Chapter Glossary

Chapter 12 Managing Organization Design


ORGANIZATION DESIGN The overall set of structural elements and the relationships among those elements used to manage the total organization

BUREAUCRACY A model of organization design based on a legitimate and formal system of authority

BEHAVIORAL MODEL A model of organization design consistent with the human relations movement and stressing attention to developing work groups and concern with interpersonal processes

SYSTEM 1 DESIGN Similar to the bureaucratic model

SYSTEM 4 DESIGN Similar to behavioral model

SITUATIONAL VIEW OF ORGANIZATION design Based on the assumption that the optimal design for any given organization depends on a set of relevant situational factors

TECHNOLOGY Conversion processes used to transform inputs into outputs

MECHANISTIC ORGANIZATION Similar to the bureaucratic or System 1 model, most frequently found in stable environments

ORGANIC ORGANIZATION Very flexible and informal model of organization design, most often found in unstable and unpredictable environments

DIFFERENTIATION Extent to which the organization is broken down into sub-units

INTEGRATION Degree to which the various sub-units must work together in a coordinated fashion

ORGANIZATIONAL SIZE Total number of full-time or full-time-equivalent employees

ORGANIZATIONAL LIFE CYCLE Progression through which organizations evolve as they grown and mature

U-FORM OR FUNCTIONAL DESIGN Based on the functional approach to departmentalization

H-FORM OR CONGLOMERATE Used by an organization made up of a set of unrelated businesses

M-FORM OR DIVISIONAL DESIGN Based on multiple businesses in related areas operating within a larger organizational framework

MATRIX DESIGN Based on two overlapping bases of departmentalization

TEAM ORGANIZATION An approach to organization design that relies almost exclusively on project-type teams, with little or no underlying functional hierarchy.

VIRTUAL ORGANIZATION One that has little or no formal structure.

LEARNING ORGANIZATION One that works to facilitate the lifelong learning and personal development of all of its employees while continually transforming itself to respond to changing demands and needs