CHAPTER 3 Flashcards
Team
Indivduals who are:
inderpdendent
share responsbility for the outcome
autonomous entities
Holalrchy, holcracy
many autonomous teams
what teams are accountable for instead of who
double linking
representative link
squad
team of no more than 9
cross-functional
will end when the goal is completed
end-to-end responsibility
tribe
consists of squads that have interconnected goals
led by tribe leaders
agile organisations
squads, tribes, circles
A: give the teams higher level of responsibility, fewer coordination meetings, room for initiatives, innovation
D: confusing
a lot of trust into the tribe lead
Woodward’s typology
Woodward’s typology classifies technologies based on their level of technical complexity, from lowest to highest. The types are:
Unit or small batch technologies: These produce one item or a few units at a time.
Large batch or mass production technologies: These involve each worker or machine performing a specific task that completes a portion of the final product in an unending process.
Continuous processing technology: This involves a series of non-discrete transformations occurring in a sequence, with equipment performing the transformation automatically.
Example:
A custom furniture workshop, where each piece of furniture is crafted individually or in small batches, would be an example of unit or small batch technology. A bottled water factory, where water is filled into bottles, sealed, and packaged in a continuous, unending process, would be an example of large batch or mass production technology. A chemical plant, where raw materials undergo a series of continuous transformations to produce the final product, such as turning crude oil into gasoline, would be an example of continuous processing technology.
Technological imperative according to Woodward
The technological imperative is Woodward’s conclusion that technology determines the structure of an organization. This means that the type of technology an organization uses can influence its organizational structure, such as its hierarchy, division of labor, and coordination mechanisms.
How does the technological imperative relate to the structural contingency theory?
The technological imperative is a key component of the structural contingency theory. The structural contingency theory posits that the optimal organizational structure depends on various contingencies, or situational factors, including the technology used by the organization. Therefore, the type of technology can be a determinant of the most effective organizational structure.
What is the concept of “routineness of work” according to Woodward?
According to Woodward, the routineness of work refers to the degree to which tasks in an organization are standardized and repetitive. She theorized that unit and continuous processing technologies involve work that is non-routine, while mass production requires highly routinized activities. This relationship is depicted by a U-shaped curve, suggesting that both very high and very low levels of routineness can be associated with certain types of technology.
How does non-routineness contribute to organizational uncertainty according to Perrow?
Perrow argued that technology contributes to organizational uncertainty through variations in the quality and availability of inputs to the transformation process. High uncertainty makes it difficult to structure activities of the organization due to difficulties in predicting which tasks will be required. In other words, when work is non-routine, it’s harder to predict and plan, leading to greater uncertainty.
What is task interdependence according to Thompson?
Thompson sees technologies in terms of the extent to which they can be defined by their varying levels of task interdependence. This refers to the degree to which tasks within an organization rely on each other to be completed.
Example: In a hospital, the work of a surgeon is interdependent with the work of an anesthesiologist. The surgeon cannot operate unless the anesthesiologist has properly sedated the patient. This is an example of task interdependence.
What is pooled task interdependence?
Pooled task interdependence refers to cases in which an organization’s output amounts to the sum of each unit’s efforts. Each unit operates independently, and their work is simply added together to produce the final output.
Example: In a university, different departments like the History Department, Mathematics Department, and Physics Department work independently to educate students. The overall education of a student is the sum of the efforts of these independent departments, demonstrating pooled task interdependence.
What is sequential task interdependence?
Sequential task interdependence occurs when the output of one unit becomes the input for another unit in a sequential manner. If workers early in the production process are not performing their tasks properly, then the work of those further down the line suffers. This type of interdependence requires a high level of coordination and communication between units.
Example: In a car manufacturing plant, the assembly line is an example of sequential task interdependence. The chassis must be built before the engine can be installed, and the engine must be installed before the car can be painted.
