Job Design and Task Management in Organizations

Organization Needs to Identify Tasks

• Organizations need to identify all tasks required to complete work effectively.
• Some tasks may be outsourced, others handled internally.
• Tasks need to be assigned to individuals with relevant skills and experience.
• Skills required for tasks are commonly identified across organizations.
• Skills can be acquired through training programs, trade schools/colleges, or apprenticeships.

Job Design Considerations

• Jobs should be designed to be reasonable for individuals to complete effectively and efficiently.
• Early industrialization focused on simplifying tasks for efficiency, potentially leading to monotonous work.
• Job Design aims to balance effectiveness and a meaningful experience for the worker.

Job Characteristics Model

• Skill Variety: Extent to which a job utilizes different skills and abilities.
• Task Identity: Extent to which a worker completes a whole task.
• Task Significance: Extent of impact a job has on others' lives.
• Autonomy: Worker's freedom in scheduling and performing tasks.
• Feedback: Worker receives clear information on performance.
• Contingency factors (preconditions) are crucial for the model to be predictive.

Organization Structure and Work Groups

• Organizational Structures group jobs into work groups.
• Work groups facilitate collaboration and accountability.
• Functional Structure: Groups jobs with similar skills into one group.
• Divisional Structure: Groups jobs based on products, customers, or geography.
• Matrix Structure: Groups jobs by function and division.

Span of Control and Hierarchy

• Span of control: Number of direct reports assigned to a manager.
• The trend is toward broader spans of control.
• Hierarchy: Number of managerial levels.
• Trend is toward flatter organizational structures.

Organization Culture

• Organization culture includes shared norms, beliefs, values, and attitudes.
• Culture influences employee behavior (ideally aligning with core values).
• Strong culture: Shared norms, beliefs, values, and attitudes.
• Weak culture: Lack of uniformity in key cultural aspects.

Dimensions of Organization Culture (BCG Model)

• Structured vs. Flexible: How processes and behaviors are defined.
• Controlling vs. Delegating: Decision-making concentration.
• Cautious vs. Risk-Permitting: Risk-taking culture.
• Thinking vs. Doing: Focus on idea development or execution.
• Diplomatic vs. Direct: Transparency in communication.
• Individualistic vs. Collaborative: Focus on individual vs. group performance.
• Internal vs. External: Focus on internal processes or external customers.

Changing Organization Culture

• Changing an organization's culture involves identifying a target culture and employing levers.
• 7 dimensions of culture are identified for this process.
• Seven Critical Levers for changing Organizational Culture are mentioned.

Agile Organization Model

• Agile organizations are dynamic and adaptable.
• Agile organizations use empowered teams, rapid decision-making, emphasis on continuous learning, and technology to facilitate agility.
• The model prioritizes team success over individual success.
• Key elements include clear goals, empowered teams, quick decision-making cycles, and dynamic people.