Privacy and Power

The California Solar Project: Ivanpah was an enormous undertaking by California to reduce carbon emissions while generating energy for thousands of homes. The project was completed on schedule; however, the systems theory, cultural theory, and critical theory explain why it was successfully completed. Systems theory is the idea that individuals within an organization must work together to be efficient. Within the systems theory there are three subcategories: open system, homeostasis, and equifinality. An open system allows internal and external members of an organization freely communicate with one another. Homeostasis is the idea that an organization must be able to adapt to conditions within its environment. Equifinality is the idea that there are multiple ways of reaching a result.

Cultural theory is the assumption that organizations create their own identities, any of which can affect the organization’s decisions, motivations, and success. Within the cultural theory, there are three sub-theories that are interconnected known as positivity, engagement, and loyalty. These three theories all help reduce the stress employees may experience as these employees effectively communicate and work together, ensuring tasks will be completed.

Critical theory focuses on the powers associated with an organization and its members and how those powers can be used. Sites of domination embraces the idea of leaders in an organization. Communication is the ability of members within an organization to explain what they expect to achieve to another group that is either part of the same or different organization. Hegemony is the understanding that a majority vote will always win. This can be seen with the Ivanpah Project as there were several groups who tried halt the project’s construction, however, multiple groups favored the project’s completion, thus allowing it to be pushed forward.

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According to Britain’s Leading Green Energy Supplier, stated in the article The End of Fossil Fuels; “Fossil fuels, as the name suggests, are very old. Although humans probably used fossil fuels in ancient times…it was the Industrial Revolution that led to their wide-scale extraction…[and in a time frame spanning approximately] 200 years – we’ve consumed an incredible amount of them, leaving fossil fuels all but gone and the climate seriously impacted.”

Fossil fuels have been used as an energy source in domestic, commercial, and industrial environments as a cheap resource that could be extracted easily. Countries all over the world rely on this fuel source from anything to farming, traveling, or lighting their homes. These fossil fuels are an unsustainable resource, and the time until we completely tap the world reserves dry is drawing near. Along with its unsustainability, fossil fuels are the leading cause of environmental issues such as rising global temperatures, melting ice caps, and drastic weather changes. With the primary source of energy nearly depleted, humanity’s focus regarding these ancient energy sources needs to move away towards one that is more sustainable, efficient, and has less environmental impacts.

Renewable energy is the future. Being as such, the state of California has taken measures to combat the rising environmental problems and declining fossil fuel resources by tapping into into the renewable resources of water, wind, and most importantly, solar. According to seia.org, “Solar energy is the cleanest and most abundant renewable energy source available, and the U.S. has some of the richest solar resources in the world.” With the assistance of modern technology, companies can create facilities that can harness the abundant

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solar energy and generate electricity, a necessity for providing light and energy to homes across the state and country.

One such facility is the Ivanpah Solar Project, which is currently one of three solar projects that was approved by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) for construction in 2011. This project, located in the Mojave Desert, has been a subject of discussion since its creation regarding green energy and the costs associated with it. According to the California Energy Commission, the Ivanpah Solar Project facility “generates enough renewable energy to power 101,000 average California homes each year… [and] reduce approximately 340,650 metric tons of carbon dioxide annually, equivalent to taking 62,250 cars off the road every year”.

When considering the future of solar energy, three theories explained in Alan Jay Zaremba’s book Organization Communication must be looked at. The first is systems theory which states that; “an organization is a composite of interdependent units that must work cooperatively to effectively survive…[and] an organization cannot live nor thrive without interacting with both its internal and its external environment” (62). The second theory is culture theory, which refers to the idea that there is a culture within an organization that influences its decisions, motivations, and success. “This perspective is relevant to organizational communication study because cultural theorists assert that communication is central to the evolution of organizational culture” (66). The third and final theory that must be looked at is critical theory, which deals with the use and abuse of power. It is with this theory in which organizations are considered as “’sites of domination’ and…communication within organizations ‘as ideological and power laden, not as a neutral medium for transmitting information’ “(70).

These three theories play an important role in analyzing projects such as the Ivanpah Solar Project and the future of solar or green energy. By analyzing these projects, future organizations can take into consideration what methods were beneficial regarding the project and those that were not.

The first theory is systems theory, which contains three sub-theories known as open system, homeostasis, and equifinality. Systems theory states that “an organization is a composite of interdependent units that must work cooperatively to effectively survive” (Zaremba 62). Traditionally, organizations were closed off from the public eye, isolated, preventing any type of communications channel from existing. However, in the current business environment, organizations have begun to take a different approach, joining a trend known as an open system.

With an open system, organizations regularly interact with their environment, receiving and providing feedback within their internal and external systems. All aspects of the environment are considered, from the internal networking of the organization such as department quotas and employee needs, to the external forces that can influence the direction of the organization such as public opinion and customer feedback.

When an organization is not only successful, but sustainable, it can effectively communicate between these two systems, giving it the ability to solve problems it may face. Effective communication between the two systems results in a better understanding of the issues an organization faces and possible solutions.

Bright-Source Energy, creators of the Ivanpah Solar Project, incorporate the concept of an open system in all aspects of their organization. Their website has extensive information regarding the Ivanpah Project; the energy produced, environmental impacts, timeline of the project, and a continuously updated newsletter. Questions raised by the public and “green organizations” are addressed and actions are taken to address the issues brought up to the company.

Organizations are organisms, and, as such, they are greatly affected by the positive and negative factors that exist in their environment. To combat these factors, the organization must self-regulate through homeostasis, which is the ability to adjust to changing conditions that optimize its survival.

Organizations can self-regulate their responses to feedback they receive from both internal and external sources. As stated in Organizational Communication, “An organization that does not have the ability or inclination to respond to feedback from its relevant environment will remain as ill as you would be if your system did not respond to feedback that was making you sick (Zaremba 64).” This goes hand in hand with the open system concept, where information is shared internally and externally.

When it was first proposed, the Ivanpah Project underwent intense scrutiny by the BLM to ensure that problems regarding cultural traditions for Native American tribes in the area as well as environmental problems would not surface. Although steps were taken to prevent these issues, several arose such as environmental impacts that were not foreseen by those overlooking the project. Of the issues that arose, the most consequential was the impact the project had upon the Desert Tortoise. Currently, the Desert Tortoise holds a place on the federal government’s threatened species list. It is not yet considered endangered, but can become so if the environmental conditions deteriorate in their native area. The largest danger the Ivanpah Solar Project poses to these tortoises are the solar panels. Due to their designated function of absorbing energy, these panels can cause the temperatures in the surrounding area to become too hot for animals living there. Recognizing the danger the project poses to these tortoises, Bright Source Energy started multiple programs to help protect the species; all of which are laid out of their website. Financial programs, nurseries to care for wounded Tortoises, and a “daycare” program are some of the measures the company has taken to protect the species.

It was here the Ivanpah Project practiced the concept of homeostasis; self-regulating by addressing the concerns from the community and government, and taking measures to ensure the concerns were met.

Equifinality is the subcategory of systems theory that suggests that multiple methods can result in the same outcome. This outcome, or result, tends to be equal to the existing product, despite the different methods that were used to reach the outcome. The Ivanpah Solar Project is the largest solar project of its kind, spanning 4,000 acres, with approximately 380,000 mirrors used to capture the sun’s light energy. This project, while it has many benefits, has ultimately failed regarding cost, possible impact to Native American lands, and the impact it had on the surrounding environment. From avian deaths and displaced threatened Desert Tortoises, to the staggering cost of $2.2 billion, this project has produced more negative results than the overall amount of solar energy power it produces. If other companies utilize the equifinality theory, it is possible other methods would be discovered that would produce a similar or better final product.

One such method would be to develop a government operated incentive program to achieve the same outcome with reduced cost. Rather than concentrating the solar panels into 4,000 acres, the panels would be installed on the roofs of houses. This would be paid for by homeowners who would then have part of the costs subsidized by government programs, which would be funded by the corporations that backed the Ivanpah Solar Project. Along with successfully reallocating financial resources among public and private homes and organizations, the Ivanpah Solar Project would be geographically redistributed. This would allow all harnessed energy to be used rather than stored and lost due to the inefficient nature of the project’s storage facilities.

Most importantly, the greatest advantage that would result from the project’s relocation is the impact upon the ecosystem. Due to the immense size of the project, much of the wildlife habitats were compromised. With the geographic redistribution to residential neighborhoods, the harmful heat waves created by the solar panels, would be dispersed, lessening the project’s environmental impact. Similarly, there would be no invasive activity regarding rural and predominantly untouched areas of wildlife, and possible sacred cultural areas as the project would be built upon currently standing structures.

Culture theory is a “perspective that assumes that organizations create their own identities that affect organizational life and success” (Zaremba 66). Looking at an organization’s culture gives outsiders an insight to how that organization functions, how decisions are made, whether it is successful, and what drives the overall force that makes up the organization. For an organization, when taking culture into consideration, they must look at the beliefs, norms, and values of members within, along with those that exist in the external environment. When an organization can grasp, analyze, and fully comprehend the widely varying cultures that surround it, that organization will ultimately survive.

Each organization has a different culture, and just as individuals have different reactions and thoughts, these organizations handle certain situations differently than those in different environments.

For an organization, having a positive culture is important as there are many disadvantages to having negative culture. Organizations with a negative culture can affect the internal environment, leading to issues for those working there. Negative cultures invoke stress, which can cause carelessness often resulting in accidents and mistakes. Recognizing the consequences of negative culture, it was essential that those working on the Ivanpah Project embrace a positive culture. If they had not, issues the project faced may have impeded its overall finalization.

Most stress arises from pushing employees to work harder and faster, reversely affecting productivity. The health costs associated with overworking employees is 50 percent greater than organizations that do not. More than 80 percent of doctor visits are associated with organizations that have negative cultures within their environment. The result manifesting itself as a loss in profit for the organization and dissatisfied employees. Employees in organizations that embrace negative cultures are less cautious as they feel they must get the job done as soon as possible, even if that means cutting corners. Sadly, cutting corners can cause accidents such as injuries and damaged equipment resulting in a loss for both company and employee.

“Nothing is worse than trying to get people on board with a cause they don’t care about or making them participate in an event that they don’t want any part of” (Larson).

For the Ivanpah Solar Project, to ensure the project’s construction would run smoothly, all organizations working on it needed to have the same mindset. Employees and organizations alike needed to engage with one another and their environment. Had these entities not agreed upon the importance of this project, or what it stood for, there is a chance it might not have been completed in the time allotted.

Engagement within organizations plays a key role in ensuring high profitability margins for the company as well as higher quality of services, creating the opportunity for the company to grow. Engagement within an organization also ensures there will be less accidents occurring for the company, employees, and the environment itself. With engagement, the company is more aware of their surroundings, understanding how their actions affect those around them. This can be seen with the Ivanpah company’s actions to correct the damage the project had created regarding bird deaths and displacement of the Desert Tortoise.

When an organization embraces positive culture, employees have a mutual respect and care for each other. With this mutual respect and general care, employees help, listen, and communicate effectively with one another. With the teamwork and cooperation among employees associated with positive culture, the organization experiences less attrition rate, and is prone to fewer accidents. With regards to the Ivanpah Solar Project, those who were part of the workforce needed to have respect and loyalty for each other, allowing the project to run smoothly to its finalization. If this was not the case, the project may have taken longer than projected and experienced more issues that could have been prevented.

Workplaces with a lack of respect, trust, and loyalty for each other have a 50 percent attrition rate. Employees in workplaces like this tend to take less responsibility when it comes to the day-to-day duties as they do not feel connected with the organization. Low production, internal fighting, and high attrition rate are some of the costs that can be seen when employees behave this way. The costs only rise for the organization as it is estimated that replacing an employee costs around 20 percent of another employee’s salary.

It has been proven that companies whose employees are able to communicate effectively tend to have higher success rates and higher loyalty turnout. In the Ivanpah Project, members of the organization were successful in maintaining a positive culture in the work place, communicating effectively, and working as a unit, allowing the project to run with little issues arising.

Critical theory addresses the issue of dominance and the use of power to serve a specific party. Those who are higher up on a hierarchical ladder can use the power and authority associated with their position to oppress subordinates for their own interest. Critical theory aims to free oppressed parties of this “institutionalized manipulation” and received its name because organizations who engage in this behavior must be “relentlessly criticized” (Zaremba 70). This “institutionalized manipulation” can be seen when higher-ups withhold knowledge and limit the access to resources and technology from employees. Terms such as “manufactured consent” refer to when abusive ideologies are accepted and even enforced within an organization. Employees “buy” into the oppressive ideas sold to them by those in power and act upon it, deteriorating the organization further.

“Hegemony” is a term that is used when the dominating group “leads” the marginalized group into agreeing with their oppressive disposition and viewpoint, thus reinforcing the abusive movement (Zaremba 72). These concepts can be seen when analyzing the interactions of the organizations behind the solar project and indigenous groups of the Mojave Desert. While the Ivanpah Solar Project is meant to be an effective means of harvesting renewable energy, with a project of this size, there are times when unsuitable options are considered to move the project forward, even if that means dominating others.

With Critical Theory, organizations are viewed as “sites of domination” (Zaremba 70). This can also be applied on a larger scale using the interaction between the institutions behind the Ivanpah project and other subordinate parties as an example. Throughout California there have been numerous Native American tribes and settlements that have been dispersed throughout the state, many of which have been home to groups of people who still exist today. “Physical remnants of these people and their ancestors remain in California including the Chemehuevi Tribe, whose native homeland has been Ivanpah Valley” (Indian Country Media Network).

In the past thirty years, Californian archeologists have discovered almost 9,000 pieces of Native American artifacts including ceramics, stone tools, and ancient-style blades called clovis. Researchers infer that these pieces of human history contain obsidian rock that date back to “around 1290 AD” (de Pastino). Most importantly, what holds dear to these indigenous tribes are their burial grounds. Within the last century, skulls and bone fragments have been discovered in the region along with bead necklaces. Despite these archaeological findings and the knowledge that the region was once home to indigenous groups; the affiliated organizations of the Ivanpah project, were held privileged over the marginalized group, because their cause was upheld as a priority.

Aside from a physical platform, critical theory also addresses how communication can be used as an instrument of oppression against another party. In the case of the Ivanpah project, the communication between the indigenous groups and the organizations behind the project fell on deaf ears with one party attempting to get their message across to the other. “During the project’s construction stage, several Native American tribes, including the Mohave, Navajo, Hopi, and the Chemehuevi, attempted to block the project but proved to be unsuccessful” (Bastasch). The Native Americans have expressed their displeasure with the way the federal government handled the situation, stating they felt as though the project was being processed behind their back. The lead attorney representing the tribes, Cory Briggs, asserts that the presidential administration under Barack Obama, “raced to approve [the] solar projects in order to receive economic-stimulus funding” before the deadline of December 31 (Willon and Hsu). This is an example of how communication, or lack thereof, was used against a marginalized group.

The dominating groups behind the project did not establish an open communication with the tribes nor did they reach a consensual agreement regarding the project. In response, the tribes filed a lawsuit against the BLM for “fast-tracking twenty-three solar projects without the required environmental review” and “without consulting the tribes that oversee the preservation of the sites” (Willon and Hsu). Another concern that the tribes had was that the state and federal governments were not going to address the loss and relocation of cultural artifacts until “after [the] projects are approved” (Danelski). Tribe leaders had multiple opportunities to arrange “trip sites” with solar project representatives, however, there was not sufficient time to review and approve the “thousands of pages of environment documents”. Director of the Aha Makav Cultural Society, Linda Otero, claimed it was “impossible” to juggle all the projects and went so far as to call it a “backwards process” (Danelski). From the reports, it was clear that the institutions behind the project did not make the effort to properly communicate and work with the indigenous groups. With government support backing it, it was not difficult to use communication as an effective means of keeping the marginalized group from halting the project.

Hegemony refers to when “one group takes dominance over another which ultimately results in the marginalized or oppressed group adhering and even backing the oppressive ideals” (Zaremba 72). This concept can be observed in the early stages and planning of the Ivanpah project in the Mojave Desert region. Although there are many Native American tribes that were against the Ivanpah solar project, there are other tribes who had a different viewpoint and who had permitted and supported the construction of the solar projects.

These tribes, known as the Mohave, Navajo, Hopi, and the Chemehuevi, were intrigued with the concept of the Ivanpah Solar Project. “They permitted and negotiated with administrators of First Solar to have a renewable solar energy project built in their own reservation” (Woody). The one-hundred and twelve square-mile project was dubbed the “Moapa Solar Project” and was put into operation on March 16, 2017, being the “first solar power project approved by the US Interior Department for installation on tribal land” (Hanley).

Having observed the institutional pressures the Ivanpah Solar Project experienced, the Moapa tribe made the decision use the solar project as an asset for themselves as well. Darren Daboda, chairman and leader of the Moapa River Indian Reservation, declared that “even small tribes can benefit from commercial renewable energy projects” (Hanley). Hegemony can be seen here, as the smaller tribes were pressured into the idea by the majority group of accepting solar projects onto their lands.

Being a step closer to minimizing California’s carbon footprint, the Ivanpah Solar Energy Project uses thermal technology developed by Bright-Source to generate electricity for over 1400 Southern California homes. The project’s interactions within itself and its surroundings, these behaviors can be identified as organizational theories as discussed in Organization Communication by Alan Jay Zaremba. The “systems theory” discusses how an organization is a unit that must cooperate with itself through “interdependent” parts to succeed. The term “homeostasis” was discussed on how the leaders of the Ivanpah project exercised self-regulation by addressing issues of the environment and the community such as setting forth programs to protect wildlife that might become displaced. “Equifinality” was exemplified as multiple efforts of the project resulted in more negative outcomes than positive as wildlife deaths occurred and an estimated of 2.2 billion dollars of avoidable costs were incurred.

The Ivanpah project would have had difficulty pushing through if it did not have what “culture theory” discusses, such as an organizations interior identity and culture. Terms such as sites of domination, communication, hegemony were discussed in critical theory as the institutions behind the solar projects had used various powers and communication to exert pressure on smaller groups to push the projects like the Ivanpah Solar Project through.

Although the project has already been in operation since 2013, there is debate whether the cost of this solar complex has outweighed the carbon dioxide that it is still emitting. Despite opposing opinions, our rapidly-changing economy encompasses the idea of incorporating the latest technology and policies to further humanity’s growth. Our global economy is a massive organization where members need to work together within the environment. The study of organizational behavior examines that interaction, and the Ivanpah Solar Project is one of many projects that spark debate as humankind marches towards the future.

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Curtis Galley oversaw writing the critical theory and examples. Stefan Hollinger oversaw writing the introduction of the paper, editing, and finalizing the written portion of the project. Ethan Stone oversaw writing the cultural theory and its examples with the help of Kylee Sanders. Roger Solorzano and Stefan Hollinger jointly wrote systems theory and its examples. Ethan Stone oversaw setting up the PowerPoint presentation, following the guidelines set forth by the instructor. Members of the group were required to input their own information to the slides corresponding with their section of the essay. Each individual was responsible for completing certain amounts of work per week, and was responsible for their own research. When a group member was struggling trying to find an example to use, the other members pitched in with their ideas.