Organizational Designs

Write a research paper in which you define four organizational designs, compare them, and describe how you would use one of them to create an organizational structure that would lead to high performance.

Introduction

Organizational design is at the heart of the strategy-structure-fit relationship. The organization’s broad strategy and goals must first be determined before designing the organization. Then the organization design team (usually senior management or the founder) must determine how best to structure the organization in a way that supports the overall strategy. Modern organizations can take on many different types of design. The days of the traditional functional organization are rapidly giving way to project-based matrix, networked, and even virtual designs.

To prepare for this assessment, use Capella library to research each of the following designs:

  • Functional organization.
  • Matrix organization.
  • Networked organization.
  • Virtual organization.

You will find that the Capella library contains a vast number of articles on each of these organizational designs. You should strive to select at least two for each design in order to get more than one perspective.

For this assessment, complete the following:

  • Define each of the four designs listed above and then identify a real-world organization example of each.
  • Compare the four types of organizational design in terms of:
    • Structure.
    • Strategies.
    • Challenges they face in today’s environment.
  • Choose one of the organizational designs from the four and describe how you would use that design to create an organizational structure that would lead to high performance.

Format this assessment as a research paper following current APA guidelines for style and citing sources, making sure you also use correct grammar and mechanics. There is no required minimum or maximum page length; however, you should strive to be as detailed as possible in addressing each part while being as clear and concise as possible.

Please note: The term environment is used throughout this course to mean all of the external factors that affect an organization. These include, but are not limited to, the overall global market, the industry as a whole, and the financial market.

Competencies Measured

By successfully completing this assessment, you will demonstrate your proficiency in the following course competencies and assessment criteria:

  • Competency 1: Analyze the historical perspectives of the study of organizational structure and design and its applications in today’s world.
    • Explain what is meant by functional organization.
    • Explain what is meant by matrix organization.
    • Explain what is meant by networked organization.
    • Explain what is meant by virtual organization.
    • Compare the types of organizational design in terms of structure.
    • Compare the types of organizational design in terms of strategy.
    • Compare the types of organizational design in terms of challenges in today’s local and global environment.
  • Competency 3: Create a model for organizational structure of a high-performance organization.
    • Describe a model for organizational structure that leads to high performance.