The purpose of this assignment is three-fold:
To examine the organizational culture, structure, and design of an organization.
To interview a manager regarding their company?s culture, structure, and design.
To communicate your findings in a paper.

Basically, you will:
Select a local business firm or not-for-profit agency to study (no student clubs). If possible, you are encouraged to use the company that you work at. The organization selected should have 20 or more employees to enable the successful completion of the project. If you select a very large organization (e.g., 500+ employees), then you may want to focus on one division of the company for the project (e.g., for organizational chart, structure, etc).
Interview a manager in the company. Note that if you choose to use your current employer, then (if possible) you should interview someone at a higher level in the organization than yourself. You may also want to discuss some of the following suggested interview questions with any other employees in the organization to get multiple perspectives (although this is not required). Please make sure that this is ok with the manager before you do this. If it is an organization where you are currently employed, you can give your input as well.
Write a 4 page (single-spaced) paper.

important criteria:
Paper
Your paper should include the material from the ?suggested interview questions? and ?paper details? sections addressed below.
Accurate assessment of organizational culture, structure, design, etc.
Quality of analyses and recommendations made to company
Well-written and integrated paper

SUGGESTED INTERVIEW QUESTIONS

General information:
Please describe the organization and its basic characteristics, including history, size, age, etc.
Please explain the organization?s mission (with mission statement if available)
Could you please show us a copy of your organization chart (if you don?t have one, could you draw us an informal one)?
Could you please briefly describe what each unit or department of the organization does?
Culture:
Please rate the following 7 dimensions or characteristics of organizational culture on a scale of 1-5, with 1 being not very important in this organization, 3 somewhat important, and 5 being very important to the organization.

Innovation and risk taking. The degree to which employees are encouraged to be innovative and take risks.
Attention to detail. The degree to which employees are expected to exhibit preci?sion, analysis, and attention to detail.
Outcome orientation. The degree to which management focuses on results or outcomes rather than on the techniques and processes used to achieve those out?comes.
People orientation. The degree to which management decisions take into considera?tion the effect of outcomes on people within the organization.
Team orientation. The degree to which work activities are organized around teams rather than individuals.
Aggressiveness. The degree to which people are aggressive and competitive rather than easy going.
Stability. The degree to which organizational activities emphasize maintaining the status quo in contrast to growth.
Are there any other important elements of this organizations culture that might not be captured by the above 7 dimensions?

For those characteristics above that you rated most highly, can you think of ways that these cultural dimensions are transmitted to or learned by employees? For example, are there any orientation (or socialization) processes, stories, rituals, or symbols that illustrate these dimensions?

A strong culture is characterized by the organization?s core values being both intensely held and widely shared, whereas a weak culture is characterized by vagueness, ambiguity, and/or inconsistencies. Would you characterize the culture at this organization as being more of a strong or weak culture? Please explain?

Organizational Structure
Work Specialization: To what extent does this organization have specialized tasks, subdivided into separate jobs?
Chain of Command: To whom do individuals and groups report?
Span of Control: How many individuals does a manager supervise or oversee? Do you think that most managers are able to efficiently and effectively direct/oversee this many employees?
Centralization/Decentralization: Have a hierarchy for making decisions, with important decisions made by upper level managers?
Formalization: Have written rules and regulations to direct employees vs. fewer, unwritten rules?

Organizational Design & Conclusion Questions
Review the questions below in the organizational design and conclusion sections of the suggested outline. On what basis are jobs grouped together? By functions, product, geography, customer, and/or product teams?
You may want to consider asking the manager some additional questions to assist you in answering these questions. However, please don?t expect the manager to answer these questions for you. Review the 6 organization designs listed in the textbook chapter. Also, use the organizational chart to help you here.

PAPER DETAILS
Please assume that the audience you are writing for is familiar with the basic theories and concepts from the book. Please do not spend time simply describing these theories or concepts. Instead, as the questions suggest, apply these theories and concepts to your organization and focus on sharing information about your organization. You should single-space the paper, use 1? margins all around, and 12-point, Times New Roman font.

Outline for paper and Issues that you should address:
Cover Page:
Introduction (~1 page): Use the info gained from the interview questions in the general information section above to introduce the company. Please be sure to include an organizational chart. Also, include a description of the methods (including who you interviewed or any questionnaires) used to collect data from the organization
Organizational Culture (~1- pages): Discuss interview questions above. Please illustrate with examples where possible.
Organizational Structure (~1- pages): Discuss interview questions above. Note that you may disagree with the answers that were given by those interviewed. This is ok and would give you the opportunity to discuss why you disagree.
Based on the 5 characteristics of organizational structure, explain which characteristics your organization exhibits of mechanistic and organic structures (please use the lecture slides on mechanistic vs. organic structures). Overall, would you say the organization is more mechanistic or organic?
Organizational design (~1 page): Which of the six organizational designs does it most resemble? On what basis are jobs grouped together? By functions, product, geography, customer, and/or product teams? Please explain your answer.
Conclusion (~1 page): Can you identify any ways that the organization?s culture may be beneficial to or a liability to the organization? Can you briefly explain how any of the 4 environmental factors (e.g., strategy) may affect the org. structure or design? Also, please discuss how any (but at least 2) of the key elements of org. structure influence behavior in the organization. Does the organization commonly use integrating mechanisms to increase coordination? Finally, would you recommend that the company make any changes to their organizational culture or structure? Why or why not?
Appendix: Include any background materials, such as the organization chart, surveys, etc.

Assigned text
Baldwin, Bommer, & Rubin, 2013. Managing Organizational Behavior: What Great Managers Know and Do. (2nd Edition). Prentice Hall. ISBN-10: 0073530409

The purpose of this assignment is three-fold:
To examine the organizational culture, structure, and design of an organization.
To interview a manager regarding their company?s culture, structure, and design.
To communicate your findings in a paper.

Basically, you will:
Select a local business firm or not-for-profit agency to study (no student clubs). If possible, you are encouraged to use the company that you work at. The organization selected should have 20 or more employees to enable the successful completion of the project. If you select a very large organization (e.g., 500+ employees), then you may want to focus on one division of the company for the project (e.g., for organizational chart, structure, etc).
Interview a manager in the company. Note that if you choose to use your current employer, then (if possible) you should interview someone at a higher level in the organization than yourself. You may also want to discuss some of the following suggested interview questions with any other employees in the organization to get multiple perspectives (although this is not required). Please make sure that this is ok with the manager before you do this. If it is an organization where you are currently employed, you can give your input as well.
Write a 4 page (single-spaced) paper.

important criteria:
Paper
Your paper should include the material from the ?suggested interview questions? and ?paper details? sections addressed below.
Accurate assessment of organizational culture, structure, design, etc.
Quality of analyses and recommendations made to company
Well-written and integrated paper

SUGGESTED INTERVIEW QUESTIONS

General information:
Please describe the organization and its basic characteristics, including history, size, age, etc.
Please explain the organization?s mission (with mission statement if available)
Could you please show us a copy of your organization chart (if you don?t have one, could you draw us an informal one)?
Could you please briefly describe what each unit or department of the organization does?
Culture:
Please rate the following 7 dimensions or characteristics of organizational culture on a scale of 1-5, with 1 being not very important in this organization, 3 somewhat important, and 5 being very important to the organization.

Innovation and risk taking. The degree to which employees are encouraged to be innovative and take risks.
Attention to detail. The degree to which employees are expected to exhibit preci?sion, analysis, and attention to detail.
Outcome orientation. The degree to which management focuses on results or outcomes rather than on the techniques and processes used to achieve those out?comes.
People orientation. The degree to which management decisions take into considera?tion the effect of outcomes on people within the organization.
Team orientation. The degree to which work activities are organized around teams rather than individuals.
Aggressiveness. The degree to which people are aggressive and competitive rather than easy going.
Stability. The degree to which organizational activities emphasize maintaining the status quo in contrast to growth.
Are there any other important elements of this organizations culture that might not be captured by the above 7 dimensions?

For those characteristics above that you rated most highly, can you think of ways that these cultural dimensions are transmitted to or learned by employees? For example, are there any orientation (or socialization) processes, stories, rituals, or symbols that illustrate these dimensions?

A strong culture is characterized by the organization?s core values being both intensely held and widely shared, whereas a weak culture is characterized by vagueness, ambiguity, and/or inconsistencies. Would you characterize the culture at this organization as being more of a strong or weak culture? Please explain?

Organizational Structure
Work Specialization: To what extent does this organization have specialized tasks, subdivided into separate jobs?
Chain of Command: To whom do individuals and groups report?
Span of Control: How many individuals does a manager supervise or oversee? Do you think that most managers are able to efficiently and effectively direct/oversee this many employees?
Centralization/Decentralization: Have a hierarchy for making decisions, with important decisions made by upper level managers?
Formalization: Have written rules and regulations to direct employees vs. fewer, unwritten rules?

Organizational Design & Conclusion Questions
Review the questions below in the organizational design and conclusion sections of the suggested outline. On what basis are jobs grouped together? By functions, product, geography, customer, and/or product teams?
You may want to consider asking the manager some additional questions to assist you in answering these questions. However, please don?t expect the manager to answer these questions for you. Review the 6 organization designs listed in the textbook chapter. Also, use the organizational chart to help you here.

PAPER DETAILS
Please assume that the audience you are writing for is familiar with the basic theories and concepts from the book. Please do not spend time simply describing these theories or concepts. Instead, as the questions suggest, apply these theories and concepts to your organization and focus on sharing information about your organization. You should single-space the paper, use 1? margins all around, and 12-point, Times New Roman font.

Outline for paper and Issues that you should address:
Cover Page:
Introduction (~1 page): Use the info gained from the interview questions in the general information section above to introduce the company. Please be sure to include an organizational chart. Also, include a description of the methods (including who you interviewed or any questionnaires) used to collect data from the organization
Organizational Culture (~1- pages): Discuss interview questions above. Please illustrate with examples where possible.
Organizational Structure (~1- pages): Discuss interview questions above. Note that you may disagree with the answers that were given by those interviewed. This is ok and would give you the opportunity to discuss why you disagree.
Based on the 5 characteristics of organizational structure, explain which characteristics your organization exhibits of mechanistic and organic structures (please use the lecture slides on mechanistic vs. organic structures). Overall, would you say the organization is more mechanistic or organic?
Organizational design (~1 page): Which of the six organizational designs does it most resemble? On what basis are jobs grouped together? By functions, product, geography, customer, and/or product teams? Please explain your answer.
Conclusion (~1 page): Can you identify any ways that the organization?s culture may be beneficial to or a liability to the organization? Can you briefly explain how any of the 4 environmental factors (e.g., strategy) may affect the org. structure or design? Also, please discuss how any (but at least 2) of the key elements of org. structure influence behavior in the organization. Does the organization commonly use integrating mechanisms to increase coordination? Finally, would you recommend that the company make any changes to their organizational culture or structure? Why or why not?
Appendix: Include any background materials, such as the organization chart, surveys, etc.

Assigned text
Baldwin, Bommer, & Rubin, 2013. Managing Organizational Behavior: What Great Managers Know and Do. (2nd Edition). Prentice Hall. ISBN-10: 0073530409