#3 Management Structures

Standard 3:  Distinguish the differences between horizontally organized and vertically organized companies.  Explain how self-management teams function and illustrate how a student organization could be organized around particular processes or specialization with teams providing support.

Opening Assignment

Anticipate
When do you have to manage your time?
What do you think might happen if you did a poor job of managing your time?
 Do you think the way a company's management is organized matters to the average worker?

Read on Your Own
Read pages 252-255.  Make sure to notice inset questions, quotes and notes as you read.

Class Discussion

Objectives

• Explain how horizontally organized companies differ from vertically organized companies.
• Name the three levels of management in a vertically organized company.
• Explain how a self-management team functions.

Let's Discuss
What type of organization has a hierarchical structure, vertical or horizontal?
In a vertical organization, how is middle management different from supervisory-level management?
What characteristics do you think a member of top level management should have?
The text mentioned "empowerment."  How can horizontal management lead to employee empowerment?
How does this support what we've learned about "employee engagement?"

Read the caption on page 254 about horizontal organization.
What else do self-managing teams do?

You Decide  With a Partner

Listen while I describe two companies to you.  The first is a factory that makes furniture.  Employees work on an assembly line where each performs a specific task.  The second is a business that develops Web sites for nonprofit organizations.  Groups of  six to eight programmers work together to develop each site.

What kind of organizational structure do you think might work for each of these businesses? Why?



Assignment

1. On a piece of paper make 2 graphic organizers that explain how "vertical" and "horizontal" management styles are structure.
2. Answer Review Key Concepts questions 1-5 on page 255.