An Organizational Structure for Sun City Boards
we’ll return to Sun City Boards and the management challenges they face. With your advice, Tom Wilson (the owner) has continued to make strategic planning progress, but you and Tom realize that a new organizational structure is needed for the company to grow as you envision. Plans include expanding beyond a single store/manufacturing shop and reaching new markets via an Internet presence and e-commerce. The following is a summary of the current staff and loose descriptions of job functions:
Owner/CEO—Tom Wilson (Designs the boards, sets their selling price, and establishes sales channels with local surf shops)
Bookkeeper—Sarah Balanced (Sarah also doubles as order-taking clerk, cash register attendant, and customer complaint listener)
Board Maker—Jack Ovalltrades (If Tom invents it, Jack can make it!)
Board Making Assistants—Jill, Jane, & Judy (Assignments change almost daily as Jack decides what needs to be done next)
Sales Associate—Kelly Dude (Named after famed surfer Kelly Slater and a business icon for Sun City Boards; visits surf shops and occasionally closes a sale)
Part-time Associates—Hired as needed for inventory management (cleanup), promotional events, etc.
Module 5 Organizational Structure and Processes Learning UnitLinks to an external site. provides examples of organizational structures. As Tom’s advisor, your assignment now is to select one of the organizational structures presented in the Learning Unit, describe how it works, chart the future structure for Sun City, and explain why you prescribe it. The following steps will help you prepare for your written assignment:
Thoroughly read Module 5 Organizational Structure and Processes Learning UnitLinks to an external site..
Carefully consider the various organizational structures, their key structural components, and organizational timing relevant for Sun City. Consider the internal and external environmental factors, as well as current trends.
Your Task
Select one of the Organizational Structures from your reading for Sun City.
Create a Future State Organizational Chart for Sun City. You may use a presentation tool of your choice. There are numerous organizational chart format inserts available in popular software. Microsoft Word and PowerPoint have Hierarchy charts found on the Insert tab under SmartArt. Your organization chart should contain the title of the job function, even if no Sun City employee currently fills that role. You may also recommend a reporting structure for the existing employees within the new structure.
Sample Solution
An organizational structure is a system that outlines how certain activities are directed in order to achieve the goals of an organization. These activities can include rules, roles, and responsibilities. The organizational structure also determines how information flows between levels within the company. For example, in a centralized structure, decisions flow from the top down, while in a decentralized structure, decision-making power is distributed among various levels of the organization. Having an organizational structure in place allows companies to remain efficient and focused. Businesses of all shapes and sizes use organizational structures heavily. They define a specific hierarchy within an organization. A successful organizational structure defines each employee’s job and how it fits within the overall system.
