OE and D (Organization) Flashcards
Staff units
Work groups that assist line units by providing specialized services such as HR.
Line units
Workgroups that conduct the major business of an organization
Chain of command
Line of authority within an organization.
Ex: employees only reports to only one superior. This eliminates the confusion, loss of productivity, and stress.
Departmentalizatin
Way an organization groups jobs to coordinate work.
What are 4 commonly strucutres?
Functional
Product
Geographic
Matrix
Functional Structure
Organizational structure in which departments are defined by the services they contribute to the organization’s overall mission, such as marketing and sales, operations, and HR. The most common organizational structure.
Geographic Structure
Organizational structure in which geographic regions define the organizational chart. Each region or country has its own complete and self-sufficient set of functions. Each region or country has its own division, and decision-making it decentralized. More employees are required to staff, but value is achieved because each division can be more responsive to local market.
Organizational development
Process of enhancing the effectiveness and efficiency of an organization and the well-being of its members through planned interventions.
Matrix Structure
An organizational structure that combines departmentalization by division and function to gain the benefit of both; results in some employees reporting to two managers rather than one, with neither manager assuming a superior role.
Includes cross-functional teams who may work together to design, develop, and market products. Creates a dual chain of command.
Product streucture
Organizational structure in which functional departments are grouped under major product divisions. Each division will have its own marketing, sales, manufacturing, and finance functions. More employees are required to staff this type of organization but is offset by accumulated experience and expertise.
Formalization
Refers to the extent to which rules, policies and procedures govern the behavior of employees in an organization.
The more formal the organization, the greater the written documentation, rules, and regulations, but it restricts employees’ abilities to respond to unusual situations, or customer needs as well as stifles creativity and innovation.
Span of control
Refers to the # of individuals who report to a supervisor. Too big of a span can slow an organization making it difficult for directors to make decisions.
What drives a company towards a wide span of control?
The desire for employees to communicate directly with their ultimate supervisor and decision-maker.
What is a Flat organization?
Companies in which employees report to only one or a few supervisors.
Structure
The way the company separates and connect its pieces/departments
Systems
The policies that guide behavior and work. The processes that define how to do a task. Tools that are used to support the work.
Culture
The set of beliefs, attitudes, values, and behaviors shared in the company and passed onto new members.
Values
The principles that the company and its leaders have explicitly selected as a guide for decisions and actions.
Leadership
the model of behavior that leaders set for the rest of the company.
OED Intervention
Structured activities that interrupt the status quo in order to examine a situation closely and to make changes to improve the outcome. Involves multiple actions that are all focused on the same goal- organizational performance improvement.
What do OED interventions need?
Data in order to present a business case for an intervention. Tools to examine the issue and the change or solution that will be implemented.
Proactive interventions
Interventions that identify and correct potential problems before they begin affecting performance.
Ex: helping a company that has to compete in a rapidly changing market to develop structures that allow employees to make decisions quickly and independently.
Remedial interventions
Makes changes that bring a company back on course toward its strategic goal. They’re designed/intended to resolve a problem/issue that is current or newly discovered and to bring about a long-term positive impact on the organization and its functions.
What are some characteristic of effective OED interventions
They’re strategically aligned, collaborative, supported by top management, produce sustainable results, support continuous improvement, use common tools and language, have explicit assumptions, are fact-based and evidence-based, are oriented towards systems and processes, have flexibility, and have multiple perspectives.
Why do OED interventions fail?
There isn’t enough accurate data to get results from to perform an intervention. The objective is too grand; too many things need to be changed.
They focus on only the solution and not key people.
They never get started- all talk, no action.
Organizational interventions
interventions that look at how the structure of the organization is helping or hindering the company’s strategic process.
When are organizational interventions required
Required when the company is failing to meet its strategic goals because its structure is ineffective and/or inefficient.
Ex: a company in the early stages
Required when a company has changed its competitive strategies and needs to develop new skills and traits.
Ex: Skills needed to respond to market changes quickly.
Work specialization
Refers to the degree to which tasks are performed as separate jobs. Seen as increasing efficiency and quality, but it can result in boredem and lack of quality.
Centralized
Decisions are made at the headquarters
decentralized
Decisions are delegated to other parts of the company.
Functional structure advantages and disadvantages
Advantages: easy to understand, specialization develop, easier communication within functions, clear career path, economies of scale
Disadvantage: Weaker customer or product focus, potentially weak communication among functions, a weak grasp of broader organizational issues.
Product structure advantages and disadvantages
Advantages: Product team culture, product expertise, cross-functional communication, and Economies of scale
disadvantages: regional or local focus
weaker customer focus
Geographic structure advantages and disadvantages
Advantages: proximity to customers, adapted to local practices, quicker response time, cross-functional communication.
Disadvantages: potential issues with consistency across regions and fewer economies of scale
Maxtrix structure advantages and disadvantages
advantages: combination of crossdisciplinary capabilities and perspectives, availability of best global talent, and flexibility and agility
Disadvantages: complex reporting structures, the potential for conflicts between functions and projects over resources, and potential cultural conflicts on teams.
RACI
R- responsible - the person who performs the activity
A- accountable - the person is in charge of the activity and answers to management about performance. Approves and allocates resources.
C- consult - the person provides advice or info to perform the activity.
I- inform - the person is to receive communication about activities but doesn’t perform or consult.
What is the purpose of RACI?
is to help a company establish clarity around its critical activities by assigning responsibility and describing communication needs. Helps when a company is restructuring or introducing a new activity or process.
What are the 4 stages of the Team Formation Process?
Forming
Storming
Norming
Performing
Forming
Individuals come together around common activities and shared goals. Members are polite, but there is little sense of trust, shared experience, or common values.
Characteristics: Low levels of commitment and communication.
Leader’s role: Provide vision, describe expectations, and encourage perseverance.
Storming
Individuals move past politeness, and there may be higher levels of discord as perspectives, styles, and agendas clash.
Characteristics: High levels of conflict and dissent.
Leader’s role: Enforce ground rules, increase levels of engagement, and provide coaching.
Norming
Over time, effective groups build trust and establish relationships. They create rules that guide behavior; they began to establish a group identity. This may form “group think” that rejects outsiders’ views.
Characteristics: Growing sense of common direction, defined responsibilities and processes
Leader’s role Facilitate communication and group decision-making.
Performing
The group becomes fully productive, collaborative, and mutually supportive.
Characteristics: High level of productivity and self-direction.
Leader’s role: Monitor, evaluate, and foster improvement. Motivate by celebrating accomplishments.
What are the 3 basic types of roles within a group?
Task roles
Social roles
Dysfunctional roles
Task role
Helps get the work done. They propose solutions or collaborate in group problem-solving. They share task information and perform their assigned tasks.
Social role
Helps maintain relationships and positive group function. Recognizes the importance of social and interpersonal ties within a group. They promote harmony, conflict resolution, and involvement of all group members.
Dysfunctional Role
Weaken the group and reduce its productivity.
