"An organizational structure defines how activities such as task allocation, coordination, and supervision are directed toward the achievement of organizational aims."
The way in which an organization's activities are divided, organized and coordinated.
Organizational Theory: A general overview of the field of organizational theory, its main principles and themes.
Organizational Structure: The formal arrangement of roles, responsibilities, and relationships within an organization.
Bureaucracy: A form of organizational structure that emphasizes hierarchy, rules, and procedures, often associated with government agencies and large corporations.
Centralization and Decentralization: The degree to which decision-making authority is concentrated at the top or distributed throughout the organization.
Span of Control: The number of employees that a manager can effectively supervise.
Matrix Structure: An organizational structure in which employees are organized by both function and project, often used in complex, cross-functional organizations.
Division of Labor: The process of dividing a complex task into smaller, more specialized tasks.
Departmentalization: The grouping of functions into specific departments, such as marketing, finance, and human resources.
Job Design: The process of identifying and defining job roles within an organization.
Human Relations: The study of how people interact within organizations, and the impact of these relationships on organizational effectiveness.
Organizational Behavior: The study of how individuals and groups behave within organizations, and the factors that influence this behavior.
Organizational Culture: The shared values, beliefs, and practices that shape the behavior of members within an organization.
Communication: The exchange of information within an organization, and the impact of communication on organizational effectiveness.
Power and Politics: The distribution of power and influence within an organization, and the role of politics in shaping decision-making processes.
Change Management: The process of managing organizational change, including implementing new structures, processes, and procedures.
Organizational Development: A systematic approach to improving organizational effectiveness through change management, performance measurement, and employee development.
Leadership: The study of effective leadership within an organizational context, including the traits, behaviors, and skills of effective leaders.
Motivation: The study of why individuals engage in certain behaviors within an organization, and the ways in which motivation can be influenced.
Teamwork: The study of how individuals work together within teams, and the factors that contribute to successful team performance.
Performance Management: The process of setting goals, monitoring progress, and providing feedback to employees to improve performance.
Functional Structure: Also known as bureaucratic structure, it arranges employees by their functional role or department.
Divisional Structure: This structure arranges the organization into self-contained units, each with its own resources, budgets, and goals.
Matrix Structure: This structure combines the functional and divisional structures, creating a dual reporting system.
Network Structure: This structure can be seen in organizations that rely heavily on outsourcing or partnerships with other companies.
Team-Based Structure: This structure empowers teams to work together and make decisions, usually with a strong team leader.
Flat Structure: Also known as a horizontal structure, this type eliminates middle management levels and flattens the hierarchy.
Hierarchical Structure: This structure is characterized by a clear chain of command, with numerous levels of management.
Organic Structure: This type is often used in small, entrepreneurial organizations and values flexibility and creativity over rigid policies and procedures.
Hybrid Structure: This type is essentially a combination of a few different types, creating a custom structure that best meets the organization's needs.
Holacratic Structure: This is an experimental approach to organizational structure that aims to empower individuals and promote self-governance.
"Organizational structure affects organizational action and provides the foundation on which standard operating procedures and routines rest."
"It determines which individuals get to participate in which decision-making processes, and thus to what extent their views shape the organization's actions."
"Organizational structure can also be considered as the viewing glass or perspective through which individuals see their organization and its environment."
"Organizations are a variant of clustered entities."
"An organization can be structured in many different ways, depending on its objectives."
"The structure of an organization will determine the modes in which it operates and performs."
"Organizational structure allows the expressed allocation of responsibilities for different functions and processes to different entities such as the branch, department, workgroup, and individual."
"Organizations need to be efficient, flexible, innovative and caring in order to achieve a sustainable competitive advantage."