10.1c Flexible Organisations Flashcards

1
Q

Flexible organisation definition

A

One that can quickly adapt to changes in the external environment in order to remain competitive

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2
Q

Businesses need to have structures in place that enable them to respond quickly to changes. This includes what?

A
  • Employment contracts
  • Flexible working options
  • Effective knowledge and information management systems
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3
Q

Problems of being a flexible organisation:

A
  • Operational pressures and meeting customer requirements
  • Negative attitudes
  • Culture change
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4
Q

Restructuring definition

A

Designing an appropriate organisational structure to meet the needs of a more flexible approach to the employment of staff

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5
Q

Delayering definition

A

Removing one or more levels of hierarchy

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6
Q

What does delayering involve?

A
  • Increasing the average span of control of senior managers

- Reducing operating costs

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7
Q

Advantages of delayering:

A
  • Opportunities for better delegation, empowerment and motivation
  • Improve communication
  • Reduce costs as fewer managers required
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8
Q

Disadvantages of delayering:

A
  • Not all organisations suited to flatter organisational structures
  • Negative impact on motivation and people can become insecure about their jobs
  • Create skills shortages - loses managers with valuable experience
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9
Q

What are flexible employment contracts?

A

Working arrangements that give some degree of flexibility about how long, where, when and at what time employees work

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10
Q

Examples of flexible employment contracts:

A
  • Part-time
  • Full-time
  • Job sharing
  • Zero hour contracts
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11
Q

Organic structure features:

A
  • Informality
  • Flexible and fluid
  • Decentralised and employee empowerment
  • Find change easier to handle
  • Flat structure
  • Employees work in teams
  • E.g. Facebook
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12
Q

Mechanistic structure features:

A
  • More formality and bureaucratic
  • Centralised
  • Greater resistance to change
  • Tall structure
  • Employees are specialised
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13
Q

Reasons for a business to be flexible:

A
  • Adapt to changes in the market
  • Reduce lead time
  • Reduce costs
  • More efficient use of resources
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14
Q

Issues with flexibility:

A
  • Business can’t plan effectively if it is not sure when employees are working
  • Business can’t judge the progress of someone working from home
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