organisational structure

The diagram usually starts with the strategic apex at the top (top management) a relatively long middle line (the chain of control down through the organisation) the operating core (workers) at the bottom, and relatively large and equally sized support and techno-structures. That shape is the machine bureaucracy, typical of a large manufacturing company.

In a simple, entrepreneurial/power-culture company, you really only have the strategic apex (‘The Boss’) and the operating core (the workers).

Perhaps the most interesting alternative is the professional bureaucracy in which the middle line is much shorter and the technostructure is smaller.This depict a professional organisation like a firm of accountants or lawyers. There, the middle line has to be short as there must be close communication between the junior employees and the partners. They must frequently meet to discuss work and to have work reviewed. The technostrucuure is small because, although audit and legal documentation within the firm might be standardised you cannot standardise an audit or a legal problem. Each has to be dealt with as an individual problem so the influence of the technostrucuure is limited.

I have never though the model gives advice about how to structure your business; I don’t think people consciously shrink the technostructure. I’ve always thought that the model was simply trying to depict structures.

Although it’s famous, I don’t think it’s of much practical use.

HTH