Internal Organizational Management

Question 1

Horizontal or Flat Organizational Form

Answer 1

A horizontal or flat organization has few or no levels of management between management and staff level employees. Employees are less supervised and have increased involvement in the decision-making process. The horizontal or flat organization is advantageous in providing employees with a greater level of responsibility. Excess layers of management are removed, which can increase efficiency, reduce costs and speed up communication. decision-making is also more streamlined. The disadvantage of a horizontal or flat organization is that employees can lack a clear sense of directive or job duties. Employees tend to be generalists rather than developing a deep knowledge of key subject areas. There may be power struggles over who has decision-making authority, and management might avoid new opportunities in an effort to keep their flat structure intact. Larger organizations have a hard time with a flat structure.

Question 2

A Vertical or Hierarchical Organizational Form

Answer 2

Structure resembles a pyramid. Every employee is subordinate to someone else within the organization, except the very top level (the CEO, who may be responsible to a board or an elected body). The advantage of this org form is that employees will have a clear sense of leadership within the organization and their level of responsibility on each task and project. There will also be promotional opportunities for employees to move up the organizational levels. Employees might narrow their field and develop expertise in one area; thus specialists will be more likely to develop than with flat organizational structure. Department loyalty is also likely. the disadvantage of a vertical or hierarchical organization is that departments may not communicate well, and rivalries can develop as departments focus on their own interests. There tends to be more bureaucracy, which can slow down client responsiveness. Costs can also be higher because there is more management personnel.

Question 3

Matrix Organizations

Answer 3

Matrix organizations encourage interdisciplinary approaches to problem-solving. However, matrix organization are difficult to manage and can be ineffective for large organizations. Both vertical and horizontal chains of command might form, with fewer formal rules. This sometimes causes confusion, especially if there are dual lines of authority.

In planning, there are many variations on what might be considered the optimal organizational structure. Most organizations have an organizational chart that illustrates how the organization flows with solid lines indicating formal reporting relationships. Sometimes dotted lines are used to indicate indirect or informal reporting.

Question 4

Human Resources and Administrative Operations

Answer 4

Onboarding of new staff, training and professional development, and team building are all critical to an effective planning agency. Ensuring that you have a strong team requires a strategy for the recruitment and selection of employees. Once employees are on the team there should be effective performance assessment, compensation plans, and where there are unicorns, collective bargaining. When employees are part of a civil services system, you’ll need to understand civil service procedures. In most organizations, there is a classification system that allows employees the opportunity to move from entry level positions into mid-level staff positions, or on into management positions.,