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Organizational Design / Anatomy

 

Definition:

Organizational Design is a series of decisions made by management about the best organizational arrangements to achieve the goals in their strategic plans. Includes 4 aspects:

 

Division of Labour

The degree of job specialization in a work organization

Type of work performed

Work method or process to be used (accounting, production marketing)

Allocation of authority

Delegation of authority – how much authority to give to a subordinate.

1)     For each responsibility given to an employee and equal amount        of authority must be given.

2)      All decisions should be delegated to the lowest organizational level possible.

3)      Practice management by exception.

4)      Managers should not simply tell what to do but how to do it.

5)      Manager responsible for the work of their subordinates.

Departmentalization

How work activities are grouped together. See details Departmentalization

Span of control

Number of subordinates who report to a given manger.  Influenced heavily by number and intensity of interpersonal relationships between the superior and his subordinates.  Three factors effect span of control

1)  Required contact  - R&D need for sustained and frequent co-ordination, self-directed teams need flexible co-ordination.

2)  Degree of specialization – Manager lower in organization can have wider span if he oversees many specialized employees doing the same thing.  Higher-level jobs have much less specialization. Span of control narrow further up the organization’s hierarchy.

3)  Ability to communicate.  – Managers who can clearly and concisely convey company polices, procedures and work expectations to subordinates will be able to manage a wider span of control.

 

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