Organisational Structure Flashcards

Flashcards on Organisational Structure

Organisational chart

A diagram showing job titles, lines of communication and responsibility within a business

Organisational structure

The way the jobs, responsibilities and power within a business are organised

Levels of hierarchy

The number of layers of management and supervision existing in an organisation

Chain of command

The lines of authority within the business

Lines of communication

How information is passed up, down and across a business

Span of control

The number of subordinates, one job / post holder is responsible for

Work load

How much work one employee, department or team have to complete in a given period of time

Job role

The tasks involved in a particular job

Delegation

Passing the authority to make specific decisions to somebody further down the organisational hierarchy

Communication flows

How information is passed around an organisation, including through the grapevine

Workforce role

The tasks involved in a particular level or grade of job within an organisation

Hierarchy

Describes the management structure of the business, from top of company to shop floor worker

Tall organisation

Large number of managers and narrow spans of control

Flat organisation

Few managers and wide span of control

Centralisation

Keeping major responsibilities at the centre of the organisation

Decentralisation

Giving decision-making power to an organisation

Job design

The process of grouping together or diving up tasks and responsibilities to create complete jobs.

Job enlargement

Giving employees a wider variety of tasks to do.

Job enrichment

Giving employees more authority for decision making.

Job rotation

Movement between different jobs leading to multi-skilling.

Empowerment

Giving employees the power to do their job: trusting them, giving them the authority to make decisions.

Human resource plan

Assesses the current and future capacity of a business's workforce and sets out actions necessary to meet the business's future human resource needs.

Recruitment

The process of filling an organisation's job vacancies by appointing new staff.

Training

Is the process whereby an individual acquires job related skills and knowledge.

Redeployment

Occurs when an employee is offered suitable alternative employment within the same business.

Redundancy

Takes place when an employee is dismissed because a job no longer exists.