Innovations in Organizational Design

Recent innovations of organizational design have been in three areas. Team-based organizations, matrix organizations and virtual organizations. Team-based organization have taken the team concept a step further and instead of using teams only at certain times the organizations are completely comprised of organizational teams. This team structure allows for more interaction and support of each other within the workings of the organization while giving everyone a chance to be involved. The matrix organization design is comprised of two individual organizational structures that overlap and support each other. The first structure will include traditional organizational departments while the second structure will consist of brand, department, or project based groups that may or may not include employees from the first structure. The virtual organization design is signified by the goal of reducing costs for the organization by outsourcing the work to be done by other organizations. The organization may be producing a product in which someone else is providing key components to the manufacturing.

Although the team-based organization is most appealing to me because it gives opportunity for community support and developing of employees I find the matrix organizational design most interesting. The ability to design an organization in which different sectors of the organization are managed and developed in such a way as to support each other while also ensuring their own department is functioning presents a challenge. This delicate balancing act presents a challenge and opportunity to grow as a leader and expand my understanding of organizational discernment.