Unit 9: Organization Structure, Change, and the Future of Management
For a company to be effective and profitable, a strong organizational structure must be in place. This structure provides a framework from which all goals are set and helps individuals and departments know where they fit within the company's organization.
One of management's most important responsibilities is to ensure a strong organizational structure. In this unit, you will explore in more detail the various aspects of organizational structure, including what happens when a structure changes. Such change can occur due to new developments in the marketplace, competitive factors, and/or the development of new theories of management.
Completing this unit should take you approximately 3 hours.
Upon successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:
- identify and understand various organizational structures;
- distinguish ways in which organizational structure impacts strategy, performance, and operations;
- explain methods of organizational control;
- evaluate effective methods of change in 21st-century management trends; and
- assess the role of technology in the future of management.
9.1: Organizational Structure and Management Principles
9.1.1: Case Study: Toyota Struggles with Organizational Structure
Read the introduction and section 7.1, which includes a case study of the Japanese automaker Toyota. You will uncover some of the issues that the company encountered in 2009 and 2010 as it tried to make sense of millions of vehicle recalls due to unintended acceleration in its cars. Approach this case in light of your recent coursework, considering how important management practices could have been been applied to improve the situation at Toyota.
9.1.2: Coordinating Individuals Is a Big Part of Organizational Structure
Read this section, which discusses the difference between centralization and decentralization (regarding who will make strategic and core decisions) and how to apply this information within the structure of an organization. This section also covers organizational hierarchy, departmentalization, and formalization, which are components that make up an organization's structure.
9.1.3: Contemporary Organizational Structures: Responding to Business Trends
Read this section, which discusses how to identify a matrix organization; how to eliminate barriers as identified within a boundaryless organization; and how to change organizational behavior.
This video describes some of the factors that frequently obstruct organizational progress and offers insight into how we can overcome these obstacles to move forward as a society. While the focus of this talk is on education, its principles apply to any business environment.
9.2: Managing Organizational Structure and Change
9.2.1: Change Management and Resistance to Change
Read this section, which discusses why people are so often resistant to change and how external forces affect change implementation within the workplace. This section also covers some of the possible reactions to change, which will help you understand how your employees might respond as you implement change in a work environment.
9.2.2: Plan for Change or Expect to Fail – Changing Effectively
Read this section, which discusses the dynamics associated with Kurt Lewin's three-stage model for change management and introduces insight support or how you can get people to accept a continuous improvement or change process. Change is necessary to maintain a competitive advantage in a marketplace.
9.3: Management in the Future
9.3.1: The Future of Management
Read this article and think about the management processes currently in place at your own organization (or one you are familiar with). Are there any innovative methods of management at work, or are older, more traditional models in place? How do you feel about gamification in the workplace? Can it be productive, or is it merely a fad? Do you agree that following the best practices of other organizations is no longer a valid management strategy?
Reflect on the article that you have just read about the future of management. Is there a balance of management styles being used in your workplace? Are older methods being implemented, or are newer methods being embraced?
Share your thoughts on these questions in the course discussion forum. Read the responses that other students have posted and post your own comments. Be sure to take advantage of this opportunity to connect with your peers and to receive meaningful feedback of your own.
Read this article and then think about how revising traditional management processes is essential to an organization's success. Does that notion contradict this article? Can traditional and innovative models of management truly coexist? Are you more comfortable with traditional models, or are you open to newer approaches?
9.3.2: The Future of Work
Read this article and consider the following questions: Do you see any signs among today's businesses that support Dr. Malone's prediction of organizations moving toward models that encourage more employee freedom and organizational decentralization? If yes, what are some examples of these signs? Has today's ease of communication allowed your current organization, or one that you are familiar with, to grow globally? Do you believe that employees' current behavior patterns support the future organizational model shift? If so, why? Have you started to see evidence of the three new decentralized organizational structures being implemented within specific organizations? If yes, what are some examples?
Unit 9 Assessment
- Receive a grade
Take this assessment to see how well you understood this unit.
- This assessment does not count towards your grade. It is just for practice!
- You will see the correct answers when you submit your answers. Use this to help you study for the final exam!
- You can take this assessment as many times as you want, whenever you want.