Utilitarian organizations

Definition

Utilitarian organizations are formal groups structured towards achieving specific goals, often characterized by a system of rewards for membership or participation, such as salaries for employees. These organizations include businesses, government agencies, and educational institutions where individuals join primarily to gain a personal benefit.

Related terms

Bureaucracy:

A formal organizational structure that governs large organizations through defined roles and hierarchical authority.

Rationalization:

The process of replacing traditions, values, and emotions as motivators for behavior in society with rational, calculated ones.

Normative Organizations:

Groups that people join voluntarily to pursue shared interests or values without seeking monetary rewards