The Matrix Organization Reloaded

Matrix management was introduced in the 1970s in the context of competition from Japanese manufacturers, computerization of many technical and administrative tasks, and a recognition among business leaders that cross-functional teams (comprised of people from different departments and specialties) were necessary to create and produce complex products rapidly. Ideally, this approach, in which people are assigned to projects, rather than department managers, encourages collaboration, flexibility, and knowledge sharing, but in reality, it can often cause confusion, friction, and excessive bureaucracy. It fell out of fashion in the 1990s, but has resurfaced in a much wider array of companies today, as the pressure to innovate on ever-faster schedules encourages experimentation in organizational design. Marvin Gottlieb, who has studied and applied the principles of matrix management for over 25 years, takes us on a tour of this phenomenon—its evolution, current practices, and future applications. He argues that most organizations are taking on characteristics of matrix structure, with fluid teams and dotted-line reporting relationships across departments and divisions. Featuring case studies of successes and failures, he shows readers how to harness the power of the matrix structure while minimizing the conflict, disorientation, and resistance that often accompany the approach. In an environment where every company—large or small, entrepreneurial or established—is wrestling with the question of how to organize for maximum performance in a harshly competitive world, this book will give leaders and managers valuable insights and tools for promoting cultures that reward creativity and teamwork while maintaining strong leadership and accountability.

This book investigates the functioning of contemporary matrix organizations based on a case study of a German leading commercial vehicle manufacturer. It creates a framework for research of matrix organizations and demonstrates empirically how a contemporary MNC can promote lateral coordination through the use of a matrix organization. The significant issues of decision-making and conflict in matrix structures, as well as the role of organizational cultures is analysed. The importance of boundary spanning as well as the boundary spanning skills needed and developed by a matrix organization have been identified. This work brings significant empirical understanding of matrix organizations thanks to a rich research field combined with a novel framework for analysis of matrix organizations.

This evaluation assesses the extent to which the dual objectives of the World Bank s matrix system enhancing client responsiveness and establishing strong technical networks to deliver quality services have been attained, and have enhanced the Bank s development effectiveness.

For any organization to perform and compete successfully, it must have the systems and processes in place to translate goals into achievable actions—and to measure and monitor results. Moreover, the organization must be able to adjust and adapt as market conditions, technologies, the competitive environment, government regulations, personnel, and other variables evolve, sometimes gradually and sometimes dramatically. In Delivering Results: Measuring What Matters, Babson College professors and management consultants, Lawrence Carr and Alfred Nanni, show managers how to avoid the common pitfalls and mistakes when setting corporate strategy, and instead create a management system—unique to their organization—that aligns internal resources with objectives, motivates and rewards employees, and continuously provides feedback. Illustrating their concepts with numerous real-life examples (both successes and failures), practical tools and models, and a glossary of key terms, the authors demonstrate that knowing how to create and direct management systems that deliver results is, in itself, a strategic resource.

Initially, introducing compliance functions within the financial industry had been forced by regulatory scrutiny. Later, it started to spread to other regulated companies, in particular those publicly listed. Now, compliance has become an asset of corporates that want to build their reliability among clients, shareholders, employees and business partners. This book looks at the efficiency of the compliance measures introduced and the best practices of building compliance norms. This recently observed practice of compliance was triggered by the expectation of regulators, shareholders, clients, business partners and the public for robust compliance mechanisms. This book looks at the vast interest in this topic among business people who strive to introduce the systems and the mechanisms of non-compliance risk management in their companies and at the uncountable difficulties and obstacles they meet. The book fills the gap of thorough analysis of this subject by pointing out the solutions successfully introduced in global financial organizations, and would be of interest to academics, researchers and practitioners in corporate finance, corporate governance and risk management.

"The marketer is taken step-by-step through the key phases of the marketing planning process and alerted to the barriers that can prevent a service organization being successful in introducing marketing planning. Practical frameworks and techniques are suggested for undertaking the marketing planning process and implementing the principles covered. The authors highlight key misunderstandings about marketing and the nature of services and relationship marketing. "--Publisher.

This book shows managers how to identify opportunities for increasing productivity by enhancing commitment and provides tools for building a high-performing team. More than ever, senior and frontline managers are tasked with the development and maintenance of highly productive teams—a formidable challenge in all situations. Organizational directives for "lean," highly responsive, change-adaptive workforces have created an environment in which every aspect of productivity must be examined and improved in the quest to meet increasingly competitive global goals. About 30 percent of productivity is lost from knowledge workers who withhold undetected discretionary effort because managers fail to tap into motivation dynamics that impact the level of individual and team commitment. This book gives managers the tools they need to motivate their teams to deliver significantly better results. Readers of Motivation: The Manager's Key to Closing the Commitment Gap will gain a foundational understanding of motivation from theoretical, experimental, and anecdotal perspectives and identify key areas of potential untapped productivity. The book explores the changing workforce values, economic pressures, and the revised compact between employers and employees that create the commitment gap that results in untapped productivity. Managers will see how to go through a diagnostic and relationship-building process that creates powerful and productive dialogues, resolves conflict, and pinpoints behaviors and identifies tools to build a fully committed, high-performing team.