Unit 7: Organizational Structure and Change

Front

What is organizational structure?

Back

Organizational structure refers to how individual and team work within an organization are coordinated to achieve goals and objectives.

Front

What are the basic elements of organizational structure?

Back

The basic elements include centralization, formalization, levels in the hierarchy, and departmentalization.

Front

What is centralization in organizational structure?

Back

Centralization is the degree to which decision-making authority is concentrated at higher levels in an organization.

Front

What are the advantages of a decentralized organization?

Back

Decentralized organizations empower lower-level employees, allowing for quicker decision-making and greater procedural fairness.

Front

What is formalization in the context of organizational structure?

Back

Formalization is the extent to which policies, procedures, job descriptions, and rules are written and explicitly articulated.

Front

What are the pros and cons of high formalization?

Back

Pros include predictability and consistency in employee behavior; cons include reduced innovativeness and lower job satisfaction.

Front

What is the difference between tall and flat organizational structures?

Back

Tall structures have several layers of management, while flat structures have fewer layers, leading to greater autonomy for employees.

Front

What is departmentalization?

Back

Departmentalization is the way in which jobs are grouped within an organization, typically into functional or divisional structures.

Front

What is a mechanistic structure?

Back

Mechanistic structures are highly formalized and centralized, resembling a bureaucracy, and are often rigid and resistant to change.

Front

What is an organic structure?

Back

Organic structures are flexible and decentralized, with low levels of formalization, allowing for fluid communication and adaptability.