Assignment: Structural Issues

As described in Chapter 4 of Reframing Organizations, Herbert Mintzberg developed a five-sector "logo" in order to categorize how organizations can be structured. Five specific structural types are pictured: simple structure, machine bureaucracy, professional bureaucracy, divisionalized form, and adhocracy.

1. Explain the role of each of the five components of Mintzberg's "logo" (write your explanations using your own words - don't simply copy the descriptions verbatim from the text or other source):

a. strategic apex (Type answer here, using blue font.)
b. technostructure (Type answer here, using blue font.)
c. support staff (Type answer here, using blue font.)
d. middle line (Type answer here, using blue font.)
e. operating core (Type answer here, using blue font.)

Your answer to different components of this question should total about 1-2 pages, single spaced.

2. Bergmann Cleaners is probably the best established dry cleaning company in the Washington, DC area. It was founded in 1917. It currently employs 150 people, most of whom are involved with dry cleaning and laundry chores. It also uses a fleet of 20 vans to deliver laundry to its patrons.

a. Which of Mintzberg's five structural types likely describes the Bergmann Cleaners structure? (i.e., simple, machine bureaucracy, divisionalized bureaucracy, professional bureaucracy, adhocracy.) Explain your rationale in detail. (Type answer here, using blue font.)

b. Name two other companies from your community that employ the same structural type. (Type answer here, using blue font.)

Your answer to the different components of this question should total about 1-2 pages long, single spaced.

3. ABC Co. is a 200-person company that specializes in conducting environmental impact analyses associated with the construction of Federal, state, and local government structures. Its sales group constantly monitors government announcements to see whether requests-for-proposals (RFP) will be issued, seeking contractors to bid on environmental impact assessments. When the sales group sees an interesting prospect, they review the RFP then assemble a team to write a proposal. Typically, the proposal must be written in a very short time frame. The proposal writing team is comprised of corporate employees who have have appropriate technical expertise, marketing/sales people, a business manager, and editor/writers who can put together a well-articulated proposal. Each year ABC Co. writes some 20-30 proposals in this fashion and wins 5-10 contracts.

a. Which of Mintzberg's five structural types is the proposal writing team most likely to reflect? Explain your rationale in detail. (Type answer here, using blue font.)

b. Give another example of where this structure is appropriate. (Type answer here, using blue font.)

Your answer to the two components of this question should total about 1-2 pages, single spaced.

4. Chapter 5 in Reframing Organizations describes high performing teams

a. What is a high performing team? How is it different from an average team? (Type answer here, using blue font.)

b. What are the six distinguishing characteristics of a high performing team as discussed in the book? (Type answer here, using blue font.)

c. Katzenbach and Smith - authors of The Wisdom of Teams and discussed in the book - point out that the true test of whether a team is good is tied to the extent to which it achieves its performance objectives. What do they mean by this? (Type answer here, using blue font.)

d. It seems that everyone strives to develop high performing teams, but in practice we encounter few such teams. Why do you think it is so difficult to develop high performing teams? (Type answer here, using blue font.)

Your answer to the different components of this question should total about 1-2 pages, single spaced.

5. In Chapter 5, the authors of Reframing Organizations discuss an all-channel network. (Note: This design is similar to Helgesen's web of inclusion as described in the Bolman and Deal book.)

a. When people try to get work done through wikis and other social networking techniques, they employ an all-channel network approach. Describe why this is so? (Type answer here, using blue font.)

b. A significant problem with all channel networks is that when the number of participants grows beyond a critical mass, they cease to function effectively. Why is this so? (Type answer here, using blue font.)