ch 14 organizational structure and change Flashcards
organizational structure
how the work of individuals and teams within an organization is coordinated
centralization
the degree to which decision making authority is concentrated at higher levels in an organization
formalization
the extent to which policies, procedures, job descriptions, and rules are written and explicitly articulated
tall structures
have several layers of management btw frontline employees and the top level
- smaller span of control
flat structures
consist of few layers in btw frontline employees and the top level
- wider span of control
span of control
the number of employees reporting to a single manager
functional structures
group jobs based on similarity functions
divisional structures
departments represent the unique products, services, customers, or geographic locations the company is serving
mechanistic stuctures
- highly formalized and centralized
- similar to bureaucracies
- communication tends to follow formal channels
- employees are given specific job descriptions delineating their roles and responsibilities
- rigid
- resist change
organic structures
- flexible, decentralized structures
- low levels of formalization
- communication lines are more fluid and flexible
- employee job descriptions are broader
- employees are asked to perform duties based on the specific needs of the organization at the time as well as their own expertise levels
- higher job satisfactions on part of employees
- conductive to entrepreneurial behavior and innovativeness
matrix organizations
cross traditional functional structure with a product structure
- employees reporting to department managers are also pooled together to form project or product teams
- each person reports to a department manager as well as a project manager
matrix organizations are created in response to
uncertainty and dynamism of the environment and the need to give particular attention to specific products or projects
pros of matrix structure
- increase communication and cooperation among departments because of need to coordinate actions
- provide quick responses to technical problems and customer demands
unity of command principle
each person reports to a single manager
boundaryless organization
an organization that eliminates traditional barriers between departments, as well as barriers between the organization and the external environment
modular organization
all the nonessential functions are outsourced
- retain only the value-generating and strategic functions in house
strategic alliances
two or more companies find an area of collaboration and combine their efforts to create a partnership that is beneficial for both parties
learning organization
where acquiring knowledge and changing behavior as a result of the newly gained knowledge are part of an organization’s design
- experimenting, learning new things, and reflecting on new knowledge are the norms
- many procedures and systems in place that facilitate learning at the organizational level
organizational change
the movement of an organization from one state of affairs to another
- may involve a change in a company’s structure, strategy, policies, procedures, technology, or culture
reasons for organizational change
- workforce demographics
- technology
- globalization
- market conditions
- organizational growth
- poor performance
active resistance
most negative reaction to a proposed change attempt
- may sabotage the change effort and be outspoken objectors to the new procedures
passive resistance
being disturbed by changes without necessarily voicing these opinions
- may quietly dislike the change, feel stressed and unhappy, and even look for an alternative job without necessarily bringing their point to the attention of decision makers
compliance
going along with proposed changes with little enthusiasm
enthusiastic support
defenders of the new way and actually encourage others around them to give support to the change effort as well
