a multinational organization-google

The organizational framework is a set of tacit and formal laws, institutions, and regulations placed in place to ensure that different tasks, duties, and functions within an entity are properly assigned. Organization structure is implemented to reduce complexity in an organization by ensuring that roles are well organized and that every person understands his or her position (De Vries, and Van der Poll, 2016). Google is a multinational corporation based in the United States. The group has been listed as one of the world’s best and most technologically advanced companies. centered on its advances in research and high-quality service delivery; Google is one of the richest firms in American, it is a member the fortune 500 companies in America, Google is also one of the biggest firms in the world with a net worth of $498bn. The company’s main line of product online supports such as cloud computing; the company offers software and hardware, online search, and online advertisement. The company has been recognized for its unique organizational structure and has held most of its success to the implementation of a well-coordinated organizational structure.

Google’s Organizational Structure

Google operates a cross-functional organizational structure with a little of infused flatness. Hence, Google’s organizational structure is combination of three primary features, product based definition, functions based definition and flatness. The company uses its function-based definition as a means of grouping employees into their respective functions, prominent among the functional classification at Google, are sale operation team, product management team and engineering and design team. The firm as uses the product based definition also as a medium for grouping employees. Google does this effectively by employing specific people to handle specific product line, For example, the company has a group of employees who are developing its fiber business, and it has other group developing its Nexus device and etcetera. The last structure configuration at Google is the adoption of flatness. The flatness is unique in the sense that Google’s employees can by-pass their team leaders, group leaders, middle management, and place a report to the directly to the CEO. The firm allows its members to meet and share information across teams, (Smithson 2017)

The effectiveness of Google’s organizational structure

There is need to clearly stress that the organizational structure at Google has been very effective, the company is a unique structured organization in the world of ICT. However, it has also been very successful in terms financial and technological advancements. The company’s product based definition ensure the effective condition of all its products and service and directly links an employee to each product function hence minimizing forms of ambiguity. The company‘s functions based definition ensures that all employees are well coordinated regarding their functions. Every employee at Google knows the functions that the company requires from him or her, and hence they can deliver such functions without delay or any form of ambiguity. Perhaps the most interesting and most effective aspect of the company’s organizational structure is the practice of flatness. Flatness is a form of openness practice that allows every employee at Google to have direct access to the CEO. Hence they are allowed to bring on board new ideas directly to the CEO. This practice has been considered as one of the reasons why Google is one of the most innovative firms in the world.

Areas of improvement

There is need to start by stating that no matter how good a process seems it can still be improved upon. Therefore the Google organizational structure can be improved upon in specific areas. The improvement of the organizational structure at Google will result in better coordination of activities and increased profitability. There is need to increase the level of interaction between employees at team groups, and management level. This form of interaction will ensure that each organization member can bring his or her idea on board and such idea will be considered as a team and therefore such ideas will be presented the top management as a team idea rather than an individual idea. The practice of interaction will ensure that every member of the Google Company feels important. Such feeling of importance will translate to increased cohesiveness among employees and result in better coordination, which in turn will aid firm’s profitability.

Conclusion

Organizational structure can be considered as a system that consists of rules institutions and policies put in place to ensure that various work responsibilities and roles within an organization are well delegated. This study points out that Google operates one of the most efficient and unique organizational structure in the world. The company has also recorded tremendous success regarding the coordination of internal affairs which has led to its heights of success. However, the study recommends that Google can improve the effectiveness of its organizational structure by encouraging an increased level of international between its employees. Interaction will enable its employees to work more efficiently together as a team.

Reference

De Vries, H., & Van der Poll, H. M. (2016). The influence of Lean thinking on organisational

structure and behaviour in the discrete manufacturing industry. Journal of Contemporary Management, 13(1), 55-89..

Smithson N. Google’s Organizational Structure & Organizational Culture. panmore. 2017.

Available at: http://panmore.com/google-organizational-structure-organizational-culture. Accessed May 19, 2017.