Organizational Theory and Design According to Grand Canyon University (2013), organizational theory is an attempt to explain the workings of an organization, and the design is the structure, process, and plan which describe all the actions of an organization and how well they fit to meet the organizational goals. This paper seeks to identify the structural dimensions of Ternary Software Co. along with the application of certain strategic frameworks used for organizational effectiveness.
Structural Dimensions
The general characteristics of organizations consist of two main dimensions, structural and contextual. Structural dimensions describe the internal characteristics of an organization by creating a foundation for measuring success. The four main structural dimensions include formalization (written documentation such as job descriptions, manuals, and regulations); specialization (organizational tasks which are separated or division of labor); centralization (levels of authority in the decision making process); and professionalism (education and training) Daft, (2010). The contextual dimensions characteristics describe the organizational climate which consists of size; technology or tools needed to accomplish tasks; environment; goals and strategies; and culture (values and standards shared by employees) Daft, (2010).
Ternary’s Organizational Structure
Ternary is a small software company which writes contracts for other organizations (Daft, 2010). Ternary solicits the opinions, ideas, and or concerns of employees as they participate in the decision-making process. Team members’ responses are welcomed and taken into account as ideas and proposals are worked upon. In terms of structural dimensions, Ternary ranks low in formalization and centralization, just below mid-range in specialization, and mid-range in professionalism on a scale of 1-100 (Daft, 2010). Ternary employs no more than twenty five employees and
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