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"How do we organize?"
Andrew J. Harvey and Raymond E. Foster (Leadership: Texas Hold 'em
Style).
Articles on
Organizational Design
Organizational Theory: Determinants of Structure
The objective here is to understand why organizations have the structure that
they do. By "structure" I mean things like degree and type of horizontal
differentiation, vertical differentiation, mechanisms of coordination and
control, formalization, and centralization of power. See handouts page for more
information on organizational structure. According to Taylor, Fayol, Weber and
other classical theorists, there is a single best way for organization to be
structured. Yet organizations vary considerably on structural attributes. The
objective of much research has been to understand what determines these
variations. Is it random or systematic? Are some organizations simply less
perfect than others, or are different designs better for different situations?
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Selecting an Organizational Structure for Your Business
A business is established with the objective of making a profit. The business
may be raising something to sell: sugar beets, livestock, wheat, Christmas
trees. The business may be the performance of a service: altering clothes,
housekeeping or painting. Or the business may be manufacturing or making
something: fishing waders, coats or wedding gowns. Regardless of the product or
service provided, every business owner needs to decide what form of business
organization is most appropriate.
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BEYOND THE M-FORM: Toward a Managerial Theory of the Firm
The post-War growth in the United States created an extraordinary new set of
opportunities and challenges for the management of companies operating in that
era. In turn, as companies developed new strategic approaches, created
innovative organizational forms, and redefined management roles in response to
the changing environment, they stimulated a wave of research that sought to
enrich and even redefine the theory of the firm. It was in this golden era of
research in the late 1950s through the 1960s that many of the foundations of
current management theory were laid.
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Organizational Structure
One of the most challenging tasks of a business may be organizing the people who
perform its work. A business may begin with one person doing all the necessary
tasks. As the business becomes successful and grows, however, there is generally
more work, and more people are needed to perform various tasks. Through this
division of work, individuals can become specialists at a specific job. Because
there are several peopleoften in different locationsworking toward a common
objective, "there must be a plan showing how the work will be organized. The
plan for the systematic arrangement of work is the organization structure.
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Learning and Competitiveness: The Role of Matrix Organizational Structures
Matrix structures, unlike traditional structures are designed for both
performance and learning. The learning capability of a matrix structure enables
the organization to innovate and change--to be competitive in a dynamic and
complex environment. To date, firms have used the matrix structure primarily for
performance and neglected its capacity to engender learning--a unique and
important characteristic. In this paper the role of matrix structures is
examined to show its relationship to learning and competitiveness. Each of the
roles within the matrix structure will be analyzed and distinguished from those
of traditional structures.
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A New Paradigm for Organizational Structure
It is increasingly obvious that the Air Force lives in a constantly changing
organizational climate: force reductions put end strength in constant flux,
planners struggle with budgetary uncertainty, and missions are realigned among
units. As we redesign our forces to fit real-world constraints and continue
meeting mission requirements, it is important that we seriously consider how we
envision our organizations and determine whether our traditional organizational
structure is meeting our needs. If that structure is inadequate, we must find a
new way to understand the organizational systems we manage or work within. With
this in mind, this article explores a powerful new concept of organizational
design, relates it to the Air Force, and discusses whether this breakthrough in
organizational structure can help improve the way the Air Force does business.
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Organizational Structure
Web-based resources
The Organizing Process
Organizational Structure: An Overview
Legal Organizational Structure
ORGANIZATIONAL DESIGN & STRUCTURE
Principles of Organizational Design (Tutorial)
Organizational Structure
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