The organizational characteristics I believe the handful of companies that have been on the Fortune 500 list for more than 100 years are flexibility and innovation. They have been able to adapt to the changing times and come out successful each time in order to stay on the list for so long.
Formalization is all of the written documents that an organization has. Specialization is how an organization separates its tasks among the workplace. I think it is possible for an organization to be high on both dimensions at the same time. Usually a successful company is successful because of multiple types of dimensions they work to employ.
Contingency means one thing depends on something else. Basically, one way of doing something may not be the best way for doing everything. It depends on the task at hand.
A mechanistic design means an organization is characterized by machine-like standard rules procedures, and a clear hierarchy of authority. An organic design means the organization is looser, free-flowing, and adaptive. I think it would be easier to manage a mechanistic design because you have a clear hierarchy of authority whereas with an organic design that is looser, employees may feel as if they do not have to listen to you.
Chapter 2
1. The job of top management in setting organizational direction is to define the mission, and official goals for the organization.
2. Employee development can be related to goals for innovation and change by training their employees to be able to handle these changes. Employees need to be able to change and innovate with their company with the changing times or they are useless. Productivity goes in hand as well because they have to be producing the product for the company at the correct pace in order for the company to be successful.
A conflict between these could be decreased productivity from the employees being unhappy. Or they may not be willing to grow and innovate with their company.
3. There are several similarities and several differences between Porter's strategies and Miles and Snows strategies. Porter's strategies were a differentiation strategy and a low-cost leadership strategy. Miles and Snows strategies included prospector defender, analyzer, and reactor.
Similarities include the prospector tends to involve more creativity rather than efficiency, similar to the differentiation strategy. All strategies involve different aspects of research and cost control.
Differences would be that they all involve different strategies for the work place.
4. Yes, I think organizations mission and goal statements provide an organization with genuine legitimacy in an external environment. The mission is supposed to be the reason the company exists. If something in the mission statement contradicts what they do in the store, they need to change their mission statement.