social action/community outreach program. This shows that the curriculum can be acombination of different
designs (Reyes, 2000).
Society-Centered Designs
 A third type of curriculum design is society-centered. As the name suggests, thecurriculum
content is heavily loaded with societal concerns, problems, and issues. Onesuch design is aimed at making the
students adapt to the changes in society and tosolve societal problems within their level of capabilities. Another
contemporary view ofthe society-centered design is based on the reconstructivist philosophy of education.This
curriculum design is aimed at making the school, the teachers, and the studentsthe agents of social change.
Hence, curriculum content is heavy with present and futureproblems of the society and with contemporary
building processes to enable learners toplan and realize societal improvement at the local and global
levels. Among the traditional curriculum designs, the traditional design, particularly thebroad field,
is the most popular not only in the Philippines but in most parts of the world.The popularity of the said curriculum
design will continue although curriculum content isbound to undergo changes. A practical guide for curriculum
developers in the context ofcommunity concerns should be formulated to help them become socially
responsible,proactive individuals (Reyes, 2000).
OTHER CURRICULUM DESIGNS
Other curriculum designs include the Trump Plan, the Spiral Curriculum, MasteryLearning, and Problem-Solving
Curriculum (Henson, 2001).
 
During the late 1950s, the Trump Plan was developed. This design was differentfrom existing designs because it
focused on grouping. Students were required to spend40 percent of their time in large groups, 20 percent in small
groups, and the remaining40 percent in independent study or in small groups if they preferred.Like the core
curriculum, the Trump Plan had strength in its variety. The TrumpPlan included variation in methods, materials,
and even in the length of the school dayand the school year, including year-round curricula, Its emphasis on
individual andsmall-
group work appeals to current educators. Eighty percent of today‟s teachers use
small-group assignments weekly, and 90 percent work with individual students weekly.The spiral curriculum is
built on two psychological foundations: connectionismand constructivism. It also employs developmentalism,
recognizing that students are notready to study certain concepts until they reach the required level of
development anduntil they have had the necessary experiences.Mastery learning is a curriculum design that
purports to offer the opportunity forall students to succeed by giving individual students all the time they need to
master theobjectives, by affording them opportunities to remediate and recycle without penalty,and by using
formative evaluation which is given during instruction, not to assign gradesbut to improve learning by improving
the curriculum and instruction. Obviously thisdedication to meeting the diverse needs of all students appeals to
those contemporaryeducators who are dedicated to meeting the needs of students from all
culturalbackgrounds.The problem-solving curriculum has long been a favorite design for educatorswho espouse
learner-centered education. lt was hoped that, by discovering the answers
 
to problems, students would more thoroughly understand the broader contentgeneralizations required to master
a discipline. The problem-solving curriculum hasreceived a renewed level of interest in American schools
because it enables students tolearn the topics at a greater depth and affords them opportunities to tie new
informationto prior understanding.Most mastery learning programs are individually based, making them attractive
tothose teachers who are dedicated to meeting the needs of diverse groups of students.These curriculum
designs are all different, but they all have certain features incommon, such as scope (breadth), sequence,
continuity, articulation, and balance.Success with any of these designs depends on teachers understanding
theunderpinning philosophies and on the quality of instruction used with the designs.
Bibliography
Henson, K. (2001). Curriculum planning. Integrating multiculturalism, constructivism,and education reform. New
York: McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.Reyes, F. (2000). Engineering the curriculum. A guide for educators and
schoolmanagers. Manila : De La Salle University Press, Inc.Tanner, D. (2007). Curriculum development. Theory
into practice. New Jersey : PearsonEducation, Inc.

What Are Horizontal and Vertical

Curricula?
By Staff WriterLast Updated March 31, 2020

kristian sekulic/E+/Getty Images

A vertical curriculum links knowledge from one lesson to the next

across a program of study, while a horizontal curriculum integrates
knowledge across different classes or disciplines. An integrated
curriculum uses both approaches.
In a vertical curriculum, what is learned in one lesson prepares students for
the next lesson. It establishes skills and knowledge which are used and
further developed across a whole program of study. In this way, basic skills
and knowledge are both developed and reinforced as other elements are
introduced into study. This method of teaching is structured and progressive,
focusing on building to advanced levels of knowledge.

A horizontal curriculum means that what is studied in one particular course in

an institution is in line with other, similar classes both in terms of course
content and evaluation. Horizontal coherence means that teachers are
evaluating students based on the standards for a particular subject and grade
level.

Horizontal integration may also mean the integration of basic concepts from
one course or discipline into another. For example, in studying medicine,
certain basic concepts may be relevant to the study of multiple disciplines,
such as anatomy, biochemistry, physiology and more. Conversely, topics such
as ethics and finance from other disciplines may be integrated into the study
of medicine.

Disadvantages to a Vertical Organizational Structure

by Sophie Johnson
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 Structure of an Empowered Organization

 Benefits & Disadvantages of a Functional Organizational Structure

Companies that have a vertical organizational structure have many layers of management. When
graphically represented on an organizational chart, this hierarchy creates a tall structure. Authority
resides in a chief executive officer or owner at the top of the chart; employees form the
bottommost tiers, with middle management in between. Hierarchical relationships are strict and
rigid, jobs are set and specialized and the organizations have many rules. This structure gives
companies a lot of control and the opportunity to efficiently standardize jobs and output. Such
control, though, also has its disadvantages.
Lack of Innovation
The job specialization in organizations with the vertical structure leaves little room for creativity.
Strict hierarchical authority also stands in the way of innovation. Visionary employees wishing to
get the go-ahead for new ways of doing things must run the decision up the chain of command.
Such constraints dampen the spontaneity needed for inspiration to spark change.
Slow and Inflexible
The same forces of bureaucracy create organizations that have difficulty adapting to a changing
marketplace. The time it takes for decisions to be approved means companies with vertical
structures are slow moving. In an unpredictable market environment, this poses a problem for tall
organizations trying to compete against more nimble competitors.
Less Interdepartmental Cooperation
The purest vertical structure is the functional organizational structure, which segregates jobs
according to work tasks. This segregation results in departments dedicated to one work function,
such as accounting or customer service, fostering efficiency and savings due to economies of
scale. However, by segregating this way, communication, cooperation and coordination among
departments can suffer. Not only the functional organization but all vertical structures risk this
disadvantage. The matrix structure tries to mitigate the risk by using teams to accomplish specific
company goals. Teams are composed of representatives from different functional departments.
Myopia
The characteristically strict boundaries between jobs, departments and hierarchical levels serve to
insulate people and their groups from one another. Isolated people lack an understanding of what
goes on in other areas of the company. They also can lose track of the larger concerns of the
company itself. Without an insight into the needs and challenges of other areas, departments can
even begin to compete with one another for company resources. Specialty areas can elevate
departmental concerns over the objectives of the company.
Employee Well-Being
In tall organizations, the well-being of employees can suffer. The strong authority structure can
remove a sense of employee empowerment and meaning. The layers of bureaucracy, meanwhile,
can foster the sense of being a cog in a machine. Specialized, repetitive jobs tend to be boring,
providing little job satisfaction. These factors discourage of a sense of employee investment in
their respective jobs, leading to passive, indifferent involvement in workplace matters. Morale can
be a casualty.

The Definitions of Horizontal and Vertical

Organizations
 Small Business

 Business Models & Organizational Structure

 Organizations

BySampson QuainUpdated February 01, 2019

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RELATED
 What Are the Primary Design Elements of Organizational Structure?
 Explain the Three-Tier Organizational Structure
 Advantages & Disadvantages of Vertical Organizational Design
 Lateral Structural Arrangements in Organizations
 Bureaucratic Vs. Flat Organizational Structure

Organizational structure refers to the way you organize the management and decision-
making process of your business to maximize efficiency and productivity. Every
business has unique challenges, which means that choosing the proper structure is
dependent on the personalities, skills and talents of your staff as well as the type of
business you operate. Horizontal and vertical organizations are two of the most
common types of business structures. Understanding the benefits and drawbacks of
each can help you make the right decision for your company.

Horizontal Organization Defined

If your company culture is all about tapping into the creativity and imagination of your
staff and empowering them to do their jobs without micromanagement, then you may
want to set up a horizontal organizational structure. In this structure, you grant
employees the authority to make decisions without having to obtain executive
approval. A horizontal organization has few – if any – managers because the focus is
on empowering the staff members and removing any barriers between the executive
level and the staff level. Teamwork, collaboration and the exchange of ideas are the
hallmarks of a horizontal organization.

Vertical Organization Defined

Businesses with a large number of employees often choose to run a vertical

organization, which is typically structured like a pyramid with executives at the top,
midlevel managers in the middle, and low-level managers and employees at the
bottom. In vertical organizations, you and other senior-level executives make all the
major decisions and communicate those decisions to midlevel managers. These
managers develop methods to implement your decisions and communicate these
methods to the low-level managers that are responsible for supervising your
employees as they go about their daily tasks. This top-down structure has a defined
chain-of-command and strict protocols regarding how your employees can make
suggestions that reach the upper levels of your company.

Advantages of Horizontal and Vertical Organizations

The main advantage of a horizontal organization is that employees are free to make
important decisions without feeling as though management is second-guessing them.
This empowerment can boost morale and motivation and spur creativity in your
workers. Decision-making in horizontal organizations is fast because there are no
barriers between workers and executives.

The primary advantage of vertical organizations is that all employees know and
understand their roles and responsibilities, which can increase productivity. Vertical
organizations motivate workers to seek management positions, which often results in
them working efficiently to achieve performance standards.

Disadvantages of Horizontal and Vertical Organizations

The main disadvantage of horizontal organizations is that employees may not always
make sound decisions without managerial supervision, and those bad decisions can
impact your business. Another disadvantage is that without managerial authority,
employees may have a hard time achieving consensus when working in teams.

The primary disadvantage of vertical organizations is that rank-and-file employees

rarely speak or meet with executives. Decision-making can be slow because there are
so many management layers.