Evolution of Formal Organization

Evolution of Formal Organization

Karyn Tyree

University of Phoenix

While organizational structure is still an old concept, over the years it has evolved to catch up with today's business models. As these new models continued to pop up, the need to keep them current are ever changing, so as to get the best out of its structure. The older organizational structures were based more on the line of command and communication was only one-way, from the higher level of authority to the lower level. This paper’s intent is to explore how formal organizations have evolved over the years, the differences in the former organizations’ structures in comparison to today’s organizations. What the current trends in formal organizations are and how these trends have changed organizations to become more open and flexible.

Developing organizational structure has been practiced since the beginning of time. Over the past century most organizations have operated in the same way. Without knowing it man was constructing an organizational structure from day one by assigning a leader and then delegating different tasks and responsibilities to it members. In the early 1900s organizations were run using this conventional structure of having people holding office positions and titles with formal rules and regulations to specify the duties of the officeholders (Organization theory, 2006). This form of running an organization took further shape with a chain of command all the way down to the labor workers. At the top or in charge was the CEO of the company, followed by the executives, management on different levels, and the workforce being on the bottom. The manner in which the responsibilities were delegated was in the same format as the chain of command. The rules and regulations were formal and in writing. Any communication between employees and management was formal and in writing, or passed through the chain of command. There was very little if any, interaction between management and...