Management - Vikhansky OS

2.3. Communication in the organization and coordination

The organization consists of many parts, it should be done in a certain way to coordinate their activities. This coordination is the basis structure of the organization, which is usually defined as a set of stable relations in the organization.

Without ties and the actual interaction of the parts can not be an organized whole. Communication is a prerequisite for determining the possibility of interaction. Connections between parts of the organization are carried out through the mass media. Types of connections match those kinds of relationships between parts of the organization, which combine parts into a unified whole.

In the organization, as it is seen in this tutorial, the link - it is an expression of the relationship, not an action. Links do not differ that is within them, and in how to implement the coordination, which in turn is determined by what kind of relationships are the basis of communication. Through contacts in the organization of the coordination of roles and activities. Effective coordination is a function of two variables: the rights and information.

The organization highlighted the different types of relationships. It all depends on what kind of criteria as a basis for their classification. The most common are analyzed following a pair of ties in the organization: vertical and horizontal; linear and functional; formal and informal; direct and indirect.

Vertical links connect hierarchical levels in the organization and its parts. They are formalized in the design organization, and are constantly portrayed in all its possible schemes, reflecting the distribution of powers, or pointing out "who's who" in the organizational hierarchy. These communication channels are the transmission of administrative and accounting information, thus creating stability in the organization. As part of the vertical links solved the problem of power and influence, ie, implemented "vertical load" operation. Usually growth of the organization accompanied by the growth of vertical links, so that the number of these connections can be judged on the size of the organization. Modern large industrial organization with hundreds of thousands of employees can be from 7 to 12 vertical levels. The vertical connections are the only type of relations in the framework of linear departamentizatsii. They play an important role in the functional food and departamentizatsii but complemented with horizontal links.

Using the vertical links as information channels for making a decision becomes ineffective when information used for decision, forced to go through several levels of the organizational hierarchy, located far from each other. This creates a risk of distortion ( "broken telephone effect"), slows down the entire communication process and requires significant costs.

Horizontal communication - a connection between two or more equal in the situation or status ierarahii parts or members of the organization. Their main purpose - to promote the most effective interaction of parts of the organization in solving problems arising between them. They help to strengthen the vertical linkages and make the entire organization more stable under various external and internal changes. Horizontal communication create a number of important advantages. They save time and improve the quality of interaction. Horizontal communication y develop independence leaders, initiative and motivation, weaken the fear of risk. Unlike vertical, horizontal links except departamentizatsii matrix usually not formalized during the design organization. It is difficult to find a job description or duties which would have been recorded, when and how to implement due to the equal status of the organization. Therefore, a special interest is the analysis of the practice and study of methods to establish such links. In the case where the horizontal links installed on an informal basis higher head, they usually bind to the time for the event or to humans. For example, during the meeting the director may propose the heads of departments in place to resolve issues installing new equipment. Or the head of the organization may authorize the head of the department of labor and wages, and the chief of the personnel department to independently decide on the establishment of salaries for employees, because he trusts them. But as soon as one of them will leave his post for some reason, the head is likely to return this right itself back and will use it as long as the new boss does not deserve his trust. Basically, these 'cases, the method used to establish direct contact between those who have the attitude to the problem.

Along with informal methods there are a number of ways of formalizing the horizontal relations. In some cases, to enhance horizontal cooperation mechanism for the special person appointed to carry out bilateral contacts between parts of the organization. It may be deputy, supervising a group of units of the same level, or the coordinators - software project managers, aimed at obtaining a specific result or product. In this case, and both of them are right, in excess of the level of rights vested units entered into the horizontal interaction. But they are not vested with administrative powers of line managers.

Another group of methods of establishing horizontal relations is the creation of task forces and teams consisting of representatives from different parts of the organization and intended to solve the problems at the junction of divisions or problems. Target groups are most often on the time, and the team - on a permanent basis. The most complete development of horizontal relationships get within a matrix departamentizatsii when creating a formal system of dual subordination.

Another pair of ties established in the organization, are linear and functional connections. Distributed by the idea that linear relationships - those that are associated with the production and functionality - with the subsidiary in relation to the production functions. However, it is not so. Line Communications - a relationship in which the chief realizes the power of law and carries out direct management of subordinates, ie, these bonds are in the organizational hierarchy from top to bottom and act as a rule, in the form of orders, instructions, commands, instructions, etc. The nature of functional relationships (or more often called-scale) - advisory and implemented through these links information support coordination.

Functional links are in the organizational hierarchy from the bottom up and are in the form of advice, recommendation, alternative solutions, etc. (Fig. 7.14).

Linear and functional relationships in the organization

Fig. 7.14. Linear and functional relationships in the organization

The fact that those and other communications are provided by certain entities in the organization, generates a representation that the individual units have more to do with any one type of relationships in the real practical work that perception often carries the name of the units. Relationships considered relations with certain aspects of the organization is shown in the Table. 7.1.

Table 7.1

The ratio of linear and functional connections with certain aspects of the organization of activity

 

line communications

Functional communication

Division associated with connections

Purchasing Sales Sales

R & D Personnel Finance Accounting

Problems to be Solved by ties

Achieving organizational goals

Support and assist the management in achieving organizational goals

embodiments of the links

Orders, instructions, disposal, assignment, etc.

Council recommendation information for the decision, an alternative solution, etc.

The basis of rights sold in connection

Hierarchical authority

know-how Power

Functional communication should be distinguished from functional rights. The last - this is the power that the individual or department may have as a result of the nature of their work. For example it is common, when in the shop engineering plant operates setters or scorekeeper, formally part of the department of labor and wages, but realizing at the place of work (shop) delegated his department functional right - to conduct various kinds of operational accounting. At the head of this department and the accounting clerk in contrast to the industrial workers having no direct and indirect links. The latter do not limit the actions of the head of the line, and improve their quality, compensating for his lack of knowledge of the details in the functional areas. Qualified expertise is made by those who on a specially allocated time. In general, accelerated decision-making.

Indirect communication is usually limited to a response to the question "how", and sometimes - the question of "when" and the least - in the "where" questions or "who". Such an approach constrains the dangerous trend that occurs when expanding the range of issues covered by the functional right. This observation can be attributed, for example, the activities of the Chief Accountant, Head of Quality Department, military representatives, often trying to "replace" the head of the organization (Fig. 7.15).

Improving the efficiency of indirect connections depends on understanding the nature of the relations arising in the implementation of functional rights. To succeed in this case results in a mutual exchange of information between "line" and "function" and alignment purposes on either side.

Direct and indirect communication in the organization

Fig. 7.15. Direct and indirect communication in the organization

When designing the organization is particularly important analysis of another pair of contacts - both formal and informal. The terms "formal" and "informal" appeared in the management literature known Houtornskogo after the description of the experiment.

Formal communication - a communication coordination, adjustable fixed or approved in the organization's goals, policies and procedures. It is believed that the regulatory rules are established and accepted if their basis:

• Members of the organization can interact with each other;

• Members of the organization are willing to do what they do;

• goal brings people together.

In practice, formal links are the basis of approved organizations in job descriptions, especially in the description of the nature of the relationship between the various positions. These relationships, for example, the relationship between the plant manager and head of production, regardless of who holds these positions. Formal communication is completely legalize only the first of the above conditions, and the other two conditions - partly. These links are given character. Therefore designed organization is a "set" of formal relations or links between the "inanimate" cell organization.

Informal communications occur when formal ties do not fulfill their role, either do not serve the interests of the employee, or - the interests of the organization. The basis of informal relations are not relations between the established posts, and between specific individuals, ie, It is not a relationship between any director or any head of production, and the relationship between a specific person occupying the post of director, and the particular person is the head of department. Informal communication is always there, as it is almost impossible to fit the job description of all the nuances of real life, in all their wealth and all their contradictions. Real people, wanting to do things a little differently, can build their relationship is not as prescribed.

The emergence of informal networks of individuals is a personal protective reaction to inadequate organization to adapt to changes in the external and internal environment. Due to the development in the organization of informal networks in a hierarchical chain of command for the implementation of the rights and power of information support may be a change of position.

Informal communication is the basis of formation of informal groups, the emergence of opinion leaders and the creation of "parallel" informal organization. With a significant discrepancy between the recorded in the relevant documents of the formal organization and actually existing informal leader, depending on the level of effectiveness of this or other organization must either weaken (or even eliminate) the informal networks, or if they are more efficient, organizationally legalized by making them part of a new formal organization. This process is called formalization of the organization.