Organisational Strucutres Flashcards
Divisionalised Form
Example: government
· Staff & Units: divided, autonomous
· Technostrucutre: small & high standardisation
· Power: centralised within divisions
· Environment: simple & stable
· Key Part: middle line
Machine Bureaucracy
Example: mass production
· Staff & Units: group tasks
· Technostrucutre: large technostrucutre & high standardisation
· Power: centralised
· Environment: simple & stable
· Key Part: technostructure
Professional Bureaucracy
Example: university
· Staff & Units: highly specialised
· Technostrucutre: small technostructure & high standardisation
· Power: dynamic
· Environment: complex & stable
· Key Part: operating core
Simple Strucutre
Example: Bakery
· Staff & Units: small staff and little unit differentiation
· Technostrucutre: small technostrucutre and little standardisation
· Power: central & hierarchical
· Environment: simple & dynamic
· Key part: Strategic Apex
Adhocracy
Example: NASA
· Staff & Units: highly specialised
· Technostrucutre: small & standardisation
· Power: informal
· Environment: complex & dynamic
· Key Part: support staff
Organisational Systems
input
throughput
output
Input: human capital
Throughput: procedures/operations
Output: outcome (products/services)
*From output to input: environment
*From input to output: feedback
Types of organisational systems (RON)
Rational: formalised interaction based on product maximisation
Open: combination of rational & natural systems
Natural: interactions beyond organisational structures, social exchange
What is the Contingency Theory?
Organisations adapting to the environment.
· High Turbulence
· Lack of information
· Structure formalisation
What is the (neo)Instutitional Theory?
Behaviour/ Context shaping organisations due to social and traditional systems
· social norms
· laws
· arrangements
Coordination Mechanisms of Organisations
Direct Supervision: leader supervision
Mutual Adjustment: based on group tasks
Standardisation of Skills: meritocracy
Standardisation of Work Processes: based on rules
Standardisation of Output: performance measurement
What is the Bureaucracy Theory?
Developed by Weber, focuses on hierarchical and bureaucratic organisational performances.
· Job stability
· Meritocracy
· Red Tape
What is Politico-Administrative Theory?
Developed by Wilson, focuses on the division between political and administrative bodies.
· Politics: delivering policies
· Administrative: managing policies
What is the Scientific Management Theory?
Developed by Taylor, focuses on a rational model of organisation.
· Rationalisation & Maximisation of outputs
· Standardisation of practices
What is the Logic of Consequences?
Organisations acting by taking into account the environment and act upon its conditions.
· Collective benefit
· Subjective Assessment
What is the Logic of Appropriateness?
Organisations act based on what is best without taking into account the needs of the environment.
· Based on Rational Choice & bounded Rationality (individuals not making a rational choice due to emotional limitations)
