Organizational Structure Essay

Organisational structure is the formal configuration between individuals and groups concerning the responsibilities, allocation of tasks, and authority in the organisation. It consists of six key elements which are centralization, decentralization, span of control, chain of command, work specialization, and formalization.

Work specialization describes the degree to which tasks in an organisation are subdivided into separate jobs. Managers could increase productivity by enlarging rather than narrowing the scope of job activities. Giving employees a variety of activities to do, allowing them to complete a job, and putting them in teams with interchangeable skills often achieved significantly higher output, with increased employee satisfaction, therefore having a positive effect on workplace behaviour and productivity. Work specialization can also have a role of a negative impact on workplace productivity and employee performance because of job allocation. If the employee is the only one capable of doing a specific task this can render employee and job performance. Work specialization contributes to higher productivity but at the cost of reduced job satisfaction.

Chain of command is the unbroken line of authority that extends from the top of the organization to the lowest echelon and clarifies who reports to whom. It is vital for the longevity of any organizational structure because it classifies the various hierarchies. If used correctly, the chain of command can help managers to successfully reach the organizational goals. If employees know whom to directly report to it can increase employee performance because it would be faster job task allocations. Without chain of command there would be a breakdown of communication which will negatively impact employee performance. Communication plays a vital role within any organization.

Span of control- the number of subordinates a manager can efficiently and effectively direct. The wider or larger the