Different Forms Of Matrix Organization Essay

The paper is divided into three sections, the first of which will establish a timeline of events. This project background will serve as a case study for the analysis in the following section that will be structured such that each of the previously mentioned facets will be independently analyzed and contrasted with project management principles. Finally the paper will conclude with a summary of the analysis and recommendations based on

In a matrix structure, each employee answers to two immediate supervisors: a department supervisor and a project manager. The department supervisor is charged with overseeing employees in a functional area such as marketing or engineering. Project supervisors manage a specific and often impermanent project. They absorb employees from various functional areas to complete their project teams. This kind of organizational structure has several advantages especially if the project managers identify their team strengths and weakness early. Directing the staff with effective leadership skills is a key role as a project manager. A clear direction of the project from start to completion is vital. Therefore, the project managers must carry top notch planning and organizational skills. To follow the WBS and have a clear understanding of the importance of remaining on budget throughout the entire project is mandatory. The experienced project manager must keep planning, staffing, budgeting and scheduling and other control techniques under wrap, by utilizing their administrative skill according to Project Management, (Kerzner, 2013). Although the administrative and other techniques are important, in this particular project, each project manager must work closely as a team member and example. Building the team and each departmental manager into a working cohesive team, could be the true

‘Project management is the application of knowledge, skills, tools and techniques to project activities to meet the project requirements’ (Project Management Institute, 2009, p12). Once a project has been approved a project manager is assigned to the project, and ‘is expected to integrate all aspects of the project, ensure that the proper knowledge and resources are available when they are needed, and ensure that the results are produced in a timely, cost-effective manner’ (Meredith and Mantel, 2010, p5). In order to allow this to happen there are several key aspects of a project which need to be carefully thought out and controlled.

Any successful project management, regardless of the organizational structure, is only as good as the individuals and leaders who are managing the key functions. Project management is not a single-person operation; it requires a group of individuals dedicated to the achievement of a specific goal.

In determining the organizational methods for projects, the project can be either organized via the pure project organization in which the project is essential stand-alone from the parent organization, the project could be organized in a way that is completely dependent upon the parent organization, or the project can be organized in such a way that utilizes both methods taking in all of the great advantages; only resulting in minimal disadvantages when it comes to management. As one of the most significant advantages of the matrix project organization method, being able to be closely related with the parent organization, allows for constant communication and access to resources. “Because the matrix organization is, or can be, connected to any or all of the parent organization’s functional units, it has access to any or all of the parent organization’s technology.” (Mantel, S., 2011) Furthermore, “this allows the functional departments to optimize their contributions to any project. They can meet a project’s need in a way that is most efficient.” (Mantel, S., 2011) In regards to the disadvantages, the management is where the struggles exist because there are administrative supervisors and technological supervisors. This divide in management may seem to result in some confusion of who to report to and when. Also, what resources from which side of the management, I would say could cause some sort of impairment on overall

Larson, E.W. and Gray, C.F. (2012, p. 214). Project Management: The Managerial Process, 5th Ed. McGraw-Hill Learning Solutions. Boston, MA.

Projects have been part of human society. Since historical existence of the human society, people have always joined efforts to execute various initiatives. Projects draw a number of people who in turn oversee specific duties or aspects to achieve certain objectives. However, projects are complex, a factor that calls for proper leadership and collaboration. Failure to have effective leadership and management may occasion project failure (Turner, 2014).  In essence, most projects are defined by systems and departments that are overseen by specific individual or entities. The aim of structuring projects along various lines or specialties is to enhance success rates. In light of this, this paper reviews, evaluates and critically

The organizational structure can weaken or strengthen a project manager’s authority. In an organization with a functional or matrix structure the project manager has very little authority. Most of the authority is with the functional manager. This happens because the functional manager the resources are shared between the project and the existing business of the company. An

Having a general understanding of each organizational structure will equip the company with the knowledge to make an informed decision of which structure is best for their company. We identified the three structures as being functional, pure project and matrix. The functional structure is more geared towards large organizations that are typically trying to improve a system or procedure. The pure project structure is the opposite of functional and may be a little more costly then the other organizational break downs. The matrix structure best suits construction projects due to its high level of flexibility and adaptability. Knowing this information will give an organization direction in regards to which structure will best fit them.

The purpose of this section is to describe a project based organization and compare it to other basic organization types: functional and matrix organizations. Many companies will not perfectly fit either of these definitions. Yet in most cases one will be able to identify the basic organization type that most closely matches a company’s structure.

The design of a company affects every aspect of the business such as the way its members communicate, how decisions are made, and how the work is delegated, etcetera (Dictionary.com, 2006). This layout is known as the organization structure formally defined by Wikipedia (2006) as, "the way in which the interrelated groups of an organization are constructed. From a managerial point of view the main concerns are ensuring effective communication and coordination." In respects to project management there are three primary organizational break downs they are functional structure, pure project structure, and matrix structure. We will take a look into each of these structures to better identify the similarities and

Implementing project management across the organizations helps create a strategic value chain that gives companies an edge on their competitors, particularly in high-risk sectors and markets (PMI, 2014). Changing applications and business environments for project management have pushed the boundaries of the required knowledge and skills beyond what has been the more traditional focus on the technical and administrative procedures and systems associated with project management (Clarke, 2010).

A new edition of the most popular book of project management case studies, expanded to include more

Ways to manage personnel and resources have been in use for as long as history has been recorded. However, in more recent times a process has been developed and implemented to great effect. This process is project management. Project management can be defined as a process that brings together the perquisite skills, knowledge, and resources in order to ensure the best possible outcome of a given project. According to Newton (2015), the actual definition of project management will differ depending on which industry or organization is putting it into practice as much as mission states differ between firms. Regardless of this preferential difference the end result remains the same. The importance of project

Project management is known as a discipline of carefully projecting or planning, organizing, motivating and controlling resources to achieve goals and meet specific success criteria. The tools that will be discussed have been used by non-profit organizations, and small businesses that will point toward best practices that are general, tactical, and practical. In order to keep any project on course, the parties involved need to know something about project management. There will also be a discussion on the three basic types of business projects, and how they help in project management, as well as how software is important to project management.