The descriptions given by Steve Jobs about Apple’s organizational structure seem to comply with the matrix structure. Steve Jobs makes some descriptions that show the uniqueness of Apple’s adaptation to the matrix structure. Organizational structures are generally categorized into four groups that include simple structure; functional structure; multidivisional structure; and matrix structure (Ketchen & Short, 2014). The companies can then adjust the chosen structure so as to suit their objectives and goals. Apple has customized the matrix structure so as to make it more collaborative.
Steve Jobs says that the people working for Apple have been put into various teams that handle different projects and tasks. Teamwork is said to enable the sharing and flow of ideas. The people in teams are encouraged to become creative, and they are given the opportunity to share their ideas with other people. Steve Jobs says that there are meetings that are held for 3 hours once a week. In these meetings, people get the opportunity to air their ideas. Steve Jobs says that they assess these ideas together and select the best ideas for implementation. These meetings also offer an opportunity for coming up with solutions to the problems that Apple is facing.
The matrix structure relies on horizontal relationships among the workers (Ketchen et al., 2014). This structure develops cross-functional teams that are assigned different projects and tasks. Apple is a company that assigns tasks or projects to teams. The organization is able to maximize its flexibility; collaboration; teamwork; and enhance its communication across the entire company. The matrix structure provides Apple with the opportunity of identifying talented people. The company can also develop new managers by assigning them to head small projects. The young managers are then observed to see whether they are capable of leading other people. The experiences gathered from these projects provide the workers with great knowledge that can be used to achieve the goals of the company.
The matrix structure violates the principle of unit of command because the workers are assigned to several bosses (Ketchen et al., 2014). A problem can arise when two bosses require an employee to execute different instructions at the same time. The employee will end up serving one boss and leaving the other or performing half tasks for each boss. The employee is also not sure about which person should give him instructions. Lazy employees can avoid executing tasks by playing off the two bosses. They can defend themselves from one boss saying that they were doing the work of the other boss, and proceed to tell the other boss the same excuse.
The matrix structure can also lead to conflicts between different project managers. The managers will want to have the best workers within their teams. Good workers are scarce resources within the organizations (Ketchen et al., 2014). The scramble for good workers can lead to major conflicts and politics within the organization. Some managers may hold onto the good workers within their teams and refuse to let them work in other teams so as to avoid getting bad workers. Such actions deny the workers the opportunity for growth that is acquired by experiencing different operations or projects. It also brings about boredom, and reduces the productivity level of the worker.
Apple has been able to eliminate these problems by promoting teamwork across the entire organization (Hendrix, 2014). The use of job rotation has enabled the people working for Apple to work in different teams and on different projects. Every worker in Apple is able to develop and experience career growth due to the various opportunities presented to him or her by the company. In the video, Steve Jobs says that there is tremendous teamwork at the top, and that this teamwork flows down to the workers at the bottom. Collaboration enables the team leaders to communicate with each other so as to ensure seamless execution of tasks within the organization.
Apple has experienced tremendous success due to the adoption of the matrix structure. The structure offers the company the flexibility it requires for conducting numerous projects. Apple is a company that operates in the technology industry, and has to constantly come up with new innovations so as to meet the needs of the customers (Hendrix, 2014). The technology industry is very dynamic and it requires the technological companies to be flexible enough to adapt to the new changes. Apple has also been able to achieve success through the creation of teams that enable workers to share their ideas and exercise their creativity. Apple relies on the creative thinking and ideas of its workers to come up with innovations that lead to massive success.
References
Ketchen, D., & Short, J., (2014). Mastering Strategic Management. Version 1. Washington DC: Flat World Knowledge Inc.
Hendrix, J., (2014, Jul 29). Apple’s Organizational Structure. Academia. Retrieved from: http://www.academia.edu/7937905/Apples_Organizational_Structure
Ragni, (2010, Jun 12). Steve Jobs Talks About Managing People. You Tube Video. Retrieved from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f60dheI4ARg
