Module 4 – Case

ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE AND CULTURE

Assignment Overview

The format of this case differs from the previous three modules and resembles more closely the format of assignments you will see in many of your courses going forward.  This is not to say that you should abandon what you have learned about the analytical process of alternating between the abstract and the concrete, the reflective and the active, but this paper will not follow the format of a section on concrete experience, reflective observation, abstract conceptualization, and active experimentation.  Each of these aspects of analysis should be present, but integrated into the paper as a whole, rather than broken out into distinct sections.

The topic of this case is organizational design.  To complete this assignment, we will begin as before, and you should identify an organization you know very well.  Then conduct your analysis by addressing the topics below.  Do not line up the questions and address them one at a time as in a short-answer test, but rather integrate them into a single coherent commentary and analysis of the organization. A critical part of successful completion of this assignment is for you to demonstrate your ability to employ the concepts introduced in the background material in describing and evaluating the effectiveness of the organizational design.  To do this, you will need to draw on the concepts from at least three readings/videos.  This paper should be minimum 4 pages long.

Case Questions:

  1. Diagram the formal structure of your organization.  Identify the various management positions or titles on the chart and indicate the positions/jobs that would report to each.  Identify the various management positions or titles on the chart and indicate the positions/jobs that would report to each.

    SmartDraw.com (https://cloud.smartdraw.com/) provides free examples, though others are also available via Google.  PowerPoint also has templates for organizational charts you can use.

  2. Describe how work is divided (specialization and departmentalization), coordinated (chain of command and span of control), and controlled (centralization and formalization).  Is the structure more mechanistic or organic?
  3. Describe the informal structure of the organization.  How does work actually get done?
  4. How does the organization deal with the differentiation-integration issue?
  5. Having completed this analysis, identify three strengths and three weaknesses of the organizational design.
  6. If you could suggest one major improvement to the organizational design, what would it be?

 

Assignment Expectations

Your paper will be evaluated using the criteria as stated in the Case rubric. The following is a review of the rubric criteria:

  • Assignment-Driven: Does the paper fully address all aspects of the assignment?  Is the assignment addressed accurately and precisely using sound logic? Does the paper meet minimum length requirements?
  • Critical Thinking: Does the paper demonstrate graduate-level analysis, in which information derived from multiple sources, expert opinions, and assumptions has been critically evaluated and synthesized in the formulation of a logical set of conclusions? Does the paper address the topic with sufficient depth of discussion and analysis?
  • Business Writing: Is the essay logical, well organized and well written? Are the grammar, spelling, and vocabulary appropriate for graduate-level work? Are section headings included? Are paraphrasing and synthesis of concepts the primary means of responding, or is justification/support instead conveyed through excessive use of direct quotations?
  • Effective Use of Information: Does the submission demonstrate that the student has read, understood and can apply the background materials for the module? If required, has the student demonstrated effective research, as evidenced by student’s use of relevant and quality (library?) sources? Do additional sources used provide strong support for conclusions drawn, and do they help in shaping the overall paper?
  • Citing Sources: Does the student demonstrate understanding of APA Style of referencing, by inclusion of proper citations (for paraphrased text and direct quotations) as appropriate? Have all sources (e.g., references used from the Background page, the assignment readings, and outside research) been included, and are these properly cited? Have all sources cited in the paper been included on the References page?

 

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