Chapter 8 Flashcards
arranges people and resources to work toward a common goal.
Organizing
a system of tasks, reporting relationships, and communication linkages.
Organization structure
describes the arrangement of work positions within an organization.
organization chart
means that people and groups perform different jobs.
division of labor
the official structure of the organization.
Formal structure
the network of unofficial relationships among an organization’s members.
informal structure or shadow organization
identifies the informal structures and their embedded social relationships that are active in an organization.
Social network analysis
the process of grouping together people and jobs into work units.
Departmentalization
groups together people with similar skills who perform similar tasks.
functional structure
Potential Advantages of Functional Structures
- Economies of scale make efficient use of human resources.
- Functional experts are good at solving technical problems.
- Training within functions promotes skill development.
- Career paths are available within each function.
problem is a lack of communication and coordination across functions.
functional chimneys or functional silos
groups together people working on the same product, in the same area, or with similar customers.
divisional structure
groups together people and jobs working on a single product or service.
product structure
brings together people and jobs performed in the same location.
geographical structure
groups together people and jobs that serve the same customers or clients.
customer structure
combines functional and divisional approaches to emphasize project or program teams.
matrix structure
brings together members from different functional departments.
cross-functional team
Potential Advantages of Matrix Structures
• Performance accountability rests with program,
product, or project managers.
• Better communication exists across functions.
• Teams solve problems at their levels.
• Top managers spend more time on strategy.
uses permanent and temporary
cross-functional teams to improve lateral relations.
team structure
Potential Advantages of Team Structures
• Team assignments improve communication,
cooperation, and decision making.
• Team members get to know each other as persons,
not just job titles.
• Team memberships boost morale and increase
enthusiasm and task involvement.
uses IT to link with networks of outside suppliers and service contractors.
network structure
Potential Advantages of Network Structures
• Lower costs due to fewer full-time employees.
• Better access to expertise through specialized
alliance partners and contractors.
• Easy to grow or shrink with market conditions.
uses information technologies to operate as a shifting network of alliances.
virtual organization
the process of configuring organizations to meet environmental challenges.
Organizational design
the number of persons directly reporting to a manager.
Span of control
Tall Structure
more levels; narrower spans of control
Flat Structure
fewer levels; wider spans of control
top management keeps the power to make most decisions.
centralization
top management allows lower levels to help make many decisions.
decentralization
the process of entrusting work to others.
Delegation
Three steps of delegation
(1) Assign responsibility—explain tasks and expectations to others.
(2) Grant authority—allow others to act as needed to complete tasks.
(3) Create accountability—require others to report back on the completed tasks.
gives people freedom to do their jobs as they think best.
Empowerment
emphasizes formal authority, rules, order, fairness, and efficiency.
bureaucracy
are bureaucratic, using a centralized and vertical structure.
Mechanistic designs
are adaptive, using a decentralized and horizontal structure.
Organic designs
allows a worker to complete a full-time job in less than five days.
compressed workweek
gives employees some choice in daily work hours.
Flexible work hours
involves using IT to work at home or outside the office.
Telecommuting
a place where telecommuters share office space outside the home.
co-working center
splits one job between two people.
Job sharing
