2.5 Flashcards
What does an organisational structure outline?
outlines reporting relationships, roles, responsibilities of employees in the organisation
What are the benefits of a well-designed organisational structure?
helps promote clarity, efficiency and accountability
What is a hierarchy in organizational design?
levels of authority within an organisation, describing the ranking of positions from top to bottom
How does a hierarchy distribute authority and power?
the higher the position in the hierarchy, the more authority and power it holds
What are the typical levels included in a hierarchy?
top-level management
middle level management
lower level employees
What is the chain of command in organizational design?
formal line of authority that flows downward from top management to lower-level employees
What does the chain of command define?
who reports to who and who is responsible for making decisions within organisation
What are the benefits of the chain of command?
helps establish a clear communication channel and maintain accountability
What is span of control in organizational design?
span of control refers to the number of employees that a manager or supervisor can effectively manage
What principle is span of control based on?
principle that a manager can only effectively manage a limited number of employees
How does span of control affect the layers of management?
a narrower span of control results in more layers of management
wider span of control results in fewer layers of management
Front:
What is a centralized structure in organizational design?
where decision making authority is concentrated at the top of the organisation with senior managers making most of the decisions
What is a decentralized structure?
where decision naming authority is distributed throughout the organisation, with lower-level employees having more decision-making power
What are the potential benefits of decentralization?
can promote flexibility and innovation within organisation
What are the potential benefits of centralization?
Centralization can promote consistency and control within the organization.
What are the two main types of organizational structure?
hierarchical (tall)
flat
What characterizes a tall organizational structure?
characterised by multiple levels of management and more centralised decision-making process
What characterizes a flat organizational structure?
characterised by fewer levels of management and more decentralised decision-making process
What are the advantages of a hierarchical (tall) organizational structure?
providing clear hierarchy of authority
promoting specialisation and expertise
offering opportunities for career advancement and promotion
What are the advantages of a flat organizational structure?
promoting a culture of collaboration
open communication
faster and more efficient decision-making
encourages creativity and innovation.
What are the disadvantages of a hierarchical (tall) organizational structure?
creating communication barriers
slow decision making
potential bureaucracy
excessive levels of management
What are the disadvantages of a flat organizational structure?
role ambiguity
lack of clear hierarchy
unclear opportunities for career advancement
potential burnout and overwhelm from taking on multiple roles
Why is effective communication important for businesses and their stakeholders?
helps minimise mistakes
ensures everyone understands their roles and expectations
clarifies business values and objectives
provides customers with necessary information about goods and services
What should managers ensure regarding communication?
communication is controlled and organized to maintain a suitable level of communication between key stakeholders.
What are the characteristics of effective communication?
accurate, clear and easily understood
complete
appropriate for the intended audience
conveyed via right medium
provide a chance for feedback
What are the consequences of too much communication?
managers being distracted from achieving business objectives
employees being distracted from their job roles
messages becoming confused for suppliers and customers
What are the consequences of too little communication?
can leave people feeling ignored or undervalued
managers lacking crucial information for good decisions
affect staff motivation or cause
leads to complaints about poor customer service due to unavailable product or service information
What are some barriers to effective written communication?
poor spelling and grammar
illegible handwriting
unclear presentation
What are some barriers to effective verbal communication?
language difficulties
speed of speaking
strong accents
What is jargon and how can it act as a barrier to communication?
technical language or acronyms that may not be understood by non-expert
thus acting as a barrier to effective communication
What are some different ways of working?
full-time
part-time
freelance
shift working
temporary
contract
flexible hours
permanent
fixed term
zero hours
What distinguishes full-time employees from part-time employees?
full-time employees typically work more than 35 hours per week
part-time employees work fewer hours but are entitled to same benefits such as paid holidays
What does flexible working entail?
Flexible employees, whether full-time or part-time, have some choice over when they complete their hours of work.
Describe shift working.
involves working set hours outside of the normal nine-to-five pattern, usually on a rotation basis with time off between types of shift
What is the difference between a permanent contract and a temporary contract?
permanent contract means a worker is employed until they choose to leave or are made redundant
temporary contract lasts for a specified period of time
What impact has technology had on ways of working?
made remote working a popular option for many business
allowing employees to work from home
enjoy greater flexibility
better work-life balance
What are the benefits of remote working for businesses?
reduced costs due to less workspace needed
lower absentee rates
increased staff motivation
retention due to flexible working options
What are the benefits of remote working for employees?
opportunity for flexibility in starting and finishing work
reduced time spent on commuting
decreased distractions from colleagues leading potentially higher productivity
How has technology impacted communication with stakeholders?
made communication quick and. cost effective
How do mobile devices contribute to productivity outside of the normal workplace
allow employees to remain productive outside their normal workplace by providing access to work-related tasks and resources from anywhere
What are the responsibilities of a Director?
overseeing overall business performance
target setting
making key business decisions
reporting to shareholders and other key shareholders
What are the responsibilities of a Senior Manager?
managing and leading business functions
developing functional strategies
overseeing the work of teams and supervisors
making medium-term decisions
What are the responsibilities of a Supervisor or Team Leader?
managing a group of workers
delegating work
rewarding and disciplining operative staff
making routine decisions
department budgeting
organising staffing
What are the responsibilities of Operative or Support Staff?
carrying out work delegated by supervisors
supporting colleagues as directed
What is the recruitment process for businesses
involves identifying needed job roles and seeking people to fill vacancies
included various recruitment documents
What are the key recruitment documents used by businesses
person specification
CV
job description
application form
What is a person specification?
document that captures essential and desired characteristics of an ideal candidate for the job
including qualifications, experience, skills and personal characteristics
what is a job description.
document that lists ket duties and responsibilities that the employee will perform, along with details such as hours location managerial responsibilities and pay
What happens once a job is advertised?
Once a job is advertised, businesses may accept applications from candidates via CV or an application form.
What are the benefits of using an application form for recruitment?
include all applicants providing identical information in the same format, making them easy to compare
What are the benefits of using a CV for recruitment?
include more applicants as it is easier to candidates to prepare and adapt a standard CV