Study Notes: Lesson 8 - Organising
Overview
This lesson focuses on the management function of organising, which is crucial for
implementing plans and achieving organisational goals. It covers various aspects such
as job design, departmentalisation, organisational relationships, coordination, factors
influencing organisational design, informal organisation, and the application of Ubuntu
philosophy.
Learning Outcomes
Explain the concept of organising.
Describe the importance of organising.
Discuss the fundamentals of organising.
Explain the informal organisation and its role in supporting the formal structure.
Identify and explain the factors that influence organisational design.
Apply Ubuntu philosophy to the organising function of management.
Key Terms
Authority
Centralised
Chain of command
Coordination
Decentralised
Departmentalisation
Informal organisation
Job enlargement
Job enrichment
Job rotation
Job specialisation
Organisational structure
Organising
Responsibility
Span of control
Ubuntu
8.1 Introduction
Organising is the second significant element of management after planning. It involves
structuring and combining employees and resources to achieve organisational goals. The
lesson requires approximately nine notional hours to complete.
8.2 Defining Organising
Definition : Organising is a process of grouping activities and allocating duties
and responsibilities to people in groups or departments.
Purpose : To allocate and coordinate resources to implement plans and
accomplish goals.
Characteristics :
Goal-directedness
Differentiation
Grouping
Assigning or delegating
Dynamic and constantly evolving
8.3 The Importance of Organising
Comprehensive analysis of work and resources.
Division of workload into manageable tasks.
Productive allocation and use of resources.
Clustering similar tasks into specialised departments.
Development of an organisational structure for coordination.
8.4 The Fundamentals of Organising
8.4.1 Job Design
, Definition : Systematic and planned allocation of job tasks.
Division of Labour : Tasks divided into jobs for employees to focus on specialised
activities.
Job Specialisation : Organising activities into sections managed by individuals or
teams.
Advantages : Efficiency, clear roles, saves time, easier tool design, job
satisfaction.
Disadvantages : Boredom, time-consuming, higher costs, underutilisation
of skills.
Job Rotation : Moving employees between different jobs.
Job Enlargement : Increasing the number of activities an employee performs.
Job Enrichment : Enhancing job content with higher knowledge, responsibility,
and autonomy.
Work Team : Employees designing their work system as a team.
8.4.2 Departmentalisation
Functional Departmentalisation
Advantages : Direct access to subordinates, operational efficiency.
Disadvantages : Difficult to manage in large organisations, slow
information flow.
Division Departmentalisation
Product Division : Divisions based on products.
Customer Division : Divisions based on customer types.
Location Division : Divisions based on geographical regions.
Process Division : Divisions based on production processes.
Project Structure : Special units for long-term projects.
Matrix Structure : Combines project and functional structures.
8.4.3 Organisational Relationships
Chain of Command : Vertical lines of authority showing reporting relationships.
Authority : Legitimate power to demand action.
Line Authority : Direct lines of authority from top to bottom.
Staff Authority : Support services and advisory roles.
Centralised vs Decentralised Authority : Decision-making levels.
Delegation of Authority : Entrusting work to subordinates.
Span of Control : Number of subordinates reporting to a manager.
Wide Span : Fewer hierarchical levels, flat structure.
Narrow Span : Multiple levels of supervision, tall structure.
8.4.4 Coordination
Facilitates interdependence among departments and teams.
Mechanisms: Organisational charts, committees, budgets, policies, procedures.
8.5 Factors That Influence How Organisations Are Designed
Stability of business environment.
Strategy of the business.
Size of the business.
Competence of employees and management.
Organisational culture.
8.6 The Informal Organisation
Defined by interpersonal relations not determined by formal structure.
Supports formal organisations through teamwork and improved decision-making.
8.7 Linking Ubuntu Philosophy to Organising
Ubuntu Philosophy : Emphasises teamwork, mutual respect, empathy, and
participative decision-making.
Application : Pooling resources, unified situations, enhancing social oneness.
8.8 Summary
A good structure does not guarantee success but a poor one impacts employee
performance. This lesson covered the importance and fundamentals of organising,
Overview
This lesson focuses on the management function of organising, which is crucial for
implementing plans and achieving organisational goals. It covers various aspects such
as job design, departmentalisation, organisational relationships, coordination, factors
influencing organisational design, informal organisation, and the application of Ubuntu
philosophy.
Learning Outcomes
Explain the concept of organising.
Describe the importance of organising.
Discuss the fundamentals of organising.
Explain the informal organisation and its role in supporting the formal structure.
Identify and explain the factors that influence organisational design.
Apply Ubuntu philosophy to the organising function of management.
Key Terms
Authority
Centralised
Chain of command
Coordination
Decentralised
Departmentalisation
Informal organisation
Job enlargement
Job enrichment
Job rotation
Job specialisation
Organisational structure
Organising
Responsibility
Span of control
Ubuntu
8.1 Introduction
Organising is the second significant element of management after planning. It involves
structuring and combining employees and resources to achieve organisational goals. The
lesson requires approximately nine notional hours to complete.
8.2 Defining Organising
Definition : Organising is a process of grouping activities and allocating duties
and responsibilities to people in groups or departments.
Purpose : To allocate and coordinate resources to implement plans and
accomplish goals.
Characteristics :
Goal-directedness
Differentiation
Grouping
Assigning or delegating
Dynamic and constantly evolving
8.3 The Importance of Organising
Comprehensive analysis of work and resources.
Division of workload into manageable tasks.
Productive allocation and use of resources.
Clustering similar tasks into specialised departments.
Development of an organisational structure for coordination.
8.4 The Fundamentals of Organising
8.4.1 Job Design
, Definition : Systematic and planned allocation of job tasks.
Division of Labour : Tasks divided into jobs for employees to focus on specialised
activities.
Job Specialisation : Organising activities into sections managed by individuals or
teams.
Advantages : Efficiency, clear roles, saves time, easier tool design, job
satisfaction.
Disadvantages : Boredom, time-consuming, higher costs, underutilisation
of skills.
Job Rotation : Moving employees between different jobs.
Job Enlargement : Increasing the number of activities an employee performs.
Job Enrichment : Enhancing job content with higher knowledge, responsibility,
and autonomy.
Work Team : Employees designing their work system as a team.
8.4.2 Departmentalisation
Functional Departmentalisation
Advantages : Direct access to subordinates, operational efficiency.
Disadvantages : Difficult to manage in large organisations, slow
information flow.
Division Departmentalisation
Product Division : Divisions based on products.
Customer Division : Divisions based on customer types.
Location Division : Divisions based on geographical regions.
Process Division : Divisions based on production processes.
Project Structure : Special units for long-term projects.
Matrix Structure : Combines project and functional structures.
8.4.3 Organisational Relationships
Chain of Command : Vertical lines of authority showing reporting relationships.
Authority : Legitimate power to demand action.
Line Authority : Direct lines of authority from top to bottom.
Staff Authority : Support services and advisory roles.
Centralised vs Decentralised Authority : Decision-making levels.
Delegation of Authority : Entrusting work to subordinates.
Span of Control : Number of subordinates reporting to a manager.
Wide Span : Fewer hierarchical levels, flat structure.
Narrow Span : Multiple levels of supervision, tall structure.
8.4.4 Coordination
Facilitates interdependence among departments and teams.
Mechanisms: Organisational charts, committees, budgets, policies, procedures.
8.5 Factors That Influence How Organisations Are Designed
Stability of business environment.
Strategy of the business.
Size of the business.
Competence of employees and management.
Organisational culture.
8.6 The Informal Organisation
Defined by interpersonal relations not determined by formal structure.
Supports formal organisations through teamwork and improved decision-making.
8.7 Linking Ubuntu Philosophy to Organising
Ubuntu Philosophy : Emphasises teamwork, mutual respect, empathy, and
participative decision-making.
Application : Pooling resources, unified situations, enhancing social oneness.
8.8 Summary
A good structure does not guarantee success but a poor one impacts employee
performance. This lesson covered the importance and fundamentals of organising,
