organization
a group of people working together to achieve a specific goal
organizational structure
a system that coordinates the people, tasks, and activities necessary to carry out a particular purpose
explain the impact of organizational structure on the organization
An organizational chart is:
a visual document that communicates how a company is organized
Main elements of an organizational structure: (10)
work specialization
also known as division of labor, is the degree to which jobs are divided into specific tasks
departmentalization
the process of grouping people with related jobs duties, skills, and experiences into the same area within the overall organizational structure
chain of command
the flow of authority and power from the highest to the lowest levels of the organization
span of control
refers to the number of direct reports for whom managers are directly responsible
authority
the legitimate right given to managers to give orders and make decisions
responsibility
the personal obligation to perform present tasks and reach specified goals
delegation
the process of transferring authority and responsibility to others to carry out certain tasks and activities
centralization
refers to an organizational structure designed to give top-level managers the authority to make decisions on behalf of the entire company
decentralization
refers to an organizational structure designed to allow all employees to make decisions and recommend changes
formalization
the process of determining procedure, rules, and responsibilities for employees
traditional organizational structures are group into six (5) main types:
simple structures
a common organizational structure used in small businesses in which decision-making is centralized with the business owner
functional structure
groups employees according to the tasks they perform for the organization, such as marketing, finance, and human resources
divisional structure
sometimes called multidivisional structure, groups employees by products and services, by geographic regions, or by customers.
vertical structure
based on a chain of command in which leaders sit at the top of the hierarchy and pass down orders to lower-level workers.
horizontal structure
also known as flat structure, focuses on teamwork and collaboration to achieve collective goals
type of contemporary organizational structure
matrix organizational structure (type of contemporary organizational structure)
a company structure in which reporting lines are set up as a grid, or matrix.
flatter structure (type of contemporary organizational structure)
company structure where some layers of management are removed but a degree of hierarchy remains