Matrix Organizational Structure

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Organizational structure is the way that an organization arranges people and jobs so that work can be performed and goals can be achieved. Good organizational design helps communications, productivity, and innovation. Many organization structures have been created based on organizational strategy, size, technology, and environment. Robbins and Judge (2011, p. 504) listed three common structures: simple, bureaucracy, and matrix. In this post the author will describe the matrix structure, and discuss its advantages and disadvantages.

Matrix structure is first introduced in the aerospace industry in the 1960s and become one of the popular organizational design options in today’s business and industry (Derven & Alexandria, 2010). Burns and Wholey (1993) poinited out that matrix structure were used in advertising agencies, aerospace firms, research and development laboratories, hospitals, government agencies, and universities. Matrix structure is the combination of two or more different structures and take the advantages of the pure functional structure and the product organizational structure (Robbins & Judge, 2011, p. 497). The employees in the matrix may have two bosses: their functional department managers and their product managers. For example, all engineers may be in one engineering department and report to an engineering manager, but these same engineers may be assigned to different projects and report to a project manager while working on that project. In many organizations, a matrix structure is implemented to address the requirement to do more with less and become more agile. The matrix structure, which focuses on horizontal as well as vertical management, has become more widespread as a result of globalization and the...

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...llustrate his points.

References:

Burns, L. R., & Wholey, D. R. (1993). Adoption and abandonment of matrix management programs:Effects of organizational characteristics and interorganizational networks. Academy of Management Journal, 36(1), 106-139.

Carter, L., Ulrich, D., & Goldsmith, M. (2005). Best practices in leadership development and organization change: how the best companies ensure meaningful change and sustainable leadership. San Francisco, CA: John Wiley and Sons.

Derven, M., & Alexandria, T. D. (2010). Manging the matrix in the new normal. T + D. Alexandria, 64(7), 42-49.

Robbins, S. P., & Judge, T. A. (2011). Organizational behavior (14 ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson.

Sy, T., & Cote, S. (2004). Emotional intelligence: A key ability to succeed in the matrix organization. Journal of Management Development. 23(5). 437-455

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