Organization
Organization
Organization
In today's dynamic age, everything in business is changing rapidly. What was ideal yesterday
is outdated today; what is the best today will be thrown away tomorrow. The three aspects
of management that have experienced tremendous reforms are organization design, directing
task and style, and HR policies and practices. Every business unit needs to maintain
reasonable pace with the drastically and rapidly transforming global business management
philosophy and practice.
The need of restructuring, suitability of classical principles, new forms and their suitability,
managerial behavior, key considerations (factors), the need for freedom, and the right type
of organization climate are some focal areas relevant to organization design. Management
experts emphasize on converting a strict hierarchical structure into a family-like structure, a
home-like organization design. They overweigh on the role of key position holder in creating
work design and internal culture.
DEFINITIONS OF ORGANIZING
Organizing and organization are closely related terms, but literally both are different. The
term organizing can be defined as:
1. Lyndall F. Urwick: "Organizing is, a process of dividing up of the activities, which are
necessary to any purpose, and arranging in a group, which are assigned to individual."
2. Louis Allen: "Organizing is the process of identifying and grouping of the work to be
performed, defining and delegating responsibility and authority, and establishing relationships
for the purpose of enabling the people to work most effectively together in accomplishment
of objectives.
Characteristics of Organizing
Proper analysis of the definitions reveals the following characteristics of organizing:
DEFINITIONS OF ORGANIZATION
Organization is the end result of the organizing process. Organization is a formal structure
that depicts formal relationships, positions, Statuses among people in it. Let us examine the
definitions of organization:
Based on above definitions, we can define the term as: Organization is a structure,
(mechanism, set-up, arrangement of framework) made of men, tasks, authority, and
responsibility to facilitate coordination necessary to achieve specific purposes. It is essentially
a matter of formal relationships among people, jobs, and departments. The formal
relationships are presented in the form of an organization chart.
Characteristics of an Organization
We can generalize organization in terms of some common characteristics. Main characteristics
of organization have been listed below:
2. Division of Work: Division of work is the essence of an organization. Work is divided into
activities and tasks. Departments and divisions are created to facilitate performance of work
effectively.
3. Roles, Positions, and Status: An organization prescribes roles, positions and status of
members working in it. People in an organization have different, higher or lower. Positions
and statuses as per the roles they perform and responsibilities they carry. At any position,
except extreme top and extreme bottom, a person is both a superior to his subordinate(s)
and a subordinate to his superior.
4. Two or more persons: Organization is a form of human association of two or more persons
working together.
5. Common Goals: The organization is created to achieve some common goals. The structure
facilitates smooth achievement or goals.
10. Only Formal Relationships: An organization defines or prescribes only formal relationships
among members. It cannot determine informal relationships.
11. Formal Provisions (Rules and Regulations): An organization prescribes rules and
regulations that members have to observe while performing the work and dealing with others.
ORGANISING PROCESS
Organizing is a process of combining and coordinating efforts of people in an effective manner.
1. Specifying of Objectives
Organization is a deliberate and conscious creation of structure for a specific purpose. The
organization process starts with specification of objectives. A manager who is in charge of
formulation of the organization structure needs to have knowledge of the objectives to be
achieved. He must know the long-term and the short-term objectives as well as individual,
departmental, and general objectives. Clarity of objectives gives the direction to work.
For example, activities related to marketing (function) are grouped into marketing
department. Likewise, activities related to human resources are grouped under personnel
department. Hence, similar activities are performed only in a particular department under a
specific function. The manager should be careful to avoid unnecessary duplication or repetition
of activities in more than one group.
Step1: Specifying objectives
Example: assigning responsibility. Thus, a person is fitted with a function. A qualified and
experienced person is assigned the duty of performing each group of activities. Therefore. job
is assigned and responsibility is created. Moreover, designation is also defined, and role and
position (status) are clarified. As a result of assignment of job, various positions come into
existence, like marketing manager. sales officer, Financial manager, and so forth.
5. Delegating of Authority
When assignment of tasks is over, respective superiors delegate authority to different position
holders to enable them to carry out activities. This is a vital step Delegation of authority
creates various levels and positions. In fact, assignment of duties and delegation of authority
go hand-to-hand. Delegation refers to granting or offering of a legitimate power to
subordinates to enable them to take decisions independently. It is an authorization to make
decision, to order, or to command the people working under him. While delegating authority,
care should be taken that there is a balance between responsibility and authority. Authority
must be equal to responsibility.
6. Establishing Interrelationships
This step concerned with establishing relationships among various position holders. These
relationships are established in both directions-horizontally and vertically. At this stage, the
relationship and line of authority between the superior and subordinate is made clear.
Statuses are fixed to facilitate higher and lower positions. The entire network 1s defined in
terms of functions, positions, levels, communication, and interrelationships among various
positions.
7. Preparing Organization Chart and Manuals
The structure so prepared is now depicted in the form of a chart or diagram that shows various
relations, positions, and levels in the organization. An organization chart can be defined as:
A diagrammatic presentation of formal relationships among people in the organization. The
chart shows details regarding number and type of functions, levels of management, various
positions and designations, direction of communication, and so forth. The chart is prepared
either on function basis or job title basis.
Generally, two types of charts are prepared, a master chart and a supplementary chart. A
master organization chart 1s also known as the grand chart or general chart. It shows a
general picture of the organization structure, consisting of all functions, levels, and people.
Supplementary chart, on the other hand, shows detailed relationships within a specific
function or area, for example, Supplementary organization chart of marketing department
shows only marketing activities and various position holders. Organization chart can be
prepared in three forms- vertical chart, horizontal chart, and circular chart. Among the three,
vertical chart is the most popular and widely used. Organization chart is a useful tool for many
purposes.
Along with the organization chart, organization manual is also prepared to guide the
interrelations. An organization manual is a small booklet that describes objectives, authority,
and responsibility of each of the positions. It also explains the nature of work, powers,
position, status, etc., of each position holder.
Every company tries to create the most suitable structure of organization to direct efforts
effectively towards achievement of goals. About the significance of organization, the American
industrialist Andrew Carnegies said: "Take away our factories, take away trade, revenues of
transportation, our money, and leave nothing to us, but our organization, and in four years,
we shall have established ourselves." The following points elaborate the significance of an
Organizing.
4. Benefit of Specialization
Organization helps in reaping the benefits of specialization. Capable and qualified persons
perform the specialized activities of the departments they are expert of and trained for. Such
arrangement leads to overall efficiency.
8. Promoting Creativity
A suitable structure stimulates creativity in a well-defined area of work. Everyone tries to
evolve superior way of working. An organization places people where they actually required
and where they fit best. Each employee gets a chance to utilize his maximum potentials.
12. Facility for Expansion, Development and Diversification A sound organization can
facilitate further expansion, development, and diversification of the business. Opportunities
can be seized quickly and exploited fully, leading to expansion and development.