Organizational+Structure+and+Change+and+Technology

=**Organizational Structure and Change in Technology**= toc

Organizational Structure (Isuru Wick)
1. Definition of Organizational Structure Organizational structure is a system used to define a hierarchy within an organization. It identifies each job, its function and where it reports to within the organization. This structure is to establish how an organization operates and assists an organization in obtaining its goals to allow for future growth. The structure is illustrated using an organizational chart

2. Organizational Structure Businesses require structure to grow and be profitable. Designing an organization structure helps top management identify talent that needs to be added to the company. Planning the structure ensures there are enough human resources within the company to accomplish the goals set forth in the company’s annual plan. It is also important that responsibilities are clearly defined. Each person has a job description that outlines duties, and each job occupies its own position on the company organization chart.
 * Why is Organizational Structure important?
 * Organizational Structure in Modern Business

Technology & Organizational Structure (Isuru Wick)
** 1. The Evolution of Information Technology in an Organization ** Information technology (IT) has become a vital and integral part of every business plan. From multi-national corporations who maintain mainframe systems and databases to small businesses that own a single computer, IT plays a role. The reasons for the omnipresent use of computer technology in business can best be determined by looking at how it is being used across the business world.

For many companies, email is the principal means of communication between employees, suppliers and customers. Email was one of the early drivers of the Internet, providing a simple and inexpensive means to communicate. Over the years, a number of other communications tools have also evolved, allowing staff to communicate using live chat systems, online meeting tools and video-conferencing systems. Voice over internet protocol (VOIP) telephones and smart-phones offer even more high-tech ways for employees to communicate. When it comes to managing inventory, organizations need to maintain enough stock to meet demand without investing in more than they require. Inventory management systems track the quantity of each item a company maintains, triggering an order of additional stock when the quantities fall below a pre-determined amount. These systems are best used when the inventory management system is connected to the point-of-sale (POS) system. The POS system ensures that each time an item is sold, one of that item is removed from the inventory count, creating a closed information loop between all departments. The days of large file rooms, rows of filing cabinets and the mailing of documents is fading fast. Today, most companies store digital versions of documents on servers and storage devices. These documents become instantly available to everyone in the company, regardless of their geographical location. Companies are able to store and maintain a tremendous amount of historical data economically, and employees benefit from immediate access to the documents they need. Storing data is only a benefit if that data can be used effectively. The information can be used to track profitability over time, maximize return on investment and identify areas of improvement. Managers can track sales on a daily basis, allowing them to immediately react to lower-than-expected numbers by boosting employee productivity or reducing the cost of an item. Companies are using IT to improve the way they design and manage customer relationships. If a customer calls a call center with an issue, the customer support representative will be able to see what the customer has purchased, view shipping information, call up the training manual for that item and effectively respond to the issue. The entire interaction is stored in the system, ready to be recalled if the customer calls again. The customer has a better, more focused experience and the company benefits from improved productivity.
 * Communication **
 * Inventory Management **
 * Data Management **
 * Management Information Systems **
 * Customer Relationship Management **

**Standard Chartered Bank Example** The following video shows how Standard Chartered Bank, a multi-national bank, adopted to the newest technology. By using iPad and iPhone they were able to forge new customer connections and strengthen existing bonds. media type="youtube" key="F1-NjdTm4xY" height="315" width="560" align="center"

1a*

**2. The Drawbacks of Technology in Organizational Structure (Isuru Wick)**

Although the role of information technology is vital to the organization, there are some drawbacks attached to it.

*The Learning Curve - The staff will have to spend extra time adapting to the new system. The employees will have to attend workshops/ training sessions to learn about the new technology. The initial perception may be that the system has made things worse, not better.

*The Costs - Although it may save money in the long run, the initial cost to implementing technological infrastructure could be immensely high. The company has to take risks and plan carefully.

*The Vulnerability - The failures of equipments/ technology, breach of personal/organization security are at stake. Any of these can completely bring down a company.

*The Misuse of technology - The misuse of email, personal data, and company information are at stake.

*Access/Ethics - Questions rise when it comes to granting access to the system for the employees. Granting less access to the system hinders the transactions of the business as employees have to waste time accessing permission to the system. Flip side, granting too much access can let the employees personal breach security/data etc.

IT infrastructure could make a company as well as it could break a company. It's the CEO's and managers who are responsible to implement a suitable infrastructure according to the organization.

Information Technology & Work Place Organization(Daniel Croll)
The four basic principles of Information Technology are Data, Information, Knowledge, and Wisdom. Either passively or actively, IT incorporates these principles in its daily functions. >> measure data. Data is the raw numerical and textual "stuff" that everyone can see. >> digital forms to store it for future use.
 * 1. What does Technology do in an Organization?**
 * Information Capture and Storage
 * Technology is used to gather, collect, monitor, detect and
 * Technology converts the numerical and textual information into binary,
 * Information Manipulation
 * Technology can take the raw data and manipulate it into an ordered form so that all the data corresponds to an identical idea. The data has now become information. After data is organized into information it is then transformed into knowledge. This means that the information is usable for the current "project" a person is working on. After knowledge is obtained, an organization can use this knowledge to obtain wisdom, or a better understanding of the information though analysis and testing.
 * Information Distribution
 * Computer monitors, e-mails, and printers are just a few ways that you can distribute information using technology.

Technology centralization can bring with it significant cost reductions by the elimination of redundant systems and in worker efficiency. When using technology to centralize, it is crucial to have some decentralization. This decentralization will give employees some control over the setting of technology priorities and budgets.
 * 2.Technology's Role in Centralization**

Technology has allowed organization to formalize policies, procedures, job descriptions, and rules that are plainly stated and make them easily accessible because of technology. Because of the internet and other software, employees have easy access to all an organization's resources without having to have a sit-down meeting with the HR department.
 * 3. Technology's Role in Formalization**

In the past, hierarchical organizations were popular because they could ensure command and control of the organization. However with the advent of globalization and widespread use of technology, in the 1990’s tall hierarchical organizations began to downsize and reduce their workforce. Technology was able to carry out many of the functions previously carried out by humans.
 * 4. Technology's Role in Hierarchical Levels**

**5. Departmentalization** Technology is the link between different departments in an organization. Technology has enabled different departments, even if they are in different cities or countries, to be able to communicate more easily and effectively. Because of this heavy involvement in interdepartmental communication, information technology has become the second largest department in most organizations because of its importance in how an organization functions on a daily basis.

Parts of the Organization Affected by Technology(Daniel Croll)
Everything in an organization is affected by technology, from the time sheets to the presentations, as well as daily communication and day-to-day operations. media type="youtube" key="WNBD5CcYmso" height="315" width="560" align="center"

2a*

How Technology can be Used to Improve Organizational Structure(Daniel Croll)
Advanced technologies can be embedded into the work place to improve organizational structure. An example can be seen in the following video. media type="youtube" key="4zEn2_eM6gQ" height="315" width="560" align="center" The following technology blog also highlights suggestions for using technology effectively in the workplace: http://racklcdmounts.wordpress.com/

===** Suggestions to Managers on How to Implement New Technology (Daniel Croll) Implementing new technology is not as simple as tearing out the old system and putting in the new. The key to successful implantation is people. It all starts by hiring people that an organization believes or knows agree with the organization's culture, and has the particular technical or functional expertise the new technology would require. This is important because having everyone on board with change helps ease the transition and allow the organization to optimize resources. The organization should allow employee interaction and creativity. By encouraging interactions between all departments in the development process, you allow for better ideas and better communication during implantation of a new technology. When an organization allows employees to feel that they played a part in this major change, it enables a company to implement new technology easier. "When a technology project fails, it fails not because of the technology, but because the [organization] and the technology don't match the company's culture."

It is not a suggestion, but more of a fact that organizations can no longer function without some sort of technology. How an organization operates is a reflection of what type, and how it uses technology. The only suggestion that could be given is that if an organization wants to compete in the global world and stay up to date with new trends in any industry, the organization must embrace the ever-changing landscape of technology. They must utilize technology on a daily basis and have employees that can fully optimize these technological resources.

** Conclusion(Daniel Croll) **
** The Effect of Technology on Organizational Structure in the Long Run ** Technology has helped to decentralize and optimize organization into globel entities. Technology can only improve an organization so much, because if an organization relies on technology and not man power they may make a human employee obsolete. This is most evident in how technology is changing hierarchy levels. It is this author's opinion that if we rely on technology too much we will hit a peak, and become just like the humans in the Disney movie WALL-E. media type="youtube" key="RgMmbAWF6bY" height="315" width="420"

Another example of technology being counterproductive can be found in 2001 A Space Odyssey. A clip can be viewed at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kkyUMmNl4hk&feature=related (37 seconds in)

1a*^ Apple - iPad in Business - Profiles - Standard Chartered. Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F1-NjdTm4xY

2a*^ GE Reinventing mobility. Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WNBD5CcYmso&feature=player_embedded