Principles of Management

8/4/2021 Class Group Assignment

Abubakar
201360377

Submitted to Aisha Rehman

 Woodward’s findings on Technology and Structure

Woodward’s identified three levels of technology which are as follow: Small-batch, Large-batch
and process technology. She identified that production run sizes were linked increasing levels of
complexity. She relate the level of technology complexities with three types of product
technology. Unit technology, Mass productivity and Process productivity.

1- Unit production: Small batch or it means the single unit production of an item. Its structural
characteristics are low vertical and low horizontal differentiation and low formalization. Most
effective structure of unit production is its Organic.

2- Mass production: Large batch or it means the large unit production of an item. Its structural
characteristics are moderate vertical and high horizontal differentiation and high formalization.
Most effective structure of mass production it’s mechanistic.

3- Process production: the product is produced through continuous process. Its structural
characteristics are high vertical and low horizontal differentiation and low formalization. Most
effective structure of process production is its Organic.

Mechanistic Organization are not equipped to respond to rapid environmental change and
environmental uncertainty. As a result, we’re seeing organizations become more organic.

Traditional Organization Designs

It is stable, inflexible and job focused. It concerning with the permanent jobs and hierarchical
relationships.Traditional organization designs include, Simple Structure, Functional structure and
Divisional Structure. To understand traditional organizational concept in detail. I am going to
define and discuss each design in detail.

1- Simple Structure: Simple structure are common in small businesses which are just newly
started because there are a limited number of employees in this landscaping company. It is
necessary for each employee to perform multiple functions in various areas of the Organization.
It is a design of low categorization, centralized power, wide span of control and little
interpretation. Organizations that use a simple structure are typically flat, in that there are not
many hierarchical levels
2- Functional Structure: Functional Structure is a design of the process of grouping activities
into departments. It focuses on practical specialization. Functional Organization or
departmentalization groups workers with similar job roles into work units based on a product or
service, activities performed by employees, level of skill or expertise, types of customers or
resources and it groups related occupational specialties together. It allows for greater operational
efficiency because employees with shared skills and knowledge are grouped together by
function.

3- Divisional Structure: Divisional Structure is manufactured by semi-independent or separate

units or divisions. Each division contains all the necessary resources and functions. These groups
are focused and self-ruled on a limited aspect of the business with their own goals to achieve. It
divides employees into teams based on specific products, projects or locations. The divisional
structure is useful because failure of one division doesn’t directly threaten the other divisions.