“Organizational structure is the formal system of task and reporting relationships that controls, coordinates, and motivates employees so that they cooperate and work together to achieve the organization’s goals”. (George et al, 2002). The importance of structure can’t be stressed enough. Having an organizational structure ensures that each member of the organization has the correct goals of their particular department set.
A good structure will give people the motivation needed to achieve those goals, and enhance their performance. As discussed in our text, in order to encourage work, cooperation, and the drive needed from employees, an organization should have some sort of organizational structure. Whether a functional structure, a divisional structure, a network structure, or even a matrix structure, every corporation must have one type to achieve the directives set forth by their mission statement. A strong structure essentially changes the way people work, and the results of their work ethics will produce quality work. If we look at the Aberdeen plant, we see what I believe to be, a functional structure.
This structure, that Lancaster as developed, has proven to be quite a success. Each employee is a member of a group, and each group has a leader that has been chosen by the team members. If we try to put Aberdeen in an organizational chart, it will look something like this: Then, from the team leaders, come the members of each group, and information is shared between everyone within the hierarchy. This is what forms the trust needed, and helps coordinate people, and encourages motivation. At Green River, this type of structure can be implemented, but not without doing away with the union.
The union, in essence, has its own hierarchy within the union itself. Here, at Green river, I can see more of a divisional structure with a concentration on the product structure, or quite possibly a market structure. Green River is part of Alkali Chemicals, which is a division of FMC that supplied to many different areas of the market. Its goal was to produce sodium-based chemicals to the detergent industry, the glass industry, and large commercial chemical plants (Clawson et al, 2003). This type of structure does not allow for much group interactivity as a formal structure does.
However, it does seem that it is a structure that works well, given the age and diversity of the Green River plant. If Dailey would want to implement a formal structure here, he would need full cooperation from the union members, which I don’t think will happen. Dailey has the vision of making Green River more of a formal structure, but I believe that implementing this type of structure is highly unlikely, and may prove to be disastrous. In summary, Organizational Structure is the solution to the flow of information and the growth of a business. The proper organizational structure will allow the maximum potential of the resources within the company and will support its’ goals and objectives.
Whether the information is face-to-face, or through the use of computers, a good structure is needed at every organization. Green River has a good one implemented there, and should continue to improve on it by possible upgrading its information systems, or trying to promote groupthink. Personally, I would not try to change the way information flows at Green River. It has evidentially been working well for 50 years.
“Organizational culture is the informal values, norms, and beliefs that control how individuals and groups in an organization interact with each other and with people outside the organization” (George et al, 2002). Culture is instrumental in achieving any organization’s goals. Culture in an organization is like communication in a marriage. You cannot function efficiently without it.
As stated in the case study, Aberdeen has a balanced system in self-direction. In other words, upper management has a direct involvement in planning and implementing systems (Clawson et al, 2003). In any organization, culture needs to be managed. How culture affects the organization comes from the top and works down through middle management down to employees.
Morale is built on effective management of the cultures within an organization. There are many ways to promote this. Culture can be developed through positive, effective.
