The Extent to Which an Organization's Structure Not Only Shapes Its Essay

The Extent to Which an Organization's Structure Not Only Shapes Its Culture, But Also Its Ability to Transfor - Essay Example This research will begin with the statement that a thorough literature review on the subjects of organizational structure, transformation and culture reveals a great wealth of information on the two subjects. Handled individually, it is evident that organizational structure and culture are quite important in the realization of an organization’s goals and objectives. Unfortunately, little has been done in covering and unearthing the relationship between structure and culture in an organization. Similarly, the relationship between an organization’s structure and its ability to transform and manage change has not been exhaustively discussed or debated. Notwithstanding the fact that the influence of organizational structure on culture and transformation has been overlooked in many studies and practical management of businesses, there exists a rather important interconnection between these aspects of an organization. However, it may be quite a difficult task to distinguish a n organization’s structure and culture since structure always operates within a business culture, implying culture and structure are quite intertwined. While culture refers to the umbrella issues and manner/patterns in which an organization operates, structure refers to the infrastructures, methods, and practices therein. The structure of an organization thus helps ensure that its culture is practiced and run efficiently and consistently. Given this important role of structure in shaping an organization’s culture and ensuring cultural consistency and efficacy, establishing good structures should be the hallmark of every organization. The structure therefore not only influences and shapes organizational culture but it is also an integral part of the culture. The culture of an organization is also a responsibility of its structure, which relates and deals directly with the settings of an organization’s culture. For instance, cultural issues in an organization such as the workings of the management, employees’ responsibilities and the handling of disputes and complaints are all directly tied to its structures and how they work. The main way in which structure affects organizational culture is through the role of structure in interconnecting the different groups/teams in an organization hence enabling them to work smoothly to realize organizational and personal objectives and progress. In this regard, the elements of structure most important in shaping an organization’s culture and its smooth operations include effective communication and coordination among employees and departments. Several theories have been developed to highlight the role of structure in influencing the culture of an organization. The first among these theories is the pre-bureaucratic structure. In this structure, an organization lacks the standardization of tasks and is mostly applicable to small businesses, which are adaptive and have no repeat scenario. The second structural theory is the bureaucratic structure in which larger organisations establish certain processes and procedures to help in meeting their objectives.