Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Ba 11
Ba 11
Organizing
Fundamental 1: Standardization
Fundamental 2: Specialization
Fundamental 3: Centralization
Fundamental 4: Departmentalization
Introduction to Organizing
Fundamental 1: Standardization
Standardization is a way for managers to design basic work activities so that
members perform tasks in the best way to accomplish the overall work of the
organization, and to spend their time productively.
Mainstream managers try to ensure that members perform the activities that are
most appropriate for achieving overarching organizational goals.
When we thinks of standards, we think of formal standards. The more written
documentation there is, the higher the degree of formalization. Informal standards
that govern and give meaning to members behaviour are also important.
Fundamental 1: Standardization
Standards serve as guidelines for decision making, and they provide an overarching
framework that gives members confidence and ensures coordinated decision making
across departments and over time.
- Standards also provide direction and motivation for members.
Having too few standards may result in haphazard decision making, and may lead to
endless debates on which goals should be pursued and how tasks should be
performed.
Having too many standards may also leave members feeling suffocated, and may also
undermine the organizations credibility and legitimacy.
Fundamental 2: Specialization
Fundamental 2: Specialization
- Too little specialization means that tasks are not being performed as
efficiently as possible, which results in underperformance. It may also
lead to ambiguity in terms of decision making, and may also create
difficulties in recruitment and training members.
- Too much specialization can lead to situations where specialized tasks
displace the overarching work of the organization, cause a gradual shift in
the overall goals of the organization, result in jobs that are repetitive and
boring which leads to increased turnover and absenteeism, and can cause
members to focus only on completing narrow tasks.
Fundamental 3: Centralization
emphasizes top-down decision making, with managers and top
executives making decisions to ensure order deference among members
Authority - the formal power given to specific members to arrange
resources, assign tasks, and direct activities of other members
Fundamental 3: Centralization
Delegation - the process of giving authority to a person or group to make decisions
in a specified sphere of activity
Span of control - the number of members over whom a given manager has authority
Responsibility - the obligation or duty of members to perform assigned tasks
Accountability - the expectation that members will have compelling reasons for
decisions they make
An optimal level of centralization aids timely and coordinated decision making,
facilitates interpersonal relationships among members and organizational
commitment
Fundamental 4: Departmentalization
Departmentalization: groups members and resources in a way that achieves
the work of the larger organization as efficiently and harmoniously as possible.
Two key dimensions of departmentalization
1. Focus-is concerned with the content of what each department is assigned to
do. Four basic structures:
Functional
Hybrid
Divisional
Matrix
Fundamental 4: Departmentalization
1:
2:
3:
4:
Experimentation
Sensitization
Dignification
Participation
Fundamental 1: Experimentation
(versus Standardization)
-the emphasis on an ongoing voluntary implementation of new ways of performing
tasks on a trial basis.
a) Ensures that work activities are completed in the best way
b) Focus on dynamic process of organizing (experimenting) rather than on the
static outcome of organizing (standards)
c) Concern for multiple stakeholders and multiple forms of well-being
d) Problems with too little experimentation: stagnation, rigidity, complacency,
lack of growth and new knowledge
e) Problems with too much experimentation: chaos, uncoordinated efforts
Fundamental 2: Sensitization
(versus Specialization)
-the emphasis on searching for and responding to needs and opportunities to improve
the status quo
a) Ensures that members know what subtasks they should perform
b) Encourages members to be sensitive to new needs and opportunities and to
continuously adapt and improve how they do their jobs in harmony with
others
c) When tasks are divided into separate jobs, Multistream managers tend to do so
at the group level while Mainstream managers tend to do so at the individual jobholder level
d) Optimal levels of sensitization yield greater feelings of purpose, meaningful
Fundamental 3: Dignification
(versus Centralization)
-the emphasis on treating everyone with dignity and respect in
community
a) Ensures orderly deference among members
b) Providing people with appropriate choice and freedom
c) Dignification is more likely in relatively decentralized organizations
where
authority resides in groups rather than in a few individuals
d) Optimal dignification enhances decision making, encourages
connectedness
between and across organizational levels, and motivates members
2)
Participation refers to the emphasis on mutual discernment and giving stakeholders a voice
in how the organization is managed and how jobs are performed