the NHS7
4.1 Introduction7
4.2 The NHS Narrative7
4.3 Alternative Voices8
4.4 Government Power9
4.5 Conclusion10
5.Conclusion10
6.References12
7.Bibliography17
1. Introduction
This essay will explore organisational culture through the
postmodern lens and critically evaluate the practices and
behaviours of the NHS. The NHS has been chosen as life in the
UK and the NHS are inextricable, whilst culture provides a
moral compass for workplace struggles (Reid, 2012; Bennett &
Williams, 2013; Hatch, 2018). I was drawn to the postmodern
perspective of culture as education tends to be rooted in
modernistic views and one way to explore alternative
perspectives is to write about a culture you have experienced
(Geyh, 2003).
The NHS claim culture “matters” and “shapes the whole
organisation”, yet there are reports that there is a culture of
blame, silencing and bullying (NHS Improvement 2017; BBC,
2015; Triggle, 2013). To understand what is really happening,
without presenting the NHS as a sacred hero or a sinking ship, it
is important to look at how the NHS discuss their culture, how
others discuss their culture, and what is excluded (Scott,
Mannion, Davies & Marshall, 2003; Matthew, 2009).

3. The choice of perspective will be justified in section two,
followed by a critical literature review of postmodernism and
culture in section three. A critical evaluation of behaviours and
practices in the NHS follows in section four, leading to final
conclusions.
2. Choice of perspective
This essay aims to expose hidden narratives, reveal silenced
voices, and analyse accepted realities in the NHS to unpack
ideological illusions of organisational culture and concealed
power relations. For this reason, the postmodern perspective has
been chosen as it can be used to expose organisations led in
modernist ways, such as the NHS (Martin, 2002; Scott et al.,
2003). Additionally, NHS culture has not improved through
implemented modernist frameworks (HCSA, 2019). The
postmodernist perspective can move beyond prescribed
solutions and instead encourage organisational actors to
question accepted truths, leading to meaningful change (Schultz
& Risberg, 1992).
Hatch (2018) describes the postmodern perspective as a stance
of critical appreciation in which reality and truth do not exist,
and any assertion is merely an exercise of power. Whilst this
encapsulates the perspective, any attempt to define
postmodernism would be paradoxical as it avoids fixed
definitions and meanings (Geyh, 2003; Schultz & Risberg,
1992). Therefore, this essay will embrace a plurality of realities
and highlight the ambiguity of culture by relinquishing ultimate
truth (Boje, 1991; Martin, 1992; Hancock & Tyler, 2001). This
adds a fruitfulness to evaluation and the opportunity to explore
new interpretations as well as unravelling current assumptions
(Hancock & Tyler, 2001). However, postmodernism may
subconsciously commit to modernist presumptions when
expressing disapproval (Gergen & Tojo, 1996). The postmodern
perspective fails to offer alternatives or solutions, despite
critiquing others, and it does not acknowledge its own position
of power (Hatch, 2018). Despite these limitations, the

4. postmodernist perspective can raise important questions around
the moral and political intentions of accepted organisational
practices whilst unveiling many truths and voices (Gergen &
Tojo, 1996).
The postmodern lens will inevitably impact the writing style of
this essay. Firstly, text and discourse will be central to analysis,
as postmodernists believe organisational culture is text and
language, which form ideological illusions to legitimise power
and minimise selected voices (Hatch, 2018). Moreover, the
focus of text and discourse aligns with the postmodern
philosophical foundations in linguistic ontology, which suggests
that knowledge derives from constructed language (Hatch, 2018;
Derrida, 1976). Secondly, this essay will not search for absolute
conclusions or meanings and instead will focus on appreciating
culture (Geyh, 2003).
This essay will include personal experiences of working in the
NHS. This offers the opportunity to investigate any gaps
between first-hand experiences and external information
(Hancock & Tyler, 2001). Furthermore, it presents an account
with less embellishment as the perception of experience, and its
chain of signifiers, is closer to the original experience
(Churchill, 2005). However, it is essential that the author is
suspicious and critical of their own assumptions and
experiences (Clegg & Kornberger, 2003). Furthermore,
including personal experience can raise epistemological
limitations, as a writer may assert their experiences as reality
(Churchill, 2005).
3. Critical Literature Review on Culture
3.1 Introduction
Postmodern literature is varied and complex, supplying an
unparalleled foundation to review the concepts which construct
our reality, or the lack of (Geyh, 2003; Hatch, 2018).
Postmodernism also presents a rich source of tools to analyse

5. organisational culture such as intertextuality, antenarrative and
deconstruction (Hatch, 2018). These tools highlight the
importance of text and its ability to create an illusionary
narrative intertwined with power dynamics and silenced voices
(Hancock & Tyler, 2001). This literature review will evaluate
key authors through a fluid discussion of culture and the three
key analytic techniques.
3.2 Culture and the Postmodernist Perspective
Hancock and Tyler (2001) suggest that postmodernism looks
beyond accepted ideals and discards the modernist idea that
organisational culture is always for the common good. Foucault,
Dreyfus & Rabinow (1982) propose that organisational culture
is intertwined with power, control and government rationality
which reduces a worker’s autonomy. Similarly, Payne (1991)
states culture is rooted in the control of a worker’s behaviours
and beliefs. However, Clegg and Kornberger (2003) and Martin
(1992) suggest that defining culture does not align with the
postmodern view of avoiding fixed truths. But in a constant
search for ambiguity, postmodernists often look only where they
will find uncertainty, by ignoring all quantitative data,
ultimately creating power in their own rationale (Martin, 2002).
Despite this, Martin (1992) suggests that seeking conclusions on
culture would be abandoning the postmodern lens.
Hatch (2018) and Martin (2002) suggest abandoning the
accepted truth that culture is fixed and easily changed and
proclaim that we are falling into the traps of modernist
thinking. Interestingly, postmodernism would struggle to
formulate a truly critical perspective without acknowledging the
very notions it strives to dismantle (Hancock & Tyler, 2001).
Postmodernism focuses on acknowledging the fragmented and
fluid meanings of culture with flexible cultural boundaries and
interpretations (Sanger, 1995; Schultz & Risberg, 1992;
Hancock & Tyler, 2001). Whilst modernism focuses on culture
creating a path to achieve outcomes, the postmodern perspective
argues this is merely an assertion of control (Martin, 2002).
However, Munro (1999) suggests this notion could reject human

6. agency and our ability to accept or understand control as a
fundamental part of existence and functioning.
3.3 Intertextuality
Kristeva’s (1986) theory of intertextuality can analyse and
unpack organisational culture through text. She introduced the
term following the work of Bakhtin and Saussure on the social
contexts and systematic qualities of language (Martin, 2011;
Allen, 2011). Intertextuality assumes texts of culture do not
stand alone, and instead are a patchwork of quotations with
interwoven sources that transform and evolve meaning,
ultimately leaving behind the original intentions of the author
(Kristeva, 1986; Raj, 2015; Hatch, 2018).
Intertextuality shows the constant evolution of organisational
culture, actors, symbols and actions and demonstrates that
ongoing referencing can change meanings (Hatch, 2018; Orr,
2010). However, some postmodernists disagree with the holistic
approach of intertextuality, and lean towards tools such as
antenarrative, which demonstrate the fragmentation of meaning
(Hatch, 2018; Martin, 2002).
3.4 Antenarrative
Boje’s (1991; 1995; 2006) antenarrative theory argues that
organisations destabilise accepted attributes of storytelling by
ignoring linear explanations, instead proposing fragmented,
speculative narratives. This builds a new story to change the
future and alter the past, by silencing multiple voices and
trialling various narratives until one is accepted (Hatch, 2018;
Ray & Goppelt, 2011). However, Schultz & Risberg (1992)
argue that antenarrative rejects evidence that many people seek
culture as a way of life, despite the exploitative qualities, as
they focus on sharing experiences.
Antenarrative is a significant theoretical lens as it expl ores the
compromising process of understanding fragmented work stories
(Thorpe & Holt, 2008; Ray & Goppelt, 2011). Vaara and Tienari
(2011) argue that antenarrative is essential in analysis as it
unfolds the organisational techniques that build culture. Humle

7. and Pedersen (2015) agree, as antenarratives reveal the use of
doubt to shift culture. However, antenarrative has little practical
value as it simply diagnostic (Ray & Goppelt, 2011; Martin,
2002).
3.5 Deconstruction
Mumby’s (1998) theory of deconstruction looks to undermine
the dominant narrative by unearthing opposing perspectives
(Papa, Daniels & Spiker; 2008; Clegg & Kornberger, 2003).
Deconstruction can be used as a response to the reproduced and
tailored narratives, and thereby organisational cultures, as it
reveals power imbalances and excluded voices (Hatch, 2018).
Deconstruction does not aim for one interpretation to win but to
unearth different lenses (Hatch, 2018).
Rosen’s (1985) deconstructive study of Breakfast at Spiros
found that employees were coerced into conforming with culture
to exploit them. However, this could ignore individual sense of
self and the influence of personal enjoyment (Munro, 1999;
Cohen, 1994). Boje (1995) used deconstruction to uncover
unheard voices and stories of Disney employees, and in
combination with the dominant narrative showcased the many
organisational truths (Hancock & Tyler, 2001). Rowlinson &
Hassard (1993) discovered that one organisational culture was
rooted in quaker values to mask exploitative manage ment
practices (Hatch, 2018). In a similar study, Ezzy (2001) found
that a family-like culture exploited worker’s good nature in
return for financial gain, creating an alternative simulacrum of
their workplace community (Hatch, 2018). Whilst important,
Jencks (1988) suggests deconstruction is subversive and
requires an ideology to unravel. It must dance a fine line to
ensure it does not become a dominant power, a rule, a box and a
definitive (Jencks, 1998; Clegg & Kornberger, 2003).
3.6 Conclusion
The dominant narrative suggests that culture is fixed, but
postmodernism transcends this, focusing on the fragmentation
of cultures and the exertion of power (Hancock & Tyler, 2001;
Schultz & Risberg, 1992). Intertextuality, antenarrative and

8. deconstruction are useful tools to expose the evolved meanings,
layered stories and silenced voices which create accepted
cultural practices, behaviours, and narratives. The lens
presented in the literature review will provide a basis for
critically evaluating the NHS.
4. Critical Evaluation of practices & behaviours in the NHS
4.1 Introduction
This critical evaluation will appreciate the phenomenon of
culture within the NHS. To align with philosophical foundations
in linguistic ontology, cultural practices and behaviours w ill be
analysed through text and discourse (Hatch, 2018; Derrida,
1976). NHS culture has been widely discussed by the media,
academics, and the government, which presents an opportunity
to investigate the dominant narrative and bring to the fore
alternative voices and power dynamics (Matthews, 2009). To
unearth multiple layers of culture, this evaluation will begin
with the dominant narrative held by the NHS themselves, before
delving into alternative voices and power dynamics within the
Government’s narrative.
4.2 The NHS Narrative
The NHS express a collective staff culture through their
mantras, proudly declaring “We are the NHS”, “We are a team”
and “We each have a voice that counts” (NHS 2020a). Their
peoples promise and organisational values describe a culture
focused on recognising the whole community (NHS, 2020a;
NHS 2020b). The NHS careers pages are filled with
inspirational staff stories and a culture which lifts each other up
(NHS, 2020a). Whilst it could be that these claims express
culture as a state of mind, it is more likely that the NHS are
arguing that culture works for the common good, a very
modernistic outlook which this evaluation strives to look
beyond (Hancock and Tyler, 2001; Martin, 2002; Jencks, 1993).
Following reports of a toxic culture, the NHS released a plan to
enact change (Stevenson, 2019; Cotton, 2015a; Triggle, 2013;
NHS Improvement, 2017). The NHS Annual survey found high
levels of culture complaints; however, this quantitative method

9. would suggest there is only one truth, a notion which this
evaluation rejects (HCSA, 2019; Hatch, 2018). The NHS aim to
address problems by using data for cultural improvements, but
employees should be suspicious of any organisation attempting
to manage culture (Hatch, 2018; NHS, 2020c).
The NHS claim a culture shift will improve organisational
outcomes, which is an attempt to use culture to control
employee behaviours for financial gain (Kings Fund, 2020;
Hancock & Tyler, 2001). In the 1980s, the NHS experienced an
organisational shift towards modernist ideals of efficiency and
control (Matthews, 2009). This can be seen in recent NHS
public discourse, which is laced with words such as rules,
behaviour, results, and outcomes (NHS Improvement, 2017;
Stevenson, 2019; HCSA, 2019). This approach hides the
realities of their culture and silences voices (Stevenson, 2019;
HCSA, 2019).
4.3 Alternative Voices
Alternative narratives and voices hold the NHS narrative of
culture to be true, whilst also contradicting it. Voices reported
through the media were the basis of NHS improvement plans,
however, they also showcase alternative experiences which the
NHS does not acknowledge (NHS Improvement, 2017). Media
reports of toxic NHS culture reveal unheard voices, for
example, a GP felt NHS culture endorsed secrecy, and a
paediatrician was offered compensation to not report complaints
to the media (Triggle, 2013; BBC, 2015). However, this is the
first discovered layer and not the ultimate truth (Martin, 1992;
Martin, 2002).
Intertextuality reveals the evolution of meaning in the media
narrative (Hatch, 2018). Quotes are contextualised around the
writer’s opinion which distorts the original meaning (Martin,
2011). This could raise issues of authenticity, as news outlets
can be used as a tool to push agendas (Gehlbach & Sonin,
2014). Building a negative perspective of the NHS creates a
sense of inadequacy, which can increase acceptance of
government policies and frame a sense of reality which

10. increases governmental power (Walker, Hanna, & Raisborough,
2020; Hatch, 2018; Foucault et al., 1982).
Antenarrative can expose the many layers of NHS culture
(Clegg & Kornberger, 2003). A book written by a former NHS
worker brought to the surface many distressing, hidden accounts
yet was publicly disputed by the NHS (Dyer, 2019; Williams,
2020). The NHS created an antenarrative, reinforcing the
inadequacies of the individual rather than addressing the claims,
which silenced the author’s voice and created a new accepted
narrative (Clegg & Kornberger, 2003).
Some employees experience a cover up culture where
consultants change written accounts of experiences to avoid
penalties and fines (NAME ertyupersonal communication,
February 2016). The consensus of employees is that these
behaviours protect the team and create a culture where mistakes
are forgiven (A. Irving-Carr, personal communication, April
2016). Whilst these innocent intentions could hold true, these
behaviours could indicate a culture of manipulation which leads
to a rise in power, legitimacy and status for consultants
(Foucault et al., 1982; Martin, 2002). It could be that culture
does not exist at all, and that these stories are another way to
control employee behaviours (Hatch, 2018). Alternatively,
employees could be reacting against the power imbalance
imposed by the penalties and fines (Clegg & Kornberger, 2003).
This experience can represent the illusion of culture which
differs depending on position, privilege, and power (Hatch,
2018; Foucault et al., 1982).
Deconstruction of media and NHS texts reveal that culture may
be used as a scapegoat for organisational shortcomings (Scott et
al., 2003; Clegg & Kornberger, 2003; Wise, 2018). Reports push
a culture of bullying, silencing and blame, but this projection of
a single culture ignores the nuances of coexisting cultures and
subcultures (Scott et al., 2003). This is reinforced by the NHS
in their use of language, always referring to the NHS as a
singular entity (NHs, 2020a; NHS 2020b). This one-
dimensional, fixed culture creates a set of measures to overhaul

11. their system, which serves only the performance outcomes
(Scott et al., 2003). This approach ignores the multiple roles,
departments, locations, and people under the NHS umbrella, and
offers simplistic solutions with little depth (Wise, 2018).
Furthermore, framing culture as a one-size-fits-all phenomenon,
with a singular remedy, marginalises key contributors to culture
such as knowledge, macrostructural factors and governmental
influence (Scott et al., 2003; Wise, 2018; Anderson-Wallace &
Shale, 2013).
4.4 Government Power
It is important to evaluate the political dimension of NHS
culture, as the government and politics underpin dominant
narratives and influence reporting, compliance, and targets
(Jencks, 1993; Anderson-Wallace, & Shale, 2013; Hatch, 2018;
Lacobucci, 2017). A centralised administration allows the
government to exercise power using top-down approaches to
instil behaviours in the organisation (Scott et al., 2003;
Foucault, et al., 1982). This can be seen in a report released by
the Department of Health (2015) which details a plan for culture
change. This is a modernist outlook, as they focus on
prescribing methods for improvement to reduce defects and
increase productivity, showing they believe culture can be
designed and controlled from the top (Matthew, 2009; Hatch,
2018).
The government introduced ‘clap for the NHS’ to unite the
public, show appreciation and improve organisational culture
(Bowman, 2020; Binding, 2020). However, this hides the
governments reluctancy to improve working conditions and
budgets (Darlow, 2020; King & Lawley, 2016). Their public
support of the NHS is an illusion, hiding the fact that
parliament blocked an NHS pay rise, resources have been cut
(Peat, 2020; Savage, 2019; Darlow, 2020). These are all causal
factors of a toxic corporate culture (Wise, 2018).
The Government respond to cultural problems in the NHS by

12. describing leadership as the only solution, as demonstrated in a
speech by Matt Hancock and a Government Brief (Stevenson,
2019; Department of Health and Social Care, 2018; Sturrock,
2019). However, this modernist approach suggests leadership
can control workers, which diminishes agency and ignores
organisation members as a creator of change (Scott et al., 2003;
Matthew, 2009; Martin, 2002; Hatch, 2018). Wise (2018) argues
that using cultural leadership as a remedy is politicised
bureaucracy, which hides the negative impacts of government
strategy, budgets, and policies.
4.5 Conclusion
This critical evaluation of practices and behaviours in the NHS
exposes and navigates many layers and illusions of culture. The
NHS describe a collective and kind culture throughout their
organisational texts, but through intertextuality, antenarrative,
and deconstruction we can understand the abundance of
alternative voices which describe workplace bullying,
marginalisation and silencing (Scott et al., 2003; Clegg &
Kornberger, 2003). This evaluation argues that the government
create an unbalanced power dynamic to benefit their own
agenda, with leadership as a method of control (Matthew, 2009;
Martin, 2002; Wise 2018).
5. Conclusion
Through the postmodern lens, this essay has appreciated the
many layers of organisational culture at the NHS. It has been
argued that both hidden and visible layers silence voices to
create an illusionary narrative intertwined with power
imbalances (Matthew, 2009). Whilst the NHS create a positive
narrative for their organisation, other voices expose a culture of
bullying (Scott et al., 2003). Furthermore, it has been found that
the government frame a sense of reality to create a source of
power and control (Wise, 2018). It is important to accept that
these narratives and voices can coexist, even if conflicting, to
appreciate the fluid and fragmented meaning of culture (Schultz
& Risberg, 1992; Sanger, 1995; Hancock & Tyler, 2001).
With the assertion of control and the silencing of voices through

13. culture, there is a great deal of change needed within the NHS.
However, moving forward with action could be difficult given
the ambiguity of postmodernism (Martin, 1992). Offering a set
of recommendations would be asserting power in itself. Instead,
we can encourage awareness of the ethical implications that the
NHS culture can bring (Hatch, 2018). We can inspire
individuals and organisations to critically question themselves,
their cultural experiences and the power asserted on them to
come together to overturn corporate control (Schultz & Risberg,
1992; Hancock & Tyler, 2001).
2
2

14. GENDER AT THE BBC FROM A SYMBOLIC PERSPECTIVE
Critical Organizational Analysis
MARK: 75%
Word Count: 3294
Gender at the BBC from a Symbolic Perspective
This essay will analyse the practices and behaviours of the BBC
with regard to gender, more specifically the gender pay gap,
from a symbolic perspective. From a modernist perspective,
gender can be described as the fixed physical and anatomical
characteristics that make someone a man or a woman. However,
this is an example of gender essentialism, the belief that males
and females are born with distinctively different natures,
determined biologically rather than culturally (Chandler and
Munday, 2011). A more symbolic description of gender comes

15. from the World Health Organisation (WHO), “Gender refers to
the socially constructed characteristics of women and men, such
as norms, roles, and relationships of and between groups of
women and men. It varies from society to society and can be
changed.” (WHO, 2013). This essay will aim to identify the
effects these socially constructed characteristics have on the
practices and behaviours of the BBC and how they contributed
to a gender pay gap. First, a rationale for the choice of
organisation will be presented, followed by an explanation of
the choice of theoretical perspective. This will be followed by a
critical literature review on the gender pay gap and by an
analysis of the BBC’s practices and behaviours in relation to the
gender pay gap. The essay will finish with a conclusion.
Broadcasting companies, in general, negotiate a range of often
contradictory interests, values, contexts, and expectations which
make them especially prone to public conflicts. This is further
amplified with the BBC as it occupies a unique position within
UK broadcasting, as it is publicly funded. This positions the
BBC as a guardian of the public sphere and poses specific
dilemmas for the organisation in that higher standards of
management ethics are expected in comparison to its
commercial rivals. Consequently, its approach to managing its
employees must be highly sensitive to changes in the socio-
cultural and political environment, given the greater risk of its
attracting negative publicity than other media
companies (Arthurs, 2013). This has been demonstrated with the
BBC being involved in several public crises including: the
handling of revelations about Jimmy Saville; the lewd behaviour
of its presenters Jonathan Ross and Russell Brand; a successful
legal challenge to an editorial decision to displace older women
in a prime-time programme; and a crisis this essay will be
focusing on, the BBC’s gender pay gap controversy. These

16. controversies and the position the BBC occupies are why it is
the focus of this essay. The next section will give a rationale for
the choice of theoretical perspective.
The selected approach is the symbolic perspective. This
perspective according to Hatch (2018) is anti-positivist. Anti-
positivism is a theoretical stance that proposes that the social
realm cannot be studied with the same scientific methods of
investigation utilised within the sciences, and that investigation
of the social realm requires a different epistemology.
Fundamental to that epistemology is that a true understanding of
an organisation can only be gained through researching its
employees’ experiences (Macionis & Gerber, 2011). The
symbolic perspective was chosen as the modernist perspective is
too general and ill-suited to reflect the nuance and variability
found in human interaction. Also, because the values and beliefs
of researchers cannot be fully removed from their inquiry,
research on human beings by human beings cannot yield
objective results, which the modernist perspective demands.
Rather than seeking an objective perspective, this essay will use
the symbolic perspective to look for meaning in the subjective
experiences of individuals engaging in social interaction. This
aligns with the theme of gender, as gender refers to socially
constructed characteristics and the way people experience these
characteristics can vary significantly and is full of nuance. The
modernist perspective looks for quantitative results which
generally do not exist when studying a social construct such as
gender. Whilst this essay will still be analysing quantitative
data such as the BBC’s gender pay gap figures, it will look to
focus on the experiences of BBC employees such as those of the
women
expressed in the “Making the BBC a great workplace for
women” (BBC, 2020) article. The symbolic perspective was
chosen over the contemporary perspective as the contemporary

17. perspective is concerned with challenging the image that an
organisation is presenting of itself (Boje, 1995), not focusing on
social constructs like gender or on the experiences of
individuals. It could be argued that it would be very difficult for
the BBC to present an image of the organisation that is untrue,
as it is a large and public company. Also, some of its employees
are celebrities who can be very vocal when conflicts within the
organisation arise. This essay will be wary of the issues
adopting the symbolic perspective can create. According to
Hatch (2018), the symbolic perspectives’ focus on experiences
and qualitative research can lead to overgeneralization, which
occurs when broad conclusions are based on a small sample of
data. This is a danger because qualitative data, even for a
company as large and public as the BBC, is relatively rare, as
qualitative research is intensive and demanding. However, many
of the issues which the symbolic perspective raises are also
faced by both the contemporary and modernist perspectives. The
risk of bias can never be completely removed from qualitative
research any more than measurement error can be eliminated
from quantitative studies. Also, conclusions based on
quantitative data are open to bias as they also involve
interpretation (Hatch, 2018). For these reasons, the symbolic
perspective has been determined the most suitable perspective
to adopt for the theme and organisation. The following section
will be a critical literature review on the gender pay gap.
The BBC is not unique in having a gender pay gap issue.
According to the Office for National Statistics the gender pay
gap in the UK currently stands at 15.5%, down from 17.4% in
2019 (Smith, 2020). As a result, there is a large body of work
seeking to ascertain what the main factors causing this
phenomenon are. Joan Acker, one of the leading analysts
regarding gender, identified five practices and processes within
organisations which produce gender inequalities (Acker, 2006).
The first was the organisation of the general requirements for

18. work. Acker theorised that in general, work is organised on the
image of a man who is totally dedicated to his work and has no
childcare responsibilities. As women tend to have more
obligations outside of work than men, women find it harder to
meet these demands thus leading to women struggling to work
their way up organisational hierarchies. The next practice
identified was the organisation of the hierarchies themselves.
Acker posited that traditional female roles such as clerical
work, despite being skilled, had been categorised as low-paid
jobs intentionally by organisations to reproduce existing gender
inequalities. A further practice identified was recruitment.
Acker suggested that from the perspective of employers, the
gender of existing jobholders at least partially defines who is
suitable for the role. This leads to traditionally high-paid male
roles being more likely to be filled by males. Acker then
identified the practice of wage setting. Acker proposed that
gender affected assumptions about skill, responsibility, and a
fair wage for jobs and workers, helping to produce wage
differences. Many other studies further affirm that gender
impacts upon the perception of employees’ deservingness
(Figart, Mutari, and Power 2002; Simpson, Kumra, Lewis &
Rumens, 2020). The final practice Acker identifies is informal
interactions while “doing the work.”. Acker suggested that men
devalue and exclude women by, for example, not listening to
them in meetings, by not inviting them to join group outings for
a drink after work, and by not seeking their opinions on
workplace problems. This creates a distance between the men
and women and leads to men forming relationships with other
men who are then more likely to help them up the organisational
hierarchies. This theme of women finding it harder to move up
hierarchies is prevalent in the literature. Brewis and Linstead
(2009) suggest that the historically influential definition of
women as somehow irrevocably feminine, congenitally
subordinate, emotional, and irrational, means they are perceived
as ill- equipped for work at the top of the organisational ‘tree’.

19. Acker (2006) and Brewis and Linstead (2009) provide
influential theories, and their work is supported by many other
researchers and by data such as the image in Appendix A, which
illustrates the under representation of women across senior
positions in the UK. Their theories however are not without
flaw. Their research was published over 10 years ago. Since
then, society has changed, and more women have become
career-orientated and men have taken more responsibility for
childcare. Both the articles identified practices which make it
harder for women to rise organisational hierarchies, making
higher paid roles less accessible to women and thus creating a
gender pay gap. This issue has been highlighted in other studies
(Bishu & Alkadry, 2017). These studies take somewhat of a
modernist perspective and do not consider the experiences of
women such as Carrie Gracie, the BBC’s former China editor,
who despite climbing the organisational hierarchy still found
herself being paid less than men in similar roles. The criticism
may be that these studies are taking an over-simplified view of
the factors causing the gender pay gap. However, this issue of
women finding it harder to rise organisational hierarchies, is
experienced by many women, as illustrated in Appendix A. It
has also been argued that the gender pay gap is not due to
discrimination and there may be legitimate reasons behind it.
The Institute for Economic Affairs argued “If women are paid
less than men, why not make some men redundant and only
employ women, thus increasing profits? One would expect this
process to lead to a reduction in the pay gap – indeed the
process could go on until the gap was eliminated. If there r eally
is a pay gap between men and women caused by discrimination,
then shareholders will pay a heavy price.” (TUC, 2008). It could
be argued however that this line of reasoning lacks depth and
does not consider that the discrimination that women experience
may be unconscious and due to deeply held perceptions of

20. women which lead to them being perceived as unsuitable for
senior roles. The next section will provide an analysis of the
BBC’s practices and behaviours in relation to the gender pay
gap.
In July 2017, the BBC published its annual report. The report
revealed that the BBC’s
highest earner was Chris Evans, who made between £2.2m and
£2.25m in 2016/17, while Claudia Winkleman was the highest-
paid female celebrity, earning between £450,000 and
£500,000. The report went on to reveal that about two-thirds of
stars earning more than
£150,000, and all of the top seven earners, were male (BBC,
2017). The image in Appendix B illustrates the gender pay gap
in the BBC stars’ pay. This controversy illuminate d the fact that
men working across all roles at the BBC earned an average of
9.3% more than women, showing that the issue was not confined
only to stars. The first practice Acker (2006) identified which
the BBC may be guilty of is, organising the general
requirements for work in a way which would lead to a gender
pay gap. The BBC has a flexible working policy. This policy
states that “The BBC is committed to agreeing flexible working
arrangements, provided that the needs and objectives of both the
organisation and the employee can be met.”. The policy gives
employees the option of part-time working, term-time working,
flexitime, remote working, job sharing, career breaks and more
if practical for their role (BBC, 2018). It appears to be a
cutting-edge flexible working policy which would help to
alleviate the impact of issues such as women having more out of
work obligations. Along with this, the BBC has a Parental and
Carers Support Policy. This states that “The BBC is committed
to supporting employees when they become carers, parents or
take on parental responsibility for a child.”. This policy gives

21. BBC employees the right to maternity leave and pay, adoption
leave and pay, shared parental leave and pay, paternity leave
and pay, foster leave and pay, and more (BBC, 2019). Yet again
this policy appears to be very progressive and should make
obstacles such as maternity leave as small as possible for
women aiming to climb the organisational hierarchy. However,
a series of workforce consultation workshops in BBC locations
across the UK in which 5,000 ideas and comments were
received from over 800 employees found that these policies may
not be being used effectively. Regarding flexible working, the
workshops found that employees felt working part-time may
have a
significant and negative impact on career progression. They
reported that their commitment to work was questioned, that it
appeared to indicate a lack of interest in continuing to progress
and led to being overlooked for opportunities (BBC, 2020).
Regarding parental leave a range of experiences were offered,
including: a lack of information; a lack of understanding and
care from line managers and colleagues; and a lack of
knowledge around policy. Many identified feeling cut off and
excluded whilst on maternity leave and others talked about
having no access to IT systems leaving them without access to
policy information and the internal Careers Hub. Employees
returning to work reported feeling unsupported, deskilled,
lacking in confidence, and “thrown in at the deep end” (BBC,
2020). Based on these experiences, it appears that whilst the
BBC has leading-edge policies and procedures in place to
provide a platform for women to make their way up their
organisational hierarchy whilst having children, this is not the
case in reality and the BBC’s has created a culture in which
making use of flexible working left employees feeling like it
had a negative effect on their career progression and utilising
the company’s parental leave left employee’s feeling out of the

22. loop and unsupported when they returned to work. These
feelings are echoed by many women in other organisations
(Guardian, 2015; Kenyon, 2016). The experience of these
employees is also reflected in the quantitative data at the BBC.
Only 13% of BBC employees are on reduced hours contracts
and this falls to 9% in leadership roles and even further in
senior management roles, 2.3%. Also, almost one third of
women have left the BBC following their maternity leave since
2014, with 10% leaving during maternity, 14% within 12
months and 7% after one year (BBC, 2020). The next practice
Acker identified effecting the gender pay gap is the BBC’s
recruitment process. The experience of women at the BBC
differs from the discrimination Acker recognized. It was
suggested that women felt “intimidated” by the BBC’s processes
and lacked trust in a fair outcome, creating a significant
obstacle to the main route of career progression in the BBC,
either laterally or upwards. Recruitment was felt to be one-way,
heavily reliant upon competency-based interviews which are felt
to penalise part-time workers or women who have taken
extended leave around children (BBC, 2020). It could be argued
however that competency-based interviews are very common
practice. They can give an employer an almost live view into
the candidate’s particular skillsets, achievements, and
experience. They help use situations to paint a more vivid
picture for the interviewer to assess synergies which would help
decipher if a candidate is suitable or qualified for the role on
offer. Neither of these practices come to explain how the
situation with Carrie Gracie and many other female BBC stars
occurred however, as these women were able to rise the
organisational hierarchy but still found themselves being paid
less than men in similar roles. One of the practices which may
have caused this was that the BBC stars’ pay being negotiable.
According to research by Artz, Goodall, and Oswald (2018),

23. despite women asking for pay rises just as often as men they are
less likely to receive one. Other studies have suggested that this
may be because women act less assertively in negotiations for
fear of upsetting the relationship with their boss or colleagues
(Amanatullah and Morris, 2010). Regardless of the reason,
women generally are at a disadvantage when salaries are
negotiable. According to Palmer (2020) the BBC also did not
have a clear and transparent way of determining pay. In the case
of Samira Ahmed, the BBC argued that although she presented a
very similar show to Jeremy Vine, he deserved to be paid almost
seven times more per episode of his show “Points of View” than
she did of her show “Newswatch”. The BBC said that Vine’s
show included humour and required a “glint in the eye”, for
which extra skill and experience was necessary. This “glint in
the eye” quality the BBC spoke of is very subjective and
difficult to put a value on and leaves the BBC open to gender
discrimination cases like Samira Ahmed’s, which she won. It
could be argued however that due to the nature of the business
the BBC is in, entertainment, salaries of stars may well have to
be determined on a subjective basis as what is entertaining
or what value a presenter brings to a show is by its nature
subjective. However, the gap between male and female star s pay
at the BBC is substantial and would therefore suggest that there
are significantly more entertaining men than women, which is
very unlikely to be the case.
In conclusion, the analysis of the BBC’s practices and
behaviours regarding gender discrimination leading to their
gender pay gap demonstrates that the organisation has three
main practices which could be improved to address their gender
pay gap issue. Firstly, whilst the BBC has very advanced
flexible working and parental leave policies their corporate
culture is not allowing these policies to be used effectively.
This essay would recommend the best way to address this issue

24. would be to build a supportive environment, recognising the
help that women need to balance career and home. Also, the
BBC should provide support for people taking extended leave to
care for family and improve the experience for people when
they return to work. This would be done by training managers to
ensure that they understand the policies and are equipped to
provide support to employees. The next practice the analysis
identified was the recruitment process. It was felt that the
recruitment process was intimidating and relied too heavily on
competency-based interviews which discriminated against part-
time workers or women who had taken extended leave around
children. This essay recommends that this could be addressed
through multiple approaches: the use of language in adverts
could be changed to attract more women to apply; assessing
“potential” in interview assessments; and slowing down the
recruitment process to maximize applications from women. The
BBC could also delay closing their job adverts until there is
appropriate gender representation on interview shortlists or
enforce a mandatory 50/50 gender split for shortlists. Finally,
this essay has identified that the BBC does not have a clear and
transparent way of determining their stars’ pay and that pay was
negotiable. This essay recommends introducing a transparent
and consistent process for evaluating and determining
pay for its on-air talent. This could be done through a pay band
structure, which many companies operate, which would be
based on experience and viewing figures. These
recommendations could increase the BBC’s time to hire and
may lead to the BBC potentially losing stars to its commercial
rivals. However, if the BBC continues to operate with its
current practices and behaviours it may see women continuing
to leave the organisation, leading to the BBC missing out on the
positives that come with a diverse workforce including greater
choice of skilled workers, improved innovation and creativity,

25. higher workforce productivity, and healthier financial
performance (WISE, 2020). In addition, the BBC will leave
itself open to further gender discrimination cases, with the
attendant reputational and financial risks.
Programme:
MBus
Module Code:
PE6001
Module Title:
Critical Organisational Analysis
Distributed on:
January 2020
Submission Time and Date:
TBC
Word Limit:
Total of 3000 words
Weighting
This coursework accounts for 100% of the total mark for this
module
Submission of Assessment
It is your responsibility to ensure that your assignment arrives
before the submission deadline stated on the eLP. See the
University policy on late submission of work (the relevant
extract is set out below).
Electronic Management of Assessment (EMA): Please note that
the assignment is submitted electronically and will be submitted
online via Turnitin by the given deadline. You will find a
Turnitin link on the module’s eLP site.
Instructions on Assessment:
Submit a 3000 word structured essay, in which you critically

26. evaluate the practices/behaviours in an organisation of your
choice. You will research the organisation to identify
practices/behaviours that are problematic and require
investigation as well as recommendations to attend to the issues
identified. You will write from either the symbolic or
contemporary theoretical perspectives, using Organisation
Theory from the most relevant theme taught in the module. The
perspective needs to be carried through the assignment and
present through every section.
The themes that we will cover in the module are:
· Structure and Design
· Identity
· Culture
· Organisational Learning and Knowledge Management
· Aesthetics
· Power and Control
· Gender
Guidance for writing the essay
You are encouraged to structure your essay as follows:
· Introduction to the essay and rationale for the choice of
organisation [10%]
· A brief section justifying your choice of theoretical
perspective: either the symbolic or the contemporary and how
this impacts on your writing approach [20%]
· A critical literature review on the one theme that you consider
to have the greatest importance for that organisation, using
either the symbolic or the contemporary theoretical perspective
as your context [20%]
· Critical evaluation of the practices/behaviours of the case
organisation in relation to the selected theme through critical
application of the reviewed theories [30%]
· Conclusions [10%]
· Reference list: Cite no fewer than 5 contemporary academic

27. journal articles that are discussed in the essay. You should also
cite additional references from books, textbooks, credible news
outlets and professional journals [10%]
Guidance for choice of the organisation
You can select an organisation you are familiar with, e.g. your
placement organisation or an organisation you would like to
work with. You can alternatively select one of the following
organisations:
· OXFAM https://www.oxfam.org.uk/
· British Cycling https://www.britishcycling.org.uk/
· Zara https://www.zara.com/
· Tesla https://www.tesla.com
· Tyneside Cinema https://www.tynesidecinema.co.uk/
· HSBC https://www.hsbc.com.hk/
Late submission of work
Where coursework is submitted without approval, after the
published hand-in deadline, the following penalties will apply.
For coursework submitted up to 1 working day (24 hours) after
the published hand-in deadline without approval, 10% of the
total marks available for the assessment (i.e.100%) shall be
deducted from the assessment mark.
For clarity: a late piece of work that would have scored 65%,
55% or 45% had it been handed in on time will be awarded
55%, 45% or 35% respectively as 10% of the total available
marks will have been deducted.
The Penalty does not apply to Pass/Fail Modules, i.e. there will
be no penalty for late submission if assessments on Pass/Fail
are submitted up to 1 working day (24 hours) afterthe published

28. hand-in deadline.
Coursework submitted more than 1 working day (24 hours) after
the published hand-in deadline without approval will be
regarded as not having been completed. A mark of zero will be
awarded for the assessment and the module will be failed,
irrespective of the overall module mark.
For clarity: if the original hand-in time on working day A is
12noon the 24 hour late submission allowance will end at
12noon on working day B.
These provisions apply to all assessments, including those
assessed on a Pass/Fail basis.
Word limits and penalties
If the assignment is within +10% of the stated word limit no
penalty will apply.
The word count is to be declared on the front page of your
assignment and the assignment cover sheet. The word count
does not include:
· Title and Contents page
· Reference list
· Appendices
· Appropriate tables, figures and illustrations
· Glossary
· Bibliography
· Quotes from interviews and focus groups.
Please note, in text citations [e.g. (Smith, 2011)] and direct
secondary quotations [e.g. “dib-dab nonsense analysis” (Smith,

29. 2011 p.123)] are INCLUDED in the word count.
If this word count is falsified, students are reminded that under
ARTA this will be regarded as academic misconduct.
If the word limit of the full assignment exceeds the +10% limit,
10% of the mark provisionally awarded to the assignment will
be deducted. For example: if the assignment is worth 70 marks
but is above the word limit by more than 10%, a penalty of 7
marks will be imposed, giving a final mark of 63.
Students must retain an electronic copy of this assignment
(including ALL appendices) and it must be made available
within 24hours of them requesting it be submitted.
Note: For those assessments or partial assessments based on
calculation, multiple choice etc., marks will be gained on an
accumulative basis. In these cases, marks allocated to each
section will be made clear.
Academic Misconduct
The Assessment Regulations for Taught Awards (ARTA)
contain the Regulations and procedures applying to cheating,
plagiarism and other forms of academic misconduct.
The full policy is available at:
http://www.northumbria.ac.uk/sd/central/ar/qualitysupport/assp
olicies/
You are reminded that plagiarism, collusion and other forms of
academic misconduct as referred to in the Academic Misconduct
procedure of the assessment regulations are taken very seriously

30. by Newcastle Business School. Assignments in which evidence
of plagiarism or other forms of academic misconduct is found
may receive a mark of zero.
Mapping to Programme Goals and Objectives
This assessment will contribute directly to the following
Undergraduate programme goals and objectives.
1. Knowledge & Understanding:
Students will be able to:
x
1.
Assess knowledge of contemporary organisation and
management practice informed by theory and research
x
Appraise knowledge of Organisation Theory to complex
problems in professional practice in order to identify justifiable,
sustainable and responsible solutions
2. Intellectual / Professional skills & abilities:
x
Be able to communicate effectively to diverse audiences
utilising knowledge and understanding of the diverse range of
perspectives on Organisation Theory and practice
x
Critique creative and critical thinking skills that involve
independence, understanding, justification and the ability to
challenge the thinking of self and others

31. 3. Personal Values Attributes:
Students will be able to:
x
1.
Have the attitudes and skills to work constructively and
sensitively in multi-cultural environments and teams and have
an awareness of ethical considerations
Assessment Brief – Newcastle Business School
Page 3 of 5
Module Specific Assessment Criteria
Criteria
Scales
0-30%
Poor
30-40%
Inadequate
40-50%
Adequate
50-60%
Good
60-70%
Very Good
70-80%
Excellent
80-100%
Exceptional
Introduction and rationale for the choice of organisation

32. MLO1,3
10 marks
No introduction to the essay. Completely insufficient discussion
of the rationale for choice of organisation.
The introduction is not effective. Insufficient discussion of the
rationale for choice of organisation.
Adequately effective introduction to the essay. The discussion
of the rationale for choice of organisation is adequate.
Good introduction to the essay, which includes a good
discussion of the rationale for choice of organisation.
Very good introduction to the essay, which includes a very good
discussion of the rationale for choice of organisation.
Excellent introduction to the essay, which includes an excellent
discussion of the rationale for choice of organisation.
Outstandingly effective introduction to the essay, which
includes an outstanding discussion of the rationale for choice of
organisation.
Justification of the choice of theoretical perspective
MLO 1,2,3
20 marks
Completely insufficient discussion of the choice of theoretical
perspective
Insufficient justification of the choice of theoretical perspective
Adequate justification of the choice of theoretical perspective
Good justification of the choice of theoretical perspective
Very good justification of the choice of theoretical perspective
Excellent justification of the choice of theoretical perspective
Outstanding justification of the choice of theoretical perspective
Critical Literature review on the chosen theme
MLO 1,2
20 marks

33. The review of the contemporary literature is completely
insufficient
Insufficient review of the appropriate and contemporary
literature
Adequate review of the appropriate and contemporary literature.
The review could be more critical rather than descriptive
Good and critical review of the appropriate and contempor ary
literature
A very good and critical review of the appropriate and
contemporary literature
The literature review reflects excellent and critical review of
the appropriate and contemporary literature
Outstandingly critical review of the appropriate and
contemporary literature
Critical evaluation of practices/ behaviours
MLO 1,2
30 marks
Little or no discussion of the chosen practices/behaviours
Insufficient discussion of the chosen practices/behaviours
The chosen practices/behaviours have been adequately
evaluated. The discussion could be more critical
The chosen practices/behaviours have been critically evaluated
Very good and critical evaluation of the chosen
practices/behaviours
Excellent and critical evaluation of the chosen
practices/behaviours
Outstandingly critical evaluation of the chosen
practices/behaviours
Conclusions
MLO 1,2,3
10 marks
Little or no evidence of conclusive remarks

34. The conclusions are insufficient
The conclusions adequately highlight key implications for the
organisation
Good conclusions which appropriately highlight the key
implications for the organisation
Very well related conclusions which highlight the key
implications for the organisation
Excellent and relevant conclusions which highlight key
implications for the organisation, and for theory
The essay concludes with outstanding conclusions, which
highlight key implications for the organisation, and for theory.
Structure, argumentation and reference quality
10 marks
Presentation is completely insufficient.
Numerous spelling and grammatical errors.
Failure to cite references correctly in the main text. No
reference list. Completely insufficient quality of references
Presentation is not sufficiently professional.
Many spelling and grammatical errors.
Referencing throughout and in the reference list is insufficiently
correct. Insufficient quality of references
Presentation is adequate, with few spelling and grammatical
errors.
Most citations, and the reference list, are presented
appropriately in compliance with APA style. The contemporary
and academic references have been adequately discussed
Good presentation throughout.
Spelling and grammar of a good standard.
Very good APA referencing throughout the main text.
Accurate list of references. The contemporary and academic
references have been discussed appropriately
Very good presentation throughout.

35. Spelling and grammar of a high standard.
Very good APA referencing throughout the assignment. Good
discussion of the cited contemporary and academic references
Excellent professional presentation throughout. Excellent
spelling and grammar.
APA referencing used throughout the main text and list of
references. Excellent discussion of the cited academic and
contemporary references
An outstandingly crafted piece of work which is professionally
presented throughout.
APA referencing used throughout the main text and for the list
of references. Outstanding discussion of the cited academic and
contemporary references