Organizational

Structure

Organizational Structure
Refers to the way in which a group is
formed, its lines of communication, and
its means for channeling authority and
making decisions
Each organization has a formal and an
informal organizational structure
Can help identify roles and their
expectations

 The Group Policy architecture is flexible

and allows for many types of design. The
guiding principle as you design your
organizational unit structure should be to
create a structure that is easy to manage
and troubleshoot

Organizational Chart
Defines formal relationships within the
institution
Formalr relationships, lines of
communication, and authority are depicted
on a chart by UNBROKEN LINES
HORIZONTAL UNBROKEN LINES
represent communication between people
with similar spheres of responsibility and
power out different function

 VERTICAL UNBROKEN LINES between

positions denote the official chain of
command, formal path of communication
and authority.
DOTTED OR BROKEN LINES represent
staff positions. Staff member provide
information and assistance to the
manager but has limited organizational
authority.

 Span of control also can be determined

from the organizational chart
The number of people reporting to any
manager represents that managers span
of control and determines the of
interactions expected to him or her.

Types of
Organization
Structures

MATRIX
Is designed to focus on both product
and function
Function id described as all the task
required to produce a product, and
the product is the end result of the
function.

Coordination Advantages
Facilitates rapid product development
Maximizes communication and cooperation between team members
Facilitates innovation and creativity
Facilitates face-to-face problem solving (through teams)

Provides a work setting in which

managers with different functional
expertise can cooperate to solve nonprogrammed decision-making
problems.
Facilitates frequent changes of
membership in product teams

Motivation Advantages
The matrix structure provides a work
setting in which such employees are
given the freedom and autonomy to
take responsibility for their work
activities.

Disadvantages of a
Matrix Structure

Increase role conflict and role ambiguity

- Two bosses making conflicting
demands on a two-boss employee
cause role conflict. Reporting
relationships in the matrix makes
employees vulnerable to role ambiguity.

High levels of work stress - Conflict and

ambiguity can increase feelings of
stress. Difficulty employees have in
demonstrating their personal
contributions to team performance
because they move so often from one
team to another.
Limited opportunities for promotion because most movement is lateral, from
team to team, not vertical to upper
management positions.

FLAT ORGANIZATIONAL
DESIGN
Are an effort the remove hierarchical
layers by flattening the scalar chain
and decentralizing the organization

Chief Nursing
Officer
Nurse
Nurse
Nurse
Nurse
Nurse
Manager Manager Manager Manager Manager

Staff

Staff

Staff

Staff

Staff

BUREAUCRATIC
Commonly called line structures or
line organizations.
Are fairly informal and involve few
deparments

AD HOC DESIGN
Modification of the bureaucratic
structure and is sometimes used in
temporary basis to facilitate
completion of a project within a
formal line organization.

Decision Making within the

organizational Hierarchy
Centralized and decentralized refers
to the degree to which an
organization has spread its line of
authority, power and communication
Centralized decision making are
made by few managers at the top of
the hierarchy

 Decentralization decision making diffuses

decision making throughout the
organization and allows problems to be
solved by the lowest practical managerial
level.
Problems can be solved at the level at
which they occur