Question

Question 1 10 pts Discuss organizational structure as it relates to how work is divided up. Describe each of the 5 coordinating mechanisms (e.g., mutual adjustment, work output) and when each might be most useful in organizations. IITA

Answer 1

Organisational structure refers to the formal configuration between individuals and groups regarding the allocation of tasks responsibilities and authority within the organisation There are three basic coordinating mechanisms: mutual adjustment, direct supervision and standardization of which there are three types of work process, work outputs and work skills.

1. Mutual adjustment: This mechanism is based on the simple process of informal communication. It is used in very small companies such as 5 person software shops or for very very complicated tasks such as putting the first person on the moon. mutual adjustment is the same mechanism used by furniture Movers to maneuver through a house or paddlers or take a canoe down river or jazz for musicians playing a life engagement. it's especially useful when nobody really knows ahead of time how to do what they are doing.
2. Direct supervision: Achieves coordination by having one person taking responsibility for the work of others issuing instructions and monitoring their actions. An example is the offensive unit of the football team. There is a marked division of labour and specialisation and the efforts of the player are coordinated by the quarterback calling specific plays. if the organisation is large enough one person cannot handle all the members so multiple leaders or managers must be used then the efforts of these people are coordinator dead by a manager of managers and so on.
3. Standardization: The third mechanism of coordination is standardization. hear the coordination is achieved on the drawing board, so to speak or at compile time. if you like not during the action or runtime. the coordination is pre programmed in one of the three ways:

Work process: An example is the set out of assembly instructions that come with a child's toy. here the manufacturer standardised the work process of the parent. often the machinery in a factory effectively standardised work by automatically providing blue paint when blue paint is needed and only red paint when red paint is needed.

Work Outputs:standardization output means that there are specifications that the product or work output must be made but aside from that the worker is free to do so they wish. stereo equipment manufacturers have a lot of freedom in designing their products but the interface portions of the product must be the same as everyone else or it would be hard to put together a complete system.

Worker skill: professional schools like medical schools Law School Business School produce workers that do stuff exactly the same way. How do you treat a staphylococcal Infection? you use one of the following antibiotics. it's a series of recipes that are memorized. Employers that are hospitals can rely on these employees that are physicians to do things the standard way which allows Their employees that are nurses to coordinate smoothly with them. When a surgeon and an anesthesiologist meet for the first time in the operating room They have no problem working together because by virtue of their training they know exactly what to expect from each other .

Putting an organisational structure in place can be very beneficial to a company. The structure not only defines a company's hierarchy but it also allows the firm to layout the pay structure for its employees. by putting the organisational structure in place the firm can decide salary grades and ranges for each position. The structure also makes operations more effective and much more efficient. by separating employees and functions into different departments that company can perform different operations at once seamlessly .