organizational structures
How groups arrange themselves
Organizational structures are the formal systems that define how activities, roles, and responsibilities are arranged within an institution.
They determine reporting relationships, communication channels, and decision-making authority: The company shifted from a hierarchical to a flat organizational structure.
Common types include functional, divisional, and matrix structures—each distributing power and coordinating work differently.
- departmentalizationDividing into specialized units
- chain of commandFormal authority hierarchy
- top downFrom highest to lowest
- bottom upStarting from lowest level
- flat hierarchyOrganization with few levels
boss · corner office · hybrid systems · virtual teams · dotted line · specialization · bureaucracy · red tape · silos · turf wars · span of control · authority · partnerships · team · delegation · office · resource allocation · alliances
organizational structureschaos
Complete disorder and confusion
anarchy · disorder · disorganization · entropy · confusion
organizational structurespeer networks
Connections among equals
egalitarianism · leaderlessness · decentralization · adhocracy
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