Programmers of software working in an information technology organization as an example may focus to develop silo including participation with working groups to sort out problems related to customer support problems, and problems faced by finance departments. Every such task force requires a software programmer to meet the desired objectives of the working group in the organization.
The 1970s signaled an evolution in business. Organizational operations were improving at a dramatic rate in many ways. One of these was the innovation of the Matrix Organizational Structure.
Consider the information technology company discussed earlier. Note that all computer programmers are organized together into a single department and are supervised by a single manager. In this way, the manager supervises all the programming functions in an organization functioning as a single point of contact. In this type of organizational hierarchy, line managers are called functional managers because they supervise individuals who perform the same functions. This is a great example of a matrix organization.
In a silo style organization, workers with specific skills (such as typing or engineering) are placed under a single functional manager. This manager will usually control all administrative and managerial functions of the group such as promotions and holiday leave. The manger is general someone who is expert or at least has senior understanding of the groups function.
At this point, it might seem that a matrix organization is structured almost like a traditional company, with the exception of categorizing workers within each silo according to similar job duties. One other important distinction between a matrix and a traditional organization is that matrices are organized in rows, or lines, that run across each column.
Traditional organizations may have worked sufficiently, but they were very inefficient. Within the company many people would have the same skills. Project management situations revealed their greatest weakness, however. Instead of working directly for the project manager each team member worked under a different supervisor, in a different functional area. This was clearly the road to confusion and, ultimately, failure.
Consider, then, a matrix with several columns of workers who perform similar functions and are each supervised by a functional manager. Think of rows stretching across the column, with each row supervised by a project manager (this person can be visualized as being at the far left side of the page and leading a single row). Each row, then, intersects each column of workers. This allows each row to manifest as a group of workers that function differently and are led by one project manager.
Obviously, with such a structure, some tension is present between project managers and each functional manager. They share workers, and because each of them has a different job to do, their interests conflict.
Several different categories of matrix organizations exist. In each, the goal is to create a balance of power between each manager's particular functional needs.
#If you have any other info about this subject , Please add it free.# |