Case-study: WL Gore & Associates

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Question 1: The organizational structure of WL Gore is an organic model with the matrix/team structure that follows their innovations strategy. This structure influences their innovation strategy, chain of command, span of control and decentralization of processes and decision-making. WL Gore has done a great job of creating a profitable, innovative company. As a flat organization they have higher participation using an organic model (555) with cross-functional teams that have wide spans of control. This includes the free-flow of information, low formalization, and decentralization that provides for faster decisions from cross-hierarchal teams. The team/matrix structure combines functionality and product resources. This also creates generalists rather than specialists to share product resources and allows for timely completion of products closer to budget with less duplication of activities. Decentralization creates a chain of command from the team directly to the final decision maker with a lower span of control. In addition, their innovation strategy promotes unique, meaningful innovations that empower employees to introduce new products to their teams for possible manufacturing. The team/matrix structure within this organic model clearly creates product innovation, job satisfaction, across the board high profits and lower costs. This is a result of the organic model with a team/matrix structure influenced by their innovation strategy. Question 2: The lack of hierarchy in the Gore organization would best suit employees with a high core self-evaluation. In addition, employees would possess most if not all of the Big Five factors. The combination of these personality traits in employees will he... ... middle of paper ... ...h the bureaucracy of larger organizations. The fact that most of Gore employees are generalists may prompt them to create relationships with consultants, contractors, or external companies with their own type of work specialization. These relationships may also be created, designed, or developed depending on the level of technology needed by Gore as well. In conclusion, the Gore organization design may help create various types of relationships with external companies. Those relationships will vary greatly depending on the resources needed, work specialties required, personalities of the personnel involved as well as the level of technology needed or used by Gore or their external companies. Works Cited Robbins , Stephen P. and Judge, Timothy, A. Organizational Behavior. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey. Prentice Hall. Pearson Custom Publishing. 2008 Print

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