Organisations and Behaviour Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words - 1

Organisations and Behaviour - Essay Example There are multiple organisational structures found both in theory and in practice. Some are rigid like public sector organisations while others are flexible like small scale private enterprises. There are many variables that affect the structure of the organisation. They include its size, age, staff, culture, geographical position and legal, commercial, social and technical environment. These factors all help to shape many organisational structures. In the basic categorisation, there are tall and flat structures. Below is the comparison of these two types. Tall Structure Flat Structure Size Usually Large Usually Medium Age Independent Independent Culture & Environment Rigid & Formal Flexible & Less Formal Geographical Position Independent Independent Hierarchy Strong Weak Span of Control Tight Loose Chain of Command Strict Loose Delegation of Authority Formal Informal Workload Reduced – Decentralised Increased Career Growth Well Defined Vague There are some other structures wh ich are combination of these two structures. The matrix structure is an example. It has different units and each one follows the tall structure independently. On the organisational level, all units form flat structure. Many organisational structures are dependent upon functional units therefore they extract the required characteristic from all types of structures. It is important to mention here that every organisation differs from other one in terms of structure. There can be variety in tall and flat structures as well. Organisational Structure of Apple The organisational structure of Apple is quite different from the ones mentioned in the literature and found in the practice. It is more like a wheel where CEO places himself at the centre. All other departments and functional units are spread around him and he the key focal of all. This structure reflects the overall leadership and operational philosophy in which Steve Jobs believed. He gave his executive team a direct access to hi mself. Through close coordination with them, he established trust and involvement. The same practise was adopted down the line and Apple won loyalty of employees. Steve’s successor disagreed with this organisational structure. His management and leadership approach is quite different from that of Steve. It is more likely that the command of Tim Cook will transform Apple into an organisational having traditional tall structure. The CEP will be at the top while the Executive Team will be next in the hierarchy and reporting to him. Since the structure is the overall design of an organisation, the functional units of Apple will become tall too. In addition to the conventional pros and cons attached with the tall structure, it is also expected that structural transformation will bring certain resistance. It is because change is naturally resisted and the employees of Apple are used to the wheel structure since long. It is also possible that command of authority may be challenged b y the employees and Apple may not expect the same performance as it was in Steve’s time. Comparison of Organisational Cultures The organisational structure influences the organisational culture. The rigid structure promotes strict and formal culture while the flexible structure is more likely seen in an informal culture. Below is the comparison of formal and informal culture that can exist in any organisation. In formal culture, the basic guideline followed throughout the