International Encyclopedia of Communication Online

Extract

Organizational structure is the set of formally stipulated rules and regulations that regulate and legitimate the organization's work processes, communication, and other activities. An organization's structure constrains interaction processes and biases the style and content of interaction; also, since organizational structure is the framework of any organization, it is the focus of →  Discourse about organizational change. Organizational structure includes features such as an organization's hierarchy, divisional and departmental pattern, arrangements for surveillance and record keeping, and explicit operating procedures and policies. It is generally spelled out in writing in a typical organization's legal documents, personnel and payroll records, strategic plan, and operating procedures manuals. Explicit, planned structural features make organizations distinct from other social forms such as communities and families, and are in large part responsible for the power organizations have in our world today. Organizational structure has long been important to →  Organizational Communication , because it is a managerial tool establishing authority allocations, mandatory information flows, work allocation and workflow patterns, and grouping arrangements for employees. Early studies reflected this managerial perspective by identifying structural patterns useful for efficient communication. ... log in or subscribe to read full text