Organizational Theory Flashcards
Work Specialization
The extent to which jobs in an organization are narrowly or broadly divided amount employes: narrow = low job specialization, broad: high job specialization
Departmentalization
Process of Grouping activities into departments ( Finance Department )
Chain of Command
Lines of Reporting authority or Levels of Management
- strength: easy communication
- weaknesses: slow decision making
Span of Control
of subordinates supervised by a manager
- strength: cost-effective
- weakness: less communication / less manager control
Centralization
Formalization
The extent to which an organization’s policies, procedures, and rules are written and explicitly articulated.
Boundary Spanning
Roles in which individuals reach across internal and external boundaries to facilitate communication and coordination
strength: cost-effective and enhance organizational learning
weakness: emotional labor ( part of a team but not part of a team )
Informal Structure
flat, fluid design, few rules, no hierarchy, and little formalization
Functional Structure
Formal, Centralized, Specialization
Divisional
Formal, Centralized, Departamental, Specialization
Matrix
Formal, Centralized, Chain of Command, Specialization
Mechanistic Organizations
Centralized, Formalized, Defined rules
Organic Organizations
Distributed Decision making, fluid Responsabillities, More Social forms of control
Task Design
THE ONE BEST WAY TO DO THINGS: Scientific Management
Frederick Taylor
Scientific Management ( physical study ) : one best way to do something
Elton Mayo
concerned with the strikers that were advocating for better working conditions ( wrong intent ) proven that physiological and sociological studies of management are necessary
Organizational Design
Fayol and the Principals of Management
Fayol
Organizational Design
The challenge of human relations
phycological and sociological characteristics that influence decision making
The great debate
Bureaucracy is the realization of the human potential (those who understand the organization’s rules can succeed) OR destruction of the human spirit (dehumanizing, inflexible, and rigid)
Theory of Modern Bureaucracy
Formal Rationalization: Structure, Technocracy, Accountability
Structure
Formally defined and interrelated roles and rules
Technocracy
Roles as full-time jobs allocated by qualification
Accountability
A central role for record-keeping
Weber
Theory of Modern Bureaucracy
Structural Contingency Theory
Not one best way: the best design will reflect the environmental pressure ( necessity ) and what characteristics will be helpful to achieve success
Turbulent Environment
Organic Organizations (Venture Capital)
Stable Environment
Mechanistic
Configurational Theories
identify the different types of combinations of organizations and their design
