How Technology and Environment Might Influence the Structure of an Organisation

Student Name: Adeniyi Adebowale Module: Principles of Organising and Managing Student Number: 500188225 Due Date: 15th of March, 2010 Title: Explain how technology and environment might influence the structure of an organisation; support your answer with examples. Paragraphs: 25 Charles Perrow (1974) suggests that there are four types of technology that determines an organisation's most effective structure and success in the market. The following are the types of technology: Non-routine Technology are characterized by high task variability and low task analyzability, examples include tasks performed by research chemist, advertising agencies, high-tech product designers and top management teams. With this type of technology, an organization has to develop structure that allows employees to respond quickly to manage exceptions and create new solutions like an organic structure. Engineering Technology is characterized by high task variability and high task analyzability, examples of these includes civil engineering companies that build roads and bridges another example includes motor manufacturers that produce customized cars. Craft Technology is characterized by low task variability and low task analyzability, examples includes an accountant preparing a tax return and a plumber fitting a bath or shower. Robbins (1993) further argued that technology has and will continue to influence growth and development in organization. Technology has made a fundamental impact in the education sector, providing a competitive advantage that has come to be essential to many organizations. For example, education institutes must also use technology to improve the educational learning process. In the past decade, computers and the Internet have changed the way in which education can be delivered to students since it is currently possible to engage in distance education through the Internet. There are two means in which technologies can be used in delivering education to students and they are listed below: Synchronous Technologies is a mode of online delivery where all participants are â€Å"present† at the same time requiring a timetable to be organized. Web Conferencing is an example of synchronous technology. Asynchronous Technologies is a mode of online delivery where participants access course materials on their own schedule. Students are not required to be together at the same time. Message board forums, e-mail and recorded video are examples of asynchronous technology. draw:frame} {draw:frame} Source: Andrzej Huczynski and David Buchanan (2001), page 36. Placid, Randomized Placid, Clustered Disturbed, Reactive Turbulent Fields {draw:frame} The figure below outlines the suggested points in details: Source: Andrzej Huczynski and David Buchanan (2001), page 49. Source: Andrzej Huczynski and David Buchanan (2001), page 47 References Stephen P. Robbins, 1993, Or ganizational Behaviour, 6th Edition, Prentice Hall International, U. S. A. Stephen P. Robbins, 1994, Management, 4th Edition, Prentice Hall International, U. S. A. David Faulkner, 2002, Strategy_: Critical Perspective on Business and Management_, Volume 1, U. K. Lloyd S. Baird, James E. Post and John F. Mahon, 1990, Management: Function and Responsibilities, Harper Collins Publisher, U. S. A. Harold J. Leavitt, Louis R. Pondy, and David M Boje, 1988, Readings in Managerial Psychology, 4th Edition, The University of Chicago Press Ltd. U. S. A. Charles Perrow, 1974, Organizational Analysis: A Social View, Tavistock Publications, London, U. K. Alan Fox, 1974, Beyond Contract: Work, Power and Trust Relations (Society Today and Tomorrow), Faber Publishing, London, U. K.