Introduction to Organizational Structures
Organizations are systems of some interacting components. Levitt (1965) sets out a basic framework for understanding organizations. This framework emphasizes four major internal components such as: task, people, technology, and structure. The task of the organization is its mission, purpose or goal for existence. The people are the human resources of the organization.
Organizations are systems of some interacting components. Levitt (1965) sets out a basic framework for understanding organizations. This framework emphasizes four major internal components such as: task, people, technology, and structure. The task of the organization is its mission, purpose or goal for existence. The people are the human resources of the organization.
What is an Organization?
The term organization is derived from the Greek word organon i.e., tool or instrument. It is often been understood as the embodiment of persistent efforts to coordinate, influence and control human behavior in order to reach some desired result. Organizations as Systems Organizations are systems of some interacting components. Levitt (1965) sets out a basic framework for understanding organizations. This framework emphasizes four major internal components such as: task, people, technology, and structure. The task of the organization is its mission, purpose or goal for existence. The people are the human resources of the organization. The technology is the wide range of tools, knowledge and/or techniques used to transform the inputs into outputs. The structure is how work is designed at the micro level, as well as how departments, divisions and the overall organization are designed at the macro level.
In addition to these major internal components of the organization as a system, there is organizations' task environment, such as suppliers, customers, and regulators. In simpler terms it is that part of external environment which is relevant at present or expected in foreseeable future to the organizations' goal attainment (Thompson, 1967).
Features of Organization
Max Weber has defined the following features and dimensions as basic for all organizations:
1. The organization has transparent and definite boundaries and has a collective identity of its own.
2. The organization has a central coordination system to manage the concentrated efforts of the organization
3. The organization is differentiated internally and decisions are implemented by a disciplined, specialized, continuously and rationally operating staff.
4. The organization is legitimate and organizational order, including the distribution of authority, power and responsibilities, is legitimate.
5. The organization's characteristics establish what is achieved and there is a high degree of steadiness between organizational goals, structures, processes, behavior and outcomes.
6. The organization is flexible and are deliberately structured and restructured in order to improve their problem solving capacity and their ability to realize predetermined goals.
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