An employee may have vertical and horizontal reporting lines. Part 3 organizing chapter 5 organizational structure and design. May 03, 2018 matrix organizational structure is often used in project management because it speaks to both the product of the project and the function of the management producing it. This structure gives the organization the flexibly to manage functional and product needs. Lets take a closer look at this type of organizational structure to determine its pros and cons in project management. This is one of the types of project organizational structures where projects are completed with little bureaucracy among departments and objectives remain clear. The type of organizational structure would depend upon the type of organization itself and its philosophy of operations. Jul 15, 2015 this is part four of a five part post that explores various types of organizational structures that either already exist in todays business landscape or are starting to emerge as viable options. A functional organizational structure is a structure that consists of activities such as coordination, supervision and task allocation. Learn about three types of matrix structures assigning different powers to. Here they can move employees whenever and wherever their services are needed. Different organizational structures that combine to form starbucks matrix structure are divisional structure.
The advantages and disadvantages must be weighed and the. A matrix organisation combines traditional functional hierarchy i. Difference between matrix and functional structure compare. An organizational structure defines how jobs and tasks are formally divided, grouped and coordinated. Organizational structure is a powerful determinant of organizational behavior. A matrix organizational structure is a company structure in which the reporting relationships are established as a matrix. We look at the various elements of organizational structure and the fac tors that influence their design. Matrix organizational structure allows balancing daily operations with project delivery within an organization. The third main type of organizational structure, called the matrix structure, is a hybrid of divisional and functional structure. In other words, employees have dual reporting relationship generally to both a functional leader and the product leader. Organizational structure organization versus structure theories of contingency approach internal and external factors a typology of organizations mintzberg types of organizational structures functional organization uform divisional organization mform, hform matrix organization matrixform. This means that a matrix structure combines two organizational structures, most commonly a functional structure and a divisional structure. Functional structure in an organization that is developed by grouping departments by the skills, level of knowledge, activities done daily, and the resource used.
The matrix structure offers organizations an effective system for managing. The five types of organizational structure 516 words bartleby. Numerous studies have been conducted on the implementation of matrix management and the advantages and problems relating to this type of company structure. In a matrix organisation, the product or business group managers and functional managers have somewhat equal power. A matrix organizational structure is one of the most complicated reporting structures a company can implement. This is a composite organizational structure a matrix structure would require new construction to occur within one of the maintenance departments the project manager would report to a functional manager rather than the executive. The matrix organizational structure is a combination of two or more types of organizational structures. However, the term matrix means quite different things to different people and in. In fact, many people believe decisions about organizational structure to be the central determinant of. Aug 16, 2019 the maintenance division and the capital projects division are located side by side, reporting to the executive. Matrix organizational structure a complete guide whizlabs. The matrix structure has been unsuccessful in many organizations and, as such, has its detractors. The official reporting relationships are clearly known to every manager. In this type of an organization, the company uses teams to complete tasks.
Organizational structure determinesthe manner and extent towhich roles, power,and responsibilities are delegated,controlled, and coordinated, andhow information flows between levelsof management. Whether an organization is large or small, they need a defined organizational structure to help or hinder its progress toward accomplishing these goals. While many matrix structure organizations will lean heavily toward one type of structure or another, its also not uncommon for an organization to adopt aspects from multiple structure types. For example, a bank may develop a trading algorithm with a team of programmers, risk management specialists and traders. He is critical to conflict management that intrinsically occurs due to dual chain of commands underneath him. The matrix structure, with its various forms, is an alternative to the functional 2 structure, the projectbased a. The matrix structure gives the best of the both worlds of functional and divisional structures. Essentially, the organization used a functional structure. A hybrid organizational structure, the matrix structure is a blend of the functional organizational structure and the projectized organizational structure.
In choosing a companys organizational structure, management is searching for the one that will bring the companys moving parts together into a wellcoordinated, efficient and effective unit. Different organizational structures that combine to form starbucks matrix structure are divisional structure, functional structure, and teambased structure. The matrix structure offers organizations an effective system for managing projects. Basically the structure can be mechanistic or organic in nature or a combination of. Hobday mentions14 that the matrix structure is strong in areas where the projectbased structure is inherently weak.
Structures range from simple to complex systems but basically there are three types of organizational structure. The matrix organization is the structure uniting these other organizational structures to give them balance. The most common organizational structure for healthcare organizations is a functional organizational structure whose key characteristic is a pyramidshaped hierarchy, which defines the functions carried out and the key management positions assigned to those functions see figure 21. Many managers need to work together, on teams of their own, to ensure that workers are completing their work assignments as expected. Matrix organizational structure in project management. Many managers need to work together, on teams of their own, to ensure that. Types of organizational structures management study hq. The matrix organizational structure is a mix of two other organizational structures, the project system, and the functional system. In the matrix structure, employees may report to two or more bosses depending on the situation or project.
Best practices in matrix organizational structures gssa georgia. The matrix structure cancels out the extremes of the two structures to balance them somewhere in between. There is possibility of conflict and frustration but the opportunity for prompt and efficient accomplishment is quite high. Usually, there are two chains of command, where project team members have two bosses or. Matrix management allows for cross functional teams that span departments such as information technology, operations, marketing and finance.
An structure depends entirely onthe organizations objectives andthe strategy chosen to. The primary reason for the firms success is its structure. The result is creation of dual line of authority that is balanced by top managers. Part 3 organizing chapter 5 organizational structure and. A software company has a functional structure of individual. The matrix structure has the flexibility of transferring the organizations talent by considering employees to be shared resources. Unlike a functional organizational structure, where a marketing team will rely on the sales team to know what to market, divisional structures allow each department to function alone. Implementing a matrix is a complex process, involving more than just changing the organizational structure, systems, culture, and behaviors over time. We also look at some traditional and contemporary organizational designs, as well as organizational design challenges that todays managers face.
The five types of organizational structures are functional, divisional, matrix, teambased, and virtual network draft, 20, p. This is part four of a five part post that explores various types of organizational structures that either already exist in todays business landscape or are starting to emerge as viable options. Though matrix organizational structures have been implemented since the late 1970s, their use is still a matter of some debate. Types of organizational charts organizational structure. The matrixs most basic advantage over the familiar functional or product structure is that it facilitates a rapid management response to changing market and technical requirements. The organizations created the structures to coordinate the activities of work. In this chapter, we present information about designing appropriate organizational structures. The term organizational structure refers to how the people in an organization are grouped and to whom they report. Dec 27, 2019 the matrix organization structure usually exists in large and multiproject organizations. Dec 15, 2018 a combination of two or more types of organizational structures, the matrix organization can help companies improve efficiency, readiness and market adaptation. The top manager heads the entire matrix and balances the dualchain of commands. Organizational structure is a way or method by which organizational activities are divided, organized and coordinated.
This type of structure works best for startups and other companies operating in a dynamic environment since they often can respond faster to market or customer demand while decreasing. A power struggle in a matrix is qualitatively different from that in a traditionally structured hierarchy. The maintenance division and the capital projects division are located side by side, reporting to the executive. Types of organizational structure matrixdeveloped to allow a certain degree of flexibility, combining two or more structures departments divided based on their functions, but then subsequently grouped according to product line functional and product managers.
Different reasons may lead to the introduction of matrix structures or. For each matrix team or subgroup, there is one functional. Organizational structure types bureaucratic structures. The key is to find what works best for your organization and develop a strategy to work those aspects into your structure. Concepts and f0rmats when two or more people work together to achieve a group result, it is an organization. Three most commonlyused organizational structures types including functional, hierarchical and matrix organizational structure will be introduced in this article. After the objectives of an organization are established, the functions that must be performed are determined. A matrix is an organizational structure that shares power among two or more. Organizational structure examples, types and advantages. Matrix organizational structure and the area of its application matrix organization is a company in which the reporting relationships are set up as a grid, rather than in traditional hierarchy. Even though there are two types of managers in a matrix organizational structure, with two chains of command, the balance of power between these two groups is not usually defined. Hobday mentions14 that the matrix structure is strong in areas where the projectbased structure is. A company would choose its appropriate structure based on the industry in which it functions, the number of employees and how much control the owner might desire to have.
An organizational structure is the term used to define how employees of a company work together to support their mission. Types of organizational structure matrix developed to allow a certain degree of flexibility, combining two or more structures departments divided based on their functions, but then subsequently grouped according to product line functional and product managers. A balanced matrix still has time accountability issues for all the project team members since their functional managers will want reports on their time within the project. There are several types of organizational structures, including hierarchy, crossfunctional, and matrix.
All managers must bear that there are two organisations they must deal withone formal and the other informal. Matrix structure when it comes to matrix structure, the organization places the employees based on the function and the product. The matrix structure is a type of organizational structure where employees are grouped concurrently by two different operational dimensions. Matrix structure the matrix structure superimposes the product structure laterally over the functional structure recommended reading. Apr 20, 2020 an organizational structure is the term used to define how employees of a company work together to support their mission. A balanced matrix structure has many of the same attributes as a weak matrix, but the project manager has more time and power regarding the project.
But it also involves much complexity and demands much communication so that all organizational managersparticularly the project and the functionalcan effectively and efficiently work together. The number of managers in the organization typically depends on the number of employees and on the type of structure. The organizational structure determines how the organization performs or operates. A combination of two or more types of organizational structures, the matrix organization can help companies improve efficiency, readiness and market adaptation. Choosing a matrix is a serious, top level decision requiring commitment to a thorough implementation. The formal organisation in usually delineated by an organisational chart and job descriptions.