Seminar Alternate Assignment

Seminar Alternate Assignment

* Define and discuss differentiation and integration

* Define and discuss span of control.

* Define and discuss centralized and decentralized organizational structures.

Differentiation is when an organization is composed of many different units that work on different kinds of tasks, using different skills and work methods to achieve the desired results and objectives. Integration is when differentiated units are put back together so that work is coordinated into an overall product.

A centralized organization is when high-level executives make most decisions and pass them down to lower levels for implementation. A decentralized organization is when lower-level managers make important decisions.

The advantages and disadvantages of a centralized and decentralized organizations lies greatly in the characteristics of organizations themselves. If top managers make the organization's key decisions with little or no input from below, then the organization is centralized. Companies which wish to consolidate power and decision-making abilities at the top of the organizational chart, tend to be centralized organizations. If the CEO of a corporation has a particular vision and wishes for it to remain pure to his/her desires, the CEO will centralize the organization to feeling control as much of the company as possible. Today, employees are becoming smarter reducing the need for multiple decision makers. Centralized structures are becoming rare because of their many disadvantages. Due to power being consolidated at the top of the organization, risk is great if the top of the organization becomes incapable of leading the organization Employees will feel less motivated to perform to the best of their ability as they might not have a forum for sharing their ideas on how to better the company.

More and more decentralized organizations are surfacing as the ability for organizations to decentralize increases....