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Laboratory Management
Group 2
Chu, Mardanielle C.
Escritor, Arianne Valerie
Mendoza, Robert Kymric R.
Ozaeta, Patricia May K.
Ponce, Patricia Nicole
Sim, Nathaniel Q.

ORGANIZING AND STAFFING THE LABORATORY

Organization
A system, an orderly structure, putting things together into a working order, and making arrangements
for undertakings that involve cooperation

Organizing
- One of the essential elements of the quality system (WHO, CLSI, 2011)
- Establishes the internal organizational structure of the organization
- Gives the proper shape to the structure that should implement the plan to achieve mission and
objectives.
- Enables people to work together, and to accomplish common objectives in an efficient, planned,
and economic matter (Mekonnen, 2004)
- More than a clean desk
- Time, people, physical lab space
- Lab meetings: brainstorming and troubleshooting
- determines who does which project and technique, who heads a post
- manages the timelines and budgets for multiple projects
- management commitment is crucial
- there must be a mechanism for implementation and monitoring (Sandquist, 2013)
- Involves:
- defining and assigning authority, responsibility and accountability needed at each level to
achieve goals.
- Focus:
- division,
- coordination, and
- control of tasks and the flow of information within the organization. (Hayajneh)

Characteristics of Organization

Organizational structures include two fundamental requirements: the division of labor into distinct
tasks and the coordination of that labor so that employees are able to accomplish common goals

A. Division of labor
B. Authority center



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Division of labor
The process of breakdown of activities, duties and responsibilities in stages, segments or even
departments so as to achieve a common goal
Subdivided work leads to job specialization, because each job now includes a narrow subset of the
tasks necessary to complete the task.

Coordination of labor
Act of organizing and making different people work together to achieve an organization's goals
Organizations ability to divide work among people depends on how well those people can coordinate
with one another


Authority center
Responsible for ensuring that employee perform their respective tasks as well as coordinate effectively
with other staff on each work shift

Substitution of personnel
Ability of an organization to substitute a personnel in case of emergencies like getting sick or when
having a vacation leave. The substitute personnel should know or be capable enough to cover the
responsibilities of the person he/she is substituting.

Concept of Organization

A. Organizational chart
B. Job description
C. Job specification
D. Work schedule
E. Reorganization


Organizational chart
The organization chart is a diagram showing graphically the relation of one official to another, or
others, of a company. It is also used to show the relation of one department to another, or others, or of
one function of an organization to another, or others. This chart is valuable in that it enables one to
visualize a complete organization, by means of the picture it presents.

There is no accepted form for making organization charts other than putting the principal official,
department or function first, or at the head of the sheet, and the others below, in the order of their
rank. The titles of officials and sometimes their names are enclosed in boxes or circles. Lines are
generally drawn from one box or circle to another to show the relation of one official or department to
the others.

The different types of organization charts include:

Hierarchical
The shape of a hierarchical organizational structure is the pyramid. A hierarchical organization is a
group of entities structured to be subordinate to a central idea, person or group of persons. The person
or department in charge sits at the top of the pyramid. Each department sits below the top in
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descending order of subordination. The flat bottom of the pyramid is filled with the bulk of the
population of the organization.

Matrix
A matrix organizational chart describes the areas of communication on a matrix-shaped chart. It
couples hierarchy with multiple levels of communication responsibilities. This structure is more
complex than traditional structures, but allows for better understanding of organizations where
various levels may answer to more than one department head. The matrix contains two axes of power-
-one vertical and one horizontal.

While most organizational charts are pyramid shaped, a matrix organizational chart describes levels of
hierarchy in a matrix-shaped diagram. Traditional organizational charts keep authority positions
higher on the pyramid, where the matrix organization chart may keep authority levels on similar
lateral lines. This is to better illustrate lines of communication rather than authority.

Flat (also known as Horizontal)
In a flat organization structure, there are few levels of command that exist between the employee and
the top management. This structure is best suited to small organizations.

This structure completely does away with bureaucracy and middlemen. The management entrusts
work directly to the employees. The employees in turn carry out work as per their discretion or turn
directly to the top management for advice when doubts occur.

Communication flows are greatly enhanced here. The management and the employees work together
toward achieving organizational goals and objectives. As the roles of middlemen are eliminated, the
company does not end up paying unnecessary salaries. Also, as the employees use their judgment and
discretion in carrying out work, the response times are very fast.

The main problem here is that an employee might be reporting to more than one superior. There is no
clarity on whose work he must complete first. Also, this structure is suited only to small organizations
that have limited numbers of employees.

Job description
A job description is a list that a person might use for general tasks, or functions, and responsibilities of
a position. It may often include to whom the position reports, specifications such as
the qualifications or skills needed by the person in the job, or a salary range. Job descriptions are
usually narrative, but some may instead comprise a simple list of competencies; for instance, strategic
human resource planning methodologies may be used to develop a architecture for an organization,
from which job descriptions are built as a shortlist of competencies.

Prescriptive job descriptions may be seen as a hindrance in certain circumstances:
Job descriptions may not be suitable for some senior managers as they should have the freedom
to take the initiative and find fruitful new directions;
Job descriptions may be too inflexible in a rapidly changing organization, for instance in an area
subject to rapid technological change;
Other changes in job content may lead to the job description being out of date;
The process that an organization uses to create job descriptions may not be optimal.


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Job specification
A job specification is written by the firm and outlines the type of person the firm wants, it might
contain the educational qualifications, previous experience, general intelligence, specialized skills,
interests, personality and physical requirements.

A job specification is used to match the right person to the job. It describes the desirable personal
attributes of the jobholder. The specification should specify the person's:
1) Skills on the job
2) Knowledge of and for the job
3) Length of experience for the job
4) Attitude for the job
5) Preferences
6) Presentability

Work schedule
Work schedules are based on a variety of factors, from the employee's availability to the employer's
need. Scheduling can be either detailed or vague, giving a specific time for work or alerting workers to
a specific deadline when closer to the given dates. Work schedules are presented in either electronic or
hard copy format, depending on the employer, type of work and employee.

Set Schedule
Employers provide employees a specific time when they must work and it cannot be changed unless
there is a personal emergency for the employees. Set schedules are usually given out in advance to
allow employees to make arrangements around their work times.

Flexible Schedule
Flexible schedules are set out by an employer, but employees are able to change the shifts if needed,
provided it is approved by their manager and there are other workers available to cover the time. A
mix between set schedules and flextime is common.

Flextime
Flextime is a schedule given to an employee who can determine when they work inside a set week or
time frame. Individuals use this kind of schedule when they are short-term contractors, such as
graphic designers, or have other obligations. Condensed weeks or regular workweeks may be used for
flextime.

Employee Scheduling
Employees, when being hired, generally give the times and days they are available during the week.
This is the employees' way of regulating their work schedule, including days they cannot work due to
other obligations. Occasionally an employer will schedule an employee on a day when he cannot work
and will request that the employee work it if they can.

Reorganization
A process designed to revive a financially troubled or bankrupt firm. Reorganization involves the
restatement of assets and liabilities, as well as holding talks with creditors in order to make
arrangements for maintaining repayments. Reorganization is an attempt to extend the life of a
company facing bankruptcy through special arrangements and restructuring in order to minimize the
possibility of past situations reoccurring.
Reference:
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(1.) https://www.inkling.com/read/organizational-behavior-mcshane-von-glinow-5th/chapter-
13/division-of-labor-and

(2.) http://www.asbmb.org/asbmbtoday/asbmbtoday_article.aspx?id=48974 Elizabeth
Sandquist

(3.) http://samples.jbpub.com/9780763759643/59643_CH02_5289.pdf

(4.) http://www.hayajneh.org/glossary/vocabulary/m/Management.html - Dr. Yaseen Hayajneh