118 Management

M intzberg on organizations

~ Prof. Ph.D. S orin-G eorgeT oma (F acultyof A dministration and B usiness-

U niversityof B ucharest)
Abstract: HenryM i ntzbergi sconsideredasoneofthemostrepresentati vewri tersinmanagement.
—’•ȱ—˜ ǰȱ‘Žȱ‘Šœȱ ›’Ž—ȱ–˜›Žȱ‘Š—ȱŗŚŖȱ–˜—˜›Š™‘œȱŠ—ȱŠ›’Œ•ŽœǰȱŠ—ȱŗřȱ‹˜˜”œǰȱ–˜œ•¢ȱ’—ȱ‘Žȱ–Š—ŠŽ -
mentf iel
d. Onthebasi sofhi sresearchf indings,M i
ntzbergproposedatypol ogyoforgani zati
ons. Taki
ng
i
nto accountthei rstructure,hedi scoveredsevenmajortypesoforgani zations.
Keywords: ’—£‹Ž›ǰȱ˜›Š—’£Š’˜—ǰȱ™•Š——’—ǰȱœ›žŒž›Žȱȱ

Introduction he later studied at the Sloan School of M anȬ

Widely known for his numerous articles
and books on almost every management topȬ
’Œǰȱ
Ž—›¢ȱ’—£‹Ž›ȱ’œȱ˜—Žȱ˜ȱ‘Žȱ–˜œȱ™˜™žȬ
lar management thinkers of the world.With
’œȱ‘˜—˜›œȱ‘ŠŸŽȱ
an easy style and refreshing approach, he is
one of the most accessible management writȬ
Ž›œǯȱ—’•ȱ—˜ ǰȱ’—£‹Ž›ȱ‘Šœȱ ›’Ž—ȱ–˜›Žȱ
than 140 monographs and articles, and 13
books, mostly in the management field. H is
reputation is high among people who study
˜›Š—’£Š’˜—œȱŠ—ȱœ›ŠŽ’Œȱ–Š—ŠŽ–Ž—ǯȱȱ
Henry M intzberg:ashort biography
˜›—ȱ’—ȱŗşřşǰȱ
Ž—›¢ȱ’—£‹Ž›ȱ’œȱŠȱŠ Ȭ and business schools around the world. H e
nadian professor of management at M cG ill
U niversity in M ontreal (C anada) and at IN Ȭ
ȱ’—ȱ˜—Š’—‹•ŽŠžȱǻ›Š—ŒŽǼǯȱ›’’—Š••¢ȱŠ—ȱ
engineering graduate of M cG ill U niversity,
agement,M assachusetts Institute of TechnolȬ
ogy.H e received a Ph.D .from M IT with the
‘Žœ’œȱȁ‘ŽȱŠ—ŠŽ›ȱŠȱ˜›”ȬŽŽ›–’—’—ȱ
his A ctivities, R oles and Programs by StrucȬ
ž›Žȱ‹œŽ›ŸŠ’˜—Ȃȱ’—ȱŗşŜŞǯȱ
included election as an O fficer of the O rder
˜ȱŠ—ŠŠȱŠ—ȱ˜ȱ•Ȃ››Žȱ—Š’˜—Š•ȱžȱžŽ Ȭ
bec, and selection as D istinguished Scholar
for the year 2000 by the A cademy of M anageȬ
ment (10).
’—£‹Ž›ȱ ˜›”Žȱ’—ȱ‘Žȱ’•Žȱ˜ȱ˜™Ž› Ȭ
ational research for the C anadian N ational
R ailways between 1961 and 1963.A fter that,
he became professor at M cG ill in 1968 and
visiting professor with several universities
was elected as president of the Strategic M anȬ
agement Society between 1988 and 1991.D ue
to his multicultural teaching work,he has suȬ
™Ž›Ÿ’œŽȱŠȱŒ˜Ȭ˜™Ž›Š’ŸŽȱŸŽ—ž›Žȱ‹¢ȱ’ŸŽȱ‹žœ’Ȭ

No. 7 ~ 2008

ness schools in Canada, United Kingdom, JaȬ
™Š—ǰȱ›Š—ŒŽȱŠ—ȱ—’Šǯȱ•œ˜ǰȱ‘Žȱ’œȱŒ˜—œž•Š—ȱ
˜ȱŠȱ•Š›Žȱ—ž–‹Ž›ȱ˜ȱ˜›Š—’£Š’˜—œǯ
One of the leading management guru,
’—£‹Ž›ȱ‘Šœȱ ›’Ž—ȱ–˜›Žȱ‘Š—ȱŗŚŖȱ–˜—˜ Ȭ
graphs and articles as well as 13 books (e.g.,
Strategy Bites Back, The Strategy Process,
Strategy Safari etc.). His influential work
comprises the following three main categoȬ
ries (1):
Ȋȱ œ›ŠŽ¢Ȭ–Š”’—Dz
Ȋȱ  ‘Šȱ–Š—ŠŽ›œȱŠŒžŠ••¢ȱ˜ȱ ’‘ȱ‘Ž’›ȱ
time, and how their mental processes work;
Ȋȱ ‘˜ ȱ˜›Š—’£Š’˜—œȱŽœ’—ȱ‘Ž–œŽ•ŸŽœȱ
to satisfy their needs.
Published in 1973, The Nature of ManaȬ
gerial Work represented the result of a sysȬ
Ž–Š’Œȱ›ŽœŽŠ›Œ‘ȱ˜ȱ’ŸŽȱ–’•ŽȬȱ˜ȱ•Š›ŽȬœ’£Žȱ
˜›Š—’£Š’˜—œDZȱŠȱŒ˜—œž•’—ȱŒ˜–™Š—¢ǰȱŠȱŽŒ‘ Ȭ
nology firm, a hospital, a consumer goods
Œ˜–™Š—¢ȱŠ—ȱŠȱœŒ‘˜˜•ǯȱ’—£‹Ž›ȱ˜‹œŽ›ŸŽȱ
how chief executives officers of these orgaȬ
—’£Š’˜—œȱœ™Ž—ȱ‘Ž’›ȱ’–ŽȱŠ—ȱ˜ž—ȱ‘ŠȱŠȱ
–Š—ŠŽ›Ȃœȱ’–Žȱ’œȱŒ˜—œŠ—•¢ȱ‹Ž’—ȱ›Š–Ž—Ȭ
ed by interruptions. As managers are hostagȬ
es to interruptions in a pressing managerial
environment they are not encouraged to deȬ
velop a strategic thinking. In an environment
˜ȱœ’–ž•žœȬ›Žœ™˜—œŽȱ’—£‹Ž›ȱŒ˜—œ’Ž›Žȱ
that managers develop a clear preference for
live action. In this book, he exposed many of
the myths surroundings top managers and
stated that they are rather creatures of the
moment than farsighted strategist. In sum,
’—£‹Ž›ȱŒŠ••Žȱ˜›ȱŠȱŒ•ŽŠ›ȱž—Ž›œŠ—’—ȱ
of the way managers spend their time and of
what they do.
—ȱ‘Žȱ’œŽȱŠ—ȱŠ••ȱ˜ȱ›ŠŽ’Œȱ•Š— Ȭ
ning:Reconceiving Roles for Planning, Plans,
•Š——Ž›œǰȱ™ž‹•’œ‘Žȱ’—ȱŗşşŚǰȱ’—£‹Ž›ȱ™›˜ Ȭ
Ÿ’ŽȱŠȱŽŽ™ȱ’—œ’‘ȱ’—ȱ˜›Š—’£Š’˜—Š•ȱ™•Š— Ȭ
ning and strategy. In his opinion, there are
several formal definitions of planning (7):
1) Planning is future thinking.
2) Planning is controlling the future.
No. 7 ~ 2008
Management 119
3) Planning is decision making.
4) Planning is integrated decision making.
5) •Š——’—ȱ’œȱŠȱ˜›–Š•’£Žȱ™›˜ŒŽž›Žȱ˜ȱ
produce an articulated result, in the form of
an integrated system of decision.
He argued that planning is mandatory
˜›ȱŠ—¢ȱ˜›Š—’£Š’˜—ȱ‹ŽŒŠžœŽDZ
Ȋȱ›Š—’£Š’˜—œȱ–žœȱ™•Š—ȱ˜ȱŒ˜˜›’ Ȭ
nate their activities.
Ȋȱ›Š—’£Š’˜—œȱ–žœȱ™•Š—ȱ˜ȱŽ—œž›Žȱ
that the future is taken into account.
Ȋȱ›Š—’£Š’˜—œȱ–žœȱ™•Š—ȱ˜ȱ‹Žȱȃ›Š’˜ Ȭ
nal”.
Ȋȱ›Š—’£Š’˜—œȱ–žœȱ™•Š—ȱ˜ȱŒ˜—›˜•ǯ
Much of his work has focused on trying
˜ȱŒ•Šœœ’¢ȱ˜›Š—’£Š’˜—œȱŠ”’—ȱ’—˜ȱŠŒŒ˜ž—ȱ
the perspective of structure and the perspecȬ
tive of power.
Mintzberg and organizations
—ȱ‘’œȱ’—•žŽ—’Š•ȱŽŠ›•¢ȱ ˜›”ǰȱ’—£‹Ž›ȱ
had to do with the structural configuration of
˜›Š—’£Š’˜—œȱǻŞǼǯȱ—ȱ‘Žȱ›žŒž›’—ȱ˜ȱ› Ȭ
Š—’£Š’˜—œǰȱ™ž‹•’œ‘Žȱ’—ȱŗşŝşǰȱŠ—ȱ’—ȱ˜  Ȭ
Ž›ȱ—ȱŠ—ȱ›˜ž—ȱ›Š—’£Š’˜—œǰȱ™ž‹•’œ‘Žȱ
’—ȱŗşŞřǰȱ’—£‹Ž›ȱŠ—Š•¢£Žȱ‘Žȱ–Š’—ȱŠ›’ Ȭ
‹žŽœȱ˜ȱ˜›Š—’£Š’˜—œȱŠ—ȱ™›˜™˜œŽȱœŽŸŽ›Š•ȱ
¢™Žœȱ˜ȱ˜›Š—’£Š’˜—œȱǻŠ‹•ŽȱŗǼǯȱ—ȱ‘Žȱ‹Šœ’œȱ
of research findings made with some of his
colleagues at McGill University, he identified
œ’¡ȱ‹Šœ’Œȱ™Š›œȱ˜ȱŠ—ȱ˜›Š—’£Š’˜—ȱŠœȱ˜••˜ œDZ
Ȋȱthe operating core, comprising people
who perform the basic work;
Ȋȱthe strategic apex, occupied by at least
˜—Žȱž••Ȭ’–Žȱ–Š—ŠŽ›Dz
Ȋȱthe middle line, as a hierarchy of auȬ
thority between the strategic apex and
the operating core;
Ȋȱthe technostructure, comprising anaȬ
lysts who perform administrative duȬ
ties;
Ȋȱthe support staff, putting together
staff units who provide various interȬ
nal services;
120 Management
Ȋȱthe ideology, encompassing the tradiȬ
’˜—œȱŠ—ȱ‹Ž•’Žœȱ˜ȱ‘Žȱ˜›Š—’£Š’˜—ǯ
In his opinion, the structure of an orgaȬ
—’£Š’˜—ȱ’œȱȃ‘Žȱ˜Š•ȱ˜ȱ‘Žȱ Š¢œȱ’—ȱ ‘’Œ‘ȱ’œȱ
labor is divided into distinct tasks and then
its coordination achieved among those tasks”
(5). In order to coordinate their work, organiȬ
£Š’˜—œȱžœŽȱ‘Žȱ˜••˜ ’—ȱŒ˜˜›’—Š’—ȱ–ŽŒ‘Ȭ
anisms:
Table 1Ȭȱ¢™Žœȱ˜ȱ˜›Š—’£Š’˜—œȱǻśǼ
No. Type oforganiza- Prim e Coordinating
tion (configuration) Mechanism
1. Entrepreneurial Direct supervision
Š—Š›’£Š’˜—ȱ˜ȱ
2. Machine
work processes
Š—Š›’£Š’˜—ȱ˜ȱ
3. Professional
˜›’£˜—Š•ȱŽŒŽ—›Š•’£Š’˜—
skills
Š—Š›’£Š’˜—ȱ˜ȱ
4. Diversified
outputs
5. Innovative Mutual adjustment
Š—Š›’£Š’˜—ȱ˜ȱ
6. Missionary
norms
7. Political None
‘ŽȱŽ—›Ž™›Ž—Žž›’Š•ȱ˜›Š—’£Š’˜—ȱ‘ŠœȱŠȱ
simple, informal, and flexible structure. The
chief executive exercises the power personȬ
ally and controls personally through direct
œž™Ž›Ÿ’œ’˜—ǯȱ‘ŽȱŽŒ’œ’˜—Ȭ–Š”’—ȱ™›˜ŒŽœœȱ’œȱ
flexible, allowing for rapid response. The enȬ
›Ž™›Ž—Žž›’Š•ȱ˜›Š—’£Š’˜—œȱŠ›Žȱ˜Ž—ȱ¢˜ž—ȱ
Š—ȱŠ›Žœœ’ŸŽȱ˜›Š—’£Š’˜—œǯ
‘Žȱ–ŠŒ‘’—Žȱ˜›Š—’£Š’˜—ȱ‘ŠœȱŠȱ‘’‘•¢ȱ
œ™ŽŒ’Š•’£Žȱœ›žŒž›Žǰȱ‹ŠœŽȱ˜—ȱŠȱŒŽ—›Š•’£Žȱ
bureaucracy and formal procedures. The opȬ
erating tasks are simple and repetitive, and
require a minimum of skill and training.
‘Žȱ™›˜Žœœ’˜—Š•ȱ˜›Š—’£Š’˜—ȱ‘ŠœȱŠȱ‹ž Ȭ
›ŽŠžŒ›Š’Œȱ¢ŽȱŽŒŽ—›Š•’£Žȱœ›žŒž›ŽǰȱŽ Ȭ
™Ž—Ž—ȱ˜—ȱ›Š’—’—ȱ˜ȱœŠ—Š›’£Žȱ‘Žȱœ”’••œȱ
of its operating professionals. This type of
˜›Š—’£Š’˜—ȱ›Ž•’Žœȱ˜›ȱŒ˜˜›’—Š’˜—ȱ˜—ȱ‘Žȱ
No. 7 ~ 2008
ȊȱMutual adjustment.
ȊȱDirect supervision.
ȊȱȱŠ—Š›’£Š’˜—ȱ˜ȱ ˜›”ȱ™›˜ŒŽœœŽœǯ
ȊȱȱŠ—Š›’£Š’˜—ȱ˜ȱ˜ž™žœǯ
ȊȱȱŠ—Š›’£Š’˜—ȱ˜ȱœ”’••œǯ
ȊȱȱŠ—Š›’£Š’˜—ȱ˜ȱ—˜›–œǯ
All these coordinating mechanisms repȬ
resent the most basic elements of structure.
Key Part of Type ofDecentralization
Organization
Ž›’ŒŠ•ȱŠ—ȱ‘˜›’£˜—Š•ȱŒŽ—›Š•Ȭ
Strategic apex
’£Š’˜—
’–’Žȱ‘˜›’£˜—Š•ȱŽŒŽ—›Š•’£ŠȬ
Technostructure
tion
Operating core
Middle line ’–’ŽȱŸŽ›’ŒŠ•ȱŽŒŽ—›Š•’£Š’˜—
Support staff Ž•ŽŒŽȱŽŒŽ—›Š•’£Š’˜—
Ideology ŽŒŽ—›Š•’£Š’˜—
None V aries
œŠ—Š›’£Š’˜—ȱ˜ȱœ”’••œǰȱ ‘’Œ‘ȱ’œȱŠŒ‘’ŽŸŽȱ
through formal training.
‘Žȱ’ŸŽ›œ’’Žȱ˜›Š—’£Š’˜—ȱ‘ŠœȱŠȱ’Ÿ’ Ȭ
œ’˜—Š•’£Žȱœ›žŒž›Žǰȱ’—ȱ ‘’Œ‘ȱ–Š›”Žȱ‹ŠœŽȱ
divisions are coupled together under central
administrative headquarters. In the 1920s, A.
P. Sloan Jr. introduced this type of structure
to General Motors in order to successfully
Œ˜–™ŽŽȱ ’‘ȱ˜›ȱ˜˜›œǯȱ
‘Žȱ’——˜ŸŠ’ŸŽȱ˜›Š—’£Š’˜—ȱ‘ŠœȱŠȱ•ž’ǰȱ
˜›Š—’ŒǰȱŠ—ȱœŽ•ŽŒ’ŸŽ•¢ȱŽŒŽ—›Š•’£Žȱœ›žŒ Ȭ
ž›Žǯȱ‘’œȱ¢™Žȱ˜ȱ˜›Š—’£Š’˜—ȱ’œȱ”—˜ —ȱŠœȱ
adhocracy in the business world. The adhocȬ
racy innovates and solves problems directly
on behalf of its customers.
‘Žȱ–’œœ’˜—Š›¢ȱ˜›Š—’£Š’˜—ȱ‘ŠœȱŠȱ‘’‘Ȭ
ly integrated structure. This type of organiȬ
£Š’˜—ȱ’œȱ‹ŠœŽȱ˜—ȱ‘ŽȱœŠ—Š›’£Š’˜—ȱ˜ȱ’œȱ

norms. In other words, the sharing of values
and beliefs among its members is very strong.
The Japanese corporations (type J0 represent
a good example (Table 2).
Management 121
‘Žȱ™˜•’’ŒŠ•ȱ˜›Š—’£Š’˜—ȱ’œȱŒ‘Š›ŠŒŽ› Ȭ
’£Žȱ‹¢ȱŠȱ•ŠŒ”ȱ˜ȱ‘Žȱ˜›–œȱ˜ȱ˜›Ž›ȱ˜ž—ȱ’—ȱ
Œ˜—ŸŽ—’˜—Š•ȱ˜›Š—’£Š’˜—œǯȱ‘’œȱ¢™Žȱ˜ȱ˜› Ȭ
Š—’£Š’˜—ȱ’œȱ‹ŠœŽȱ˜—ȱ‘Žȱ•ž’’¢ȱ˜ȱ’—˜› Ȭ
Š‹•ŽȱŘȬȱ¢™ŽȱȱŸŽ›œžœȱ¢™ŽȱȱŒ˜›™˜›Š Ȭ mal power.
tion (9) .
Table 2Ȭȱ¢™ŽȱȱŸŽ›œžœȱ¢™ŽȱȱŒ˜›™˜›Š’˜—ȱǻşǼ

Type A (American corporation) Type J(Japanese corporation)

‘˜›ȬŽ›–ȱŽ–™•˜¢–Ž— Lifetime employment
—’Ÿ’žŠ•ȱŽŒ’œ’˜—Ȭ–Š”’— ˜—œŽ—œžŠ•ȱŽŒ’œ’˜—Ȭ–Š”’—
Individual responsibility Collective responsibility
Rapid evaluation and promotion Slow evaluation and promotion
¡™•’Œ’ǰȱ˜›–Š•’£ŽȱŒ˜—›˜• Implicit, informal control
™ŽŒ’Š•’£ŽȱŒŠ›ŽŽ›ȱ™Š‘ ˜—œ™ŽŒ’Š•’£ŽȱŒŠ›ŽŽ›ȱ™Š‘
Segmented concern Holistic concern

Conclusions: One of the top manageȬ into several basic categories. Trying to clasȬ
–Ž—ȱ‘’—”Ž›œȱ’—ȱ‘Žȱ ˜›•ǰȱ
Ž—›¢ȱ’—£ Ȭ œ’¢ȱ˜›Š—’£Š’˜—œǰȱ’›œȱ›˜–ȱ‘Žȱ™Ž›œ™ŽŒ’ŸŽȱ
berg has written prolifically on the topics of structure and later from the perspective of
˜ȱœ›ŠŽ’Œȱ–Š—ŠŽ–Ž—ȱŠ—ȱ˜›Š—’£Š’˜—œǯȱ ™˜ Ž›ǰȱ’—£‹Ž›ȱ’œŒ˜ŸŽ›ŽȱœŽŸŽ—ȱ¢™Žœȱ˜ȱ

ŽȱŒ˜—Œ•žŽȱ‘Šȱ–˜œȱ˜›Š—’£Š’˜—œȱŠ••ȱ ˜›Š—’£Š’˜—œǯȱȱȱ

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řǯȲMintzberg H.,‘Žȱ›žŒž›’—ȱ˜ȱ›Š—’£Š’˜—œDZȱȱ¢—‘Žœ’œȱ˜ȱ‘ŽȱŽœŽŠ›Œ‘ ǰȱ—•Ž ˜˜ȱ•’œǰȱ›Ž—’ŒŽȬ
Hall, New York, 1979
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York, 1989
ŜǯȲMintzberg H.,Quinn J. B.,‘Žȱ›ŠŽ¢ȱ›˜ŒŽœœDZȱ˜—ŒŽ™œǰȱ˜—Ž¡œǰȱŠœŽœǰȱ›Ž—’ŒŽȬ
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No. 7 ~ 2008