Analyze the Moss and McAdams Accounting Firm case on pages 82-85, and develop a response to the following

question. What advantages and disadvantages of a matrix type organization are apparent from this case?

The advantages that are apparent from this type of organization are: Efficiency Resources are shared as one account manager managed 8-12 clients and had senior and staff accountants assigned to his/her project. Also, Sands took care to assign staff to multiple projects under the same manager as much as possible. Strong project focus Assigning a manager for each account creates accountability and better coordination amongst team members and helps to keep the team focused on project goals. Easier post-project transition Once the Johnsonville assignment is complete, Olds can get back to his functional group or continue to work on Crosbys project if it has a longer timeline. Flexible Due to the matrix structure of the organization, both Crosby and Palmer could use Olds expertise on their projects and the account managers had control over their projects. Apparent disadvantages from the case are as follows: Dysfunctional Conflict, Infighting and Slow Since Crosby wanted to use Olds who was already assigned to work on Palmers project, it created issues in Palmers project such as falling behind on schedule. Also, the issue became personal when Palmer obliged to allow Olds to work extra time for Crosby and when Crosby did not return the favor. The dysfunctional conflict escalated Olds was consistently late to work on Palmers project. Stressful It became stressful for both Palmer and Olds as palmer was worried about the project falling behind schedule and Olds was facing tension at home due to extra work hours. Olds was unable to focus as he had to switch gears constantly between consulting and auditing. These are the apparent advantages and disadvantages in the case. Some interesting reads for Matrix Management are as follows: http://www.referenceforbusiness.com/encyclopedia/Man-Mix/Matrix-Management-and-Structure.html - Advantages and Disadvantages http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/1355959/successful_application_of_organizational.html Starbucks - Matrix Management