This document discusses three common metaphors used to describe how organizations operate: as a machine, as a system, and as a culture. McDonald's is provided as an example of an organization that functions like a machine, with easily replaceable employees who work in specialized roles. The CIA is described as operating like a system, where employees require advanced skills and extensive training, making individual roles less replaceable. Finally, S.C. Johnson depicts itself as a culture, marketing the image of a "family business" to appeal to consumers and employees. The author concludes that Bridgewater College embodies the culture metaphor through its emphasis on diversity and residential campus life fostering close relationships among students.

1. Autumn Flickinger
COMM325
Birkland, J.
2-23-2020
Metaphor Assignment
Considering an organization is defined as a group with an administrative and functional
structure (Merriam-Webster), most organizations can be seen as certain types of metaphors. A
metaphor is a word or phrase that has a connotation that implies a comparison between two,
unrelated things (Literary Devices). Some organizations are seen as metaphors because of the
way they operate and the driving force behind employee motivation. The three main metaphors
used to explain how organizations operate is as a machine, as a system, and as a culture.
Organizations usually do not label themselves under certain metaphors because it may reflect
badly on their company or business. To explain this further in depth, I will cover McDonalds, the
Central Intelligence Agency, and SCJohnson.
The metaphor for the machine is, “we work together like a well-oiled machine”. In
factory machines, each piece, each cog, is linked. Through this linkage, when the cogs turn in
unison, the machine works accordingly; if a cog stops working, the machine stops working and
the cog can be easily replaced. An organization that functions like this is McDonalds, a fast-food
chain. The machine metaphor fits McDonalds because of its easy job qualifications, job
specialization, and the dimensions in which the business is run. McDonalds is known as a good
first job because its only qualifications for hire are almost non-existent. Employees can start
working at the ages of fourteen and fifteen years of age in most states, do not need a high school

2. diploma, and can even have a criminal record (McDonalds). McDonalds’ business structure has
many departments in terms of employee positions. There is upper-level management (corporate),
middle-level management (in-store managers), and first-line employees (sales associates). The
special roles in each group requires tons of people to fill these positions. With the amount of
employees in total working for McDonalds, losing one will not hurt the company, but it will be
replaced. McDonald’s under the “McDonaldization Thesis” by George Ritzer, sociologist, is
efficient, calculable, predictable, and controllable (Ritzer, 1993). The company is run in the
format that produces the best outcome for itself. Because the positions are not particularly hard
to get, the job has a long line of “cogs” willing to take the place of those on sick-leave,
maternity-leave, or disability. With this, it is easy for workers to be treated like robots and feel
dehumanized in everyday work (Ritzer, 1993).
The metaphor for the system is, “We are better together, two minds are better than one”.
In systems, each device, computers, is connected. With this connection, each device needs one
another to continue to work. The same can be said for systems. An organization that runs like a
system is the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), a government agency. The CIA requires a lot of
dependency on others, as there are many roles to fill: auditing, cyber security, analysis, data
science, etc (CIAAgentEDU). These roles require employees with higher education, which is not
a qualification everyone holds. This means that the line for this job may be long but each
individual is not totally replaceable and there is more job security. For a security clearance, top
secret to work for the CIA, each employee goes through over five interviews and when the
employee is going through the clearance process, the CIA spends company funds, thousands of
dollars per person, to pass that person through over a year worth of paperwork. Because of this,

3. employees are extremely valued and worth a lot more to the company. In terms of working
integrally, these jobs are extremely specific, so experts are needed in each field to ensure that the
needs of the agency are met. The system, unlike the machine, is more integrated. For employees
that enjoy working within very specific specializations, the system is truly based on internal
connectivity.
The metaphor for culture is, “we are a family”. In cultural organizations, relationships
and bonds may be formed intentionally. This metaphor is used often as a marketing technique for
job recruiting or consumer interest and often the organization is called a ‘family-business’. The
organization that shows the culture metaphor is S.C.Johnson, cleaning-supply manufacturer.
S.C.Johnson’s slogan is “S. C. Johnson, a family company” (SCJohnson). The mission statement
on their website is, “As a family company, we care about making life cleaner, easier and better
for families. That's why we've spent over a century making quality products that work, using
ingredients you can trust” (SCJohnson). The push for making people seem as if they are a part, a
major player, in the organization is clear. People are more likely to buy from brands they feel
they play a direct part in or have a tie to (SproutSocial). Furthermore, brands that redirection
their focus from profit to emotional engagement stand the best success in the market, as they
build more permanent connections with their buyers (SproutSocial). For employees, this may be
seen as both a good and bad thing. Forming an organization around the idea of family can mean
close connection. Some employees prefer to work in relationship-based jobs. Other employees,
just “there to do their job”, may see it as just a way to make financial gain and it could be seen as
phony or forced.

4. Bridgewater College, like any institution, is considered an organization. So what
metaphor does it fall under? I believe it is the culture metaphor. I think this fits best because it
was clear to see, even before I enrolled, the bond that Bridgewater paints: ‘We are connected’.
The way that Bridgewater does this is they use our student population and our residence halls to
prove we are integrated. Our campus, being extremely diverse, is a way to push the family
connection. When someone comes to this school, it is always explained that even if they are from
Timbuktu, they will be welcomed with open arms to our community. A fully residential school
also promotes unity and relationships. How can someone from Timbuktu be lonely if they are
surrounded with friends and classmates in one room, residence building, or dining hall? I know
fitting in and finding a group was my main goal when I moved over 300 miles to attend
Bridgewater. Seeing students of all ethnicities living together in one environment made me want
to attend here to feel that connection too. It is not a bad thing that Bridgewater pushes this
metaphor. I think it is good for people, like me, who need close relationships to grow.
My ideal metaphor is the system. I am not someone who feels like they should be easily
replaced. In fact, if I feel that way when I am employed, I know it is time to quit, and I have done
it before. I truly believe life is too short to work for those who do not value me. Whether it is a
business trying to grow their influence or their pocket, if I am just a “cog”, I do not want to play
a part in it. Job security is important to me. I am an Information Systems major with a minor in
Leadership. In my major, we learn about networks and connections. In bus topology networks,
which is a configuration of how signals are sent from computer to computer, the topology is
prone to single-point failure, which can eliminate total operation or communication between
each computer (I know you have an education in Information Systems, so I hope you understand

5. this). I want to feel like if the organization loses me, they lose a key asset. I know I am
hard-working and I have come way too far to be someone used and let go. Culture is not a bad
organization for me, but I prefer feeling as if the connections are being built over time without
influence. I recently had three phone interviews with a federal agency, a software development
firm, that has shown extreme interest in me. Before, I would have never been able to decide
which metaphor I belonged in. But, I know now, system is for me. This agency, one I thought
was completely ‘out of my league’, has made repeated phone calls to talk to me, interview me,
reassure me that I can make it through the screenings, and will even be spending money on me to
get my Top Secret Security Clearance. They know I present skills that can benefit their agency.
The mutual relationship is much better than the one-sided relationship that machines present and
the one culture hides.

6. Works Cited
“Jobs with the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA).” How to Become a CIA Agent,
www.ciaagentedu.org/careers/.
Larney, Tom. “THE McDONALDIZATION.” Simmons Edu,
web.simmons.edu/~chen/nit/NIT'96/96-171-Larney.html.
Lombardo, Jessica. “Walmart: Organizational Structure & Organizational Culture.” Panmore
Institute, 15 Feb. 2019,
panmore.com/walmart-organizational-structure-organizational-culture.
“Metaphor - Examples and Definition of Metaphor.” Literary Devices, 20 Feb. 2019,
literarydevices.net/metaphor/.
“Organization.” Merriam-Webster, Merriam-Webster,
www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/organization.
“SC Johnson: Our Company.” SC Johnson: Our Company,
www.scjohnson.com/en/a-family-company.
Sprout Social. “#BrandsGetReal: What Consumers Want from Brands in a Divided Society.”
Sprout Social, 7 May 2019, sproutsocial.com/insights/data/social-media-connection/.
“The World's 30 Most Innovative Corporate Human Resources Departments.” Human
Resources Degrees,

7. www.humanresourcesmba.net/worlds-30-innovative-corporate-human-resources-departme
nts/.