Management and Organizational Structure Issues Essays

Management and Organizational Structure Issues Essays Management and Organizational Structure Issues Paper Management and Organizational Structure Issues Paper This document presents responses to the discussion questions posed in chapter 8 (O. C, Geoffrey Linda, 2009). The chapter discusses about organization structure, teamwork, and communication. Organization structure is the form of an organization that is evident in the way divisions, departments, functions, and people link together and interact. Organization structure reveals vertical operational responsibilities, and horizontal linkages, and may be represented by an organization chart. The complexity of an organization’s structure is often proportional to its size and its geographic dispersal. Business Situation Regarding Spectrum Brand The sections below pretend reference to the above business situation. How To Organize Spectrum Brands Using A Matrix Structure The matrix structure groups employees by both function and product. This structure is based on multiple employee reporting structures. It emphasizes both vertical organizational hierarchy and horizontal relationships. In other words, any employee within a matrix organization reports upwards to functional managers and, based on geographic requirements, may also report sideways to project managers. In this arrangement, employees are responsible to two managers- functional and project managers (O. C, Geoffrey Linda, 2009). Employees can be in one department and report to functional manager, but these same employees may be assigned to different projects and report to a project manager while working on that project. Therefore, each employee may have to work under several managers to get their job done. How To Organize Spectrum Brands Using Multidivisional Structure The multidivisional structure of Spectrum Brands can be broken down into three areas: product, market, and geographic. These are summarized as follows: Product structure: Each product division contains the functions necessary to that specific good. Product structure groups’ employee together based upon specific products produced by the company. Spectrum Brands, for example, can operate with its products such as pet food, pet supplies, grooming product, toys, novelty items, vitamins and veterinary supplies. The company can have a separate division for each product. Market structure: Market structure groups employees together based upon specific market in which the company sells. The company can sell its products to individual consumers and business consumer. So the sales and consumer customer service worked together, and corporate sales and corporate customer service worked together. Geographic structure: This structure groups each organizational function into divisions based on geographical basis. Each division within a divisional structure can contain all the necessary resources and functions within it. Divisions can be categorized from different points of view. Especially if the company is facing problem of controlling its activities on a national or international level is likely to use a geographic structure and group functions into regional divisions to service customers in different locations. Each geographic division can access to a full set of the functions it needs to provide its products. The Most Effective Structure For Spectrum Brands A multidivisional structure can allow Spectrum Brands to coordinate intergroup relationships more effectively than does a matrix structure. Since the company supplies pet products in 48 states and has more than 750 stores, departments can be formed on the basis of geography, customer, product, or a combination of these. This structure can also allow regional managers and employees to be close to their customers and, may develop more relationships that may give managers and employees extra incentive to perform well. Employees’ close identification with their division can increase their commitment, loyalty, and job satisfaction. Potential Communication Problems In Matrix And Multidivisional Structure Information sharing is important in companies like Spectrum Brands because several people may be required for the same piece of work. Because a matrix organization chart is working with more complex communication structure and hierarchy, it needs to be structured properly. One that isn’t properly thought out and executed can be dysfunctional in that it creates confusion rather that clarity. Confusing communication is always a detriment to the organization or a team. Matrix structure increase role conflict and role ambiguity. Reporting relationship in this structure makes employee vulnerable to role ambiguity. Two bosses making conflicting demands on two-boss employee relationships. This conflict and ambiguity can increase feelings of stress. Employees have difficulty in demonstrating their personal contributions to team performance because they move so often from one team to another. And there are limited opportunities for promotion, because most movement is lateral, from team to team, not vertical to upper management positions. Divisional structures normally have more managers and more levels of management than matrix structures have, communications problems can arise as various levels in various divisions attempt to coordinate their activities. As the companies grow and diversify, traditional line structures become difficult to coordinate, making communication difficult and decision making slow (O. C, Geoffrey Linda, 2009). Divisions may start to complete for organizational resources and may start to pursue divisional goals and objectives at the expense of organizational ones. Most Effective Level Of Centralization In Matrix And Multidivisional Structure Multidivisional structures permit delegation of decision-making authority, allowing divisional and department managers to specialize. They allow those closest to the action to make the decisions that will affect them. Delegation of authority and divisionalized work also mean that better decision faster, and they tend to be more innovative (O. C, Geoffrey Linda, 2009). A multidivisional structure makes it relatively easy for organizations to evaluate and reward the performance of individual divisions and their managers and to assign rewards in a way that is closely linked to their performance. Corporate managers can also evaluate one regional operation against another and thus shared ideas between regions and find ways to improve performance. Matrix structures provide flexibility, enhanced cooperation, and creativity, and they enable the company to respond quickly to changes in the environment by giving special attention to specific projects or problems. However, they are generally expensive and quite complex, and employees may be confused as to whose authority has priority (the project manager’s or the functional manager’s) Conclusions The information presented above leads to the following conclusions: 1. The matrix structure groups employees by both function and product. This structure is based on multiple employee reporting structures. It emphasizes both vertical organizational hierarchy and horizontal relationships. 2. In multidivisional structure, divisions (departments) can be formed on the basis of product, market, and geographic structure. 3. In multidivisional structures communications problems can arise as various levels in various divisions attempt to coordinate their activities. Matrix Structure increase role conflict and role ambiguity on two-boss employee relationships. 4. Multidivisional structures permit delegation of decision-making authority, allowing divisional and department managers to specialize. In matrix employees may be confused as to whose authority has priority (the project manager’s or the functional manager’s). Reference Ferrell, O. C. , Hirt, G. , Ferrell, L. (2009). Business: A changing world: 2009 custom edition (7th ed. ). New York: McGraw-Hill/ Irwin.

Dispelling the One-Page Resume Myth

Dispelling the One-Page Resume Myth Do You Believe the One-Page Resume Myth? I’ve been thinking about the one-page resume myth a lot lately, since it’s college, law school, and business school admissions season. Business school admissions clients have approached me asking if they need to have a one-page resume. My answer is always, â€Å"Read the instructions. Read the fine print.† Some business schools do request a one-page resume as part of their application. If they do, you must deliver. I took one client’s one-and-a-half-page resume and shrank it to one page so he could use it for his business school applications. The formatting tricks I employed did not include shrinking the font size or obliterating any white space on the resume. In general, however, there is no rule that a resume should be only one page. There are many instances when a two- or even three-page resume is not only appropriate, it’s expected. Yet the one-page resume myth persists. Job seekers are being misled that recruiters, hiring managers, and HR professionals won’t read a resume that is longer than one page. That’s simply not true. You Need a Longer Resume! It IS true that a recruiter or hiring manager will read your resume for just seconds when it is first screened. But this first review is only to determine if you are a match for the position. If you are considered a serious candidate, your resume will be read again. If you believe an HR professional won’t read a two-page resume, consider the resume screening process. The screener’s boss is asking him or her to come up with a handful of people to interview. If you try to condense 5-10 years of experience to fit an artificial one-page limit, your resume will not include sufficient information for the HR person to make an informed decision. Given a choice between a well-written two-page resume or a crammed one-page resume which omits notable accomplishments, the HR professional is likely to choose the longer one. If you submit a two-page resume, the worst that can happen is that the reader decides you’re not a match for the job. But if you do seem to fit the job requirements, that person will want to know even more about you. A well-organized two-page resume can actually make it easier for the screener to determine if you’re a good match for the position. Variations on the One-Page Resume Myth There is a specific myth circulating that if you apply for a job at Google, you need a one-page resume. This myth has been debunked by people with hiring power at Google itself, including Laszlo Bock, Senior VP, who believes that you need one page for every ten years of work experience. And since many applicants to Google are fairly new graduates or even students applying for internships, the 1-page guideline often applies. Some recruiters are vocal about their desire for a one-page resume. The great thing about recruiters, though, is that they’ll tell you what you want and you can always create a one-page resume from a longer one. Keep in mind, however, that recruiters are responsible for less than 25% of job placements, and not all recruiters even subscribe to the one-page limit. College Students and One-Page Resumes College professors also share some of the blame for perpetuating the one-page resume myth. Some professors - who have no connection to the employment world - believe â€Å"their way† is the right way to do things. They provide a template to their students and require advisees to use that format, even if the person is a non-traditional student who has an extensive work history or career path that sets them apart from other job candidates with similar educational backgrounds. While it is unusual for most 21-year-olds to need a two-page resume, some accomplished graduates have enough experience to warrant exceeding one page. When I worked with a Cornell student who was applying for jobs in finance, I quickly discovered that she had more information than I wanted to squeeze onto on one page. We gave her a 2-page resume, and she got a sought-after position at Burger King. She is now a Retail Channels Senior Analyst at UPS – and she got there with a 2-page resume. Online Resumes Resumes submitted online are less likely to be affected by the one-page resume myth. Resumes uploaded to company websites aren’t affected by page limits. And since approximately 30 percent of resumes are only stored electronically, the screener never even knows it’s more than one page. The Long and the Short of Resume Length Length does matter. Your resume should be exactly as long as necessary to communicate what the reader needs to know †¦ and not one word more. When hiring managers and HR professionals are surveyed about resume length, the majority express a preference for resumes that are one OR two pages. The general consensus is â€Å"as long as needed to convey the applicant’s qualifications.† Here are some guidelines for deciding resume length: If your resume spills over onto a second page for only a few lines, it’s worth editing. Try shortening your bullets, or adjust the font, margins, and/or line spacing to fit it onto one page. Don’t bury key information on the second page. If the first page doesn’t hook the reader, he or she isn’t even going to make it to the second page. Don’t be afraid to go beyond two pages if your experience warrants it. Senior executives often require three- or four-page resumes. So do many physicians, lawyers, and professors who might be using a â€Å"CV† in lieu of a resume. Traditional college students and those with five years or less of experience can often fit their resumes onto one page. Most others can (and should) use one page OR two, unless specifically instructed by a school or company. Make sure that everything you include - regardless of length - is relevant to your job target! Don’t make your resume unnecessarily long with less relevant material. Are you looking for help to create a one-page, two-page, or even three-page resume? Need some input on how long your resume should be? The Essay Expert offers hourly and full-service resume services, or get started with  a 15-minute live resume review. A version of this article appears in Executive Secretary Magazine, a global training publication and must read for any administrative professional. You can get a 30% discount on an individual subscription when you subscribe through us. Email  subscriptions@executivesecretary.com  and tell them we sent you.