CS507 For Question no. 02

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For Question no. 02 
Tall Organizational Structure
Large, complex organizations often require a taller hierarchy. In its simplest form, a tall structure results in one long chain of command similar to the military. As an organization grows, the number of management levels increases and the structure grows taller. In a tall structure, managers form many ranks and each has a small area of control. Although tall structures have more management levels than flat structures, there is no definitive number that draws a line between the two.


Flat Organizational Structure
Flat structures have fewer management levels, with each level controlling a broad area or group. Flat organizations focus on empowering employees rather than adhering to the chain of command. By encouraging autonomy and self-direction, flat structures attempt to tap into employees’ creative talents and to solve problems by collaboration.

Tall Structure Pros And Cons
The pros of tall structures lie in clarity and managerial control. The narrow span of control allows for close supervision of employees. Tall structures provide a clear, distinct layers with obvious lines of responsibility and control and a clear promotion structure. Challenges begin when a structure gets too tall. Communication begins to take too long to travel through all the levels. These communication problems hamper decision-making and hinder progress.

Flat Structure Pros And Cons
Flat organizations offer more opportunities for employees to excel while promoting the larger business vision. That is, there are more people at the “top” of each level. For flat structures to work, leaders must share research and information instead of hoarding it. If they can manage to be open, tolerant and even vulnerable, leaders excel in this environment. Flatter structures are flexible and better able to adapt to changes. Faster communication makes for quicker decisions, but managers may end up with a heavier workload. Instead of the military style of tall structures, flat organizations lean toward a more democratic style. The heavy managerial workload and large number of employees reporting to each boss sometimes results in confusion over roles. Bosses must be team leaders who generate ideas and help others make decisions. When too many people report to a single manager, his job becomes impossible. Employees often worry that others manipulate the system behind their backs by reporting to the boss; in a flat organization, that means more employees distrusting higher levels of authority.


4.1.1 Hierarchical organization

A hierarchical organization is organization structured in a way such that every entity in the
Organization, except one, is subordinate to a single other entity. This is the dominant mode of organization among large organizations; most corporations and governments are hierarchical organizations

• Low number of subordinates per supervisor
• Long chain of command
• Greater number of levels
Flat
Flat organization refers to an organizational structure with few or no levels of intervening management
between staff and managers. The idea is that well-trained workers will be more productive when they are
more directly involved in the decision making process, rather than closely supervised by many layers of
management.
This structure is generally possible only in smaller organizations or individual units within larger
organizations. When they reach a critical size, organizations can retain a streamlined structure but cannot
keep a completely flat manager-to-staff relationship without impacting productivity. Certain financial
responsibilities may also require a more traditional structure. Some theorize that flat organizations
become more traditionally hierarchical when they begin to be geared towards productivity.
Following are the characteristics of a flat organization.
• High number of subordinates per supervisor
• Short of chain of command
• Less number of levels
• Eliminates middle level managers
• Decentralizes authority to low level managers


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