1. Organization Structure: Departmentation
MANAGEMENT: A GLOBAL AND ENTREPRENEURIAL PERSPECTIVE by Weihrich, Cannice, and Koontz
Chapter 8
Organization Structure: Departmentation
© 2008 Weihrich and Cannice
Chapter 8. Organizational Structure: Departmentation

2. After studying this chapter, you should understand:
1. The basic patterns of traditional departmentation and their advantages and disadvantages.
2. Matrix organizations.
Strategic business units.
Organization structures for global enterprises.
5. The virtual and boundaryless organizations.
6. That there is no single best pattern of departmentation.
© 2008 Weihrich and Cannice
Chapter 8. Organizational Structure: Departmentation

3. Departmentation by Enterprise Function
Most widely employed basis for organizing activities and is present in almost every enterprise at some level in the organization structure.
No generally accepted terminology for functional departments: A manufacturing enterprise employs the terms “production,” “sales,” and “finance;” a wholesaler is concerned with such activities as “buying,” “selling,” and “finance;” and a railroad is involved with “operations,” “traffic,” and “finance.”
© 2008 Weihrich and Cannice
Chapter 8. Organizational Structure: Departmentation

4. Fig. 8-1 Departmentation by Enterprise Function
© 2008 Weihrich and Cannice
Chapter 8. Organizational Structure: Departmentation

5. Departmentation by Territory or Geography
Rather common in enterprises that operate over wide geographic areas.
© 2008 Weihrich and Cannice
Chapter 8. Organizational Structure: Departmentation

6. Fig. 8-2 Departmentation by Territory or Geography
© 2008 Weihrich and Cannice
Chapter 8. Organizational Structure: Departmentation

7. Fig. 8-3 Departmentation by Customers
© 2008 Weihrich and Cannice
Chapter 8. Organizational Structure: Departmentation

8. Fig. 8-4 Departmentation by Product
© 2008 Weihrich and Cannice
Chapter 8. Organizational Structure: Departmentation

9. Chapter 8. Organizational Structure: Departmentation
Matrix Organization
The combining of functional and project or product patterns of departmentation in the same organization structure.
© 2008 Weihrich and Cannice
Chapter 8. Organizational Structure: Departmentation

10. Fig. 8-5 Matrix Organization (in engineering)
© 2008 Weihrich and Cannice
Chapter 8. Organizational Structure: Departmentation

11. Guidelines for Making Matrix Management Effective
1. Define the objectives of the project or task.
2. Clarify the roles, authority, and responsibilities of managers and team members.
3. Ensure that influence is based on knowledge and information, rather than on rank.
4. Balance the power of functional and project managers.
5. Select an experienced manager for the project who can provide leadership.
6. Undertake organization and team development.
7. Install appropriate cost, time, and quality controls that report deviations from standards in a timely manner.
8. Reward project managers and team members fairly.
© 2008 Weihrich and Cannice
Chapter 8. Organizational Structure: Departmentation

12. Strategic Business Units (SBUs)
Distinct little businesses set up as units in a larger company to ensure that a certain product or product line is promoted and handled as though it were an independent business.
© 2008 Weihrich and Cannice
Chapter 8. Organizational Structure: Departmentation

13. Fig. 8-6 Strategic Business Units
© 2008 Weihrich and Cannice
Chapter 8. Organizational Structure: Departmentation

14. Organization Structures for the Global Environment
Organization structures differ greatly for enterprises operating in the global environment.
The kind of structure depends on a variety of factors, such as the degree of international orientation and commitment.
© 2008 Weihrich and Cannice
Chapter 8. Organizational Structure: Departmentation

15. The Virtual Organization
A rather loose concept of a group of independent firms or people that are connected often through information technology.
These firms may be suppliers, customers, and even competing companies.
© 2008 Weihrich and Cannice
Chapter 8. Organizational Structure: Departmentation

16. Boundaryless Organization
Jack Welch, former CEO at GE (General Electric), stated his vision for the company as a boundaryless company, an “open, anti-parochial environment, friendly toward the seeking and sharing of new ideas, regardless of their origin.”
The purpose was to remove barriers between the various departments as well as between domestic and international operations.
© 2008 Weihrich and Cannice
Chapter 8. Organizational Structure: Departmentation

17. Choosing the Pattern of Departmentation
There is no one best way of departmentation that is applicable to all organizations and all situations.
Managers must determine what is best by looking at the situation they face.
The jobs to be done and the way they should be done
The people involved and their personalities
The technology employed in the department
The users being served
Other internal and external environmental factors in the situation
© 2008 Weihrich and Cannice
Chapter 8. Organizational Structure: Departmentation

18. KEY IDEAS AND CONCEPTS FOR REVIEW
Departmentation by enterprise function
Departmentation by territory or geography
Departmentation by customer group
Departmentation by product
Matrix organization (or grid, or project, or product)
Strategic business unit
Organization structures for global enterprises
Virtual organization
Boundaryless organization
© 2008 Weihrich and Cannice
Chapter 8. Organizational Structure: Departmentation