CHAPTER 2: MANAGING WORK FLOWS
Work: The Organizational Perspective
A firm’s business strategy determines how it structures its work. Under a defender strategy,
work can be efficiently organized into a functional structure based on division of labor, with
hierarchies of jobs assigned to functional units. Under a prospector strategy, decentralization and
a low division of labor are more appropriate. The bureaucratic organizational structure is likely
to be most effective when an organization is operating in a stable environment. The flat and the
boundary less organizational structures are more likely to be effective when organizations
operate in uncertain environments that require flexibility.
Work-flow analysis examines how work creates or adds value to ongoing business processes. It
helps managers determine if work is being accomplished as efficiently as possible. Work-flow
analysis can be very useful in customer-focused programs and business process reengineering.
Work: The Group Perspective
Flat and boundary less organizational structures are likely to emphasize the use of self-managed
teams (SMTs), small work units (between 6 and 18 employees) that are responsible for producing
an entire product, a component, or an ongoing service. Businesses also use two other types
of team designs. Problem-solving teams consist of volunteers from a unit or department who
meet one or two hours per week to discuss quality improvement, cost reduction, or improvement
in the work environment. Special-purpose teams consist of members who span functional or
organizational boundaries and whose purpose is to examine complex issues. Virtual teams allow
geographically separated employees to collaborate together on projects or special problems by
interacting on the computer or via other technology.
Work: The Individual Perspective
Motivation theory seeks to explain how different job designs can affect employee motivation.
Four important work motivation theories are the two-factor, work adjustment, goal-setting, and
job characteristics theories.
Designing Jobs and Conducting Job Analysis
Job design is the process of organizing work into the tasks required to perform a specific job.
Different approaches to job design are work simplification, job enlargement, job rotation, job
enrichment, and team-based job designs.
Job analysis is the systematic process of gathering and organizing information concerning
the tasks, duties, and responsibilities of jobs. It is the basic building block of many important
HR activities. Job analysis can be used for purposes of legal compliance, recruitment, selection,
performance appraisal, compensation, and training and career development. Given the lack of a
