2.5.3

Tall & Flat Organisations

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Tall vs Flat Organisational Structures

As well as being centralised or decentralised, organisational structures can also be classified as tall or flat.

Tall organisational structures

Tall organisational structures

A tall organisational structure is a hierarchy with a long chain of command (lots of layers) in the organisation.
Usually each manager has a smaller span of control (is responsible for a smaller number of employees), but lots of people are managers.

Flat organisational structures

Flat organisational structures

A flat organisational structure means the opposite. There are less layers in the organisational hierarchy.
This means that managers have a larger span of control (manage or are responsible for more employees).

The Impact of Organisational Structure on Managing

Organisational structure has implications for how an organisation is managed.

Number of employees monitored

Number of employees monitored

Having a flat organisational structure normally means that each manager is responsible for more employees. This can make it harder for a manager to monitor each employee really closely.

Communication

Communication

If communication has to go through lots of layers, then it will be slower. This can make it hard to make changes or pass on a message.
In a flat organisational structure it can be easier for directors to make changes happen faster. Employees low down the hierarchy can communicate problems more quickly.
However, if the span of control is too wide then it can negatively affect communication because it is harder for managers to communicate with all the people they are responsible for.

Chain of command length

Chain of command length

Having a flatter organisational structure may mean managing more people but it creates a shorter chain of command, making communication between layers easier.

1

Business Activity & Influences on Business

1.1

Business Objectives

1.1.1Business Aims 1.1.2Business Objectives 1.1.3Business Objectives Change Over Time 1.1.4End of Topic Test - Business Aims 1.1.5Diagnostic Misconceptions - Profit

1.2

Types of Organisations

1.2.1Sole Traders & Partnerships 1.2.2Limited Companies 1.2.3Limited Liability 1.2.4Unlimited vs Limited Liability 1.2.5Not For Profit & Franchises 1.2.6Multinational Companies 1.2.7End of Topic Test - Business Ownership 1.2.8Application Questions - Business Ownership 1.2.9Diagnostic Misconceptions - Company vs Business 1.2.10Diagnostic Misconceptions - Owners vs Shareholders

1.3

Classification of Businesses

1.4

Decisions on Location

1.5

Business & the International Economy

1.5.1Globalisation 1.5.2Exchange Rates

1.6

Government Objectives & Policy

1.6.1Government Objectives 1.6.2The Government & Business Activity 1.6.3Interest Rates 1.6.4Interest Rates - Calculations 1.6.5Diagnostic Misconceptions - Recessions

1.7

External Factors

1.7.1External Factors

1.8

What Makes a Business Successful?

1.8.1Measuring Success 1.8.2Reasons for Failure

2

People in Business

2.1

Internal & External Communication

2.1.1Communication

2.2

Recruitment & Selection Process

2.2.1Types of Employment 2.2.2Recruitment Stages 2.2.3Effective Recruitment 2.2.4Legal Controls Over Employment 2.2.5Diagnostic Misconceptions - Internal Recruitment

2.3

Training

2.4

Motivation & Rewards

2.4.1Motivation in the Workplace 2.4.2Financial & Non-Financial Methods 2.4.3End of Topic Test - The Workforce 2.4.4Application Questions - The Workforce 2.4.5Diagnostic Misconceptions - Money

2.5

Organisation Structures

2.5.1Organisational Structures 2.5.2Centralised vs. Decentralised Structures 2.5.3Tall & Flat Organisations 2.5.4Functional Areas Within a Business 2.5.5End of Topic Test - Org Structure

3

Business Finance

3.1

Sources of Finance

3.1.1Internal & External Sources of Finance 3.1.2Factors Affecting Sources of Finance

3.2

Cash Flow Forecasting

3.2.1Cash Flow 3.2.2Consequences of Cash Flow Problems 3.2.3Cash Flow - Calculations 3.2.4Solutions to Cash Flow Problems 3.2.5Diagnostic Misconceptions - Cash Flow

3.3

Cost & Break-Even Analysis

3.3.1Costs, Revenue & Profit 3.3.2Profit, Average Unit Cost & Interest 3.3.3Costs - Calculations 3.3.4Revenue - Calculations 3.3.5Break-Even Analysis 3.3.6Profit & Losses - Calculations 3.3.7End of Topic Test - Finance 3.3.8Grade 9 - Finance 3.3.9Diagnostic Misconceptions - Fixed Costs 3.3.10Diagnostic Misconceptions - Break-even

3.4

Financial Documents

3.4.1Financial Statements 3.4.2Income Statement 3.4.3Understanding Business Performance

3.5

Account Analysis

3.5.1Business Calculations 3.5.2Gross Profit - Calculations 3.5.3Net Profit - Calculations 3.5.4Business Calculations 2 3.5.5Business Calculations 3 3.5.6Liquidity

4

Marketing

4.1

Market Research

4.1.1Market Research 4.1.2Forms of Market Research

4.2

The Market

4.2.1Customer Needs 4.2.2Satisfying Customer Needs 4.2.3Market 4.2.4The Competitive Environment 4.2.5Market Segmentation 4.2.6Market Mapping - Price vs Quality 4.2.7End of Topic Test - Marketing 4.2.8Application Questions - Marketing 4.2.9Diagnostic Misconceptions - Competition

4.3

The Marketing Mix

5

Business Operations

5.1

Economies & Diseconomies of Scale

5.1.1Economies of Scale 5.1.2Diagnostic Misconceptions - Economies of Scale

5.2

Production

5.2.1Production Processes 5.2.2Flow and Batch Production 5.2.3Production Efficiency 5.2.4Technology & Production 5.2.5Diagnostic Misconceptions - JIT vs JIC

5.3

Factors of Production

5.3.1Factors of Production

5.4

Quality

5.4.1Importance of Quality 5.4.2Identifying Quality 5.4.3Total Quality Management 5.4.4End of Topic Test - Operational Decisions

Jump to other topics

1

Business Activity & Influences on Business

1.1

Business Objectives

1.1.1Business Aims 1.1.2Business Objectives 1.1.3Business Objectives Change Over Time 1.1.4End of Topic Test - Business Aims 1.1.5Diagnostic Misconceptions - Profit

1.2

Types of Organisations

1.2.1Sole Traders & Partnerships 1.2.2Limited Companies 1.2.3Limited Liability 1.2.4Unlimited vs Limited Liability 1.2.5Not For Profit & Franchises 1.2.6Multinational Companies 1.2.7End of Topic Test - Business Ownership 1.2.8Application Questions - Business Ownership 1.2.9Diagnostic Misconceptions - Company vs Business 1.2.10Diagnostic Misconceptions - Owners vs Shareholders

1.3

Classification of Businesses

1.4

Decisions on Location

1.5

Business & the International Economy

1.5.1Globalisation 1.5.2Exchange Rates

1.6

Government Objectives & Policy

1.6.1Government Objectives 1.6.2The Government & Business Activity 1.6.3Interest Rates 1.6.4Interest Rates - Calculations 1.6.5Diagnostic Misconceptions - Recessions

1.7

External Factors

1.7.1External Factors

1.8

What Makes a Business Successful?

1.8.1Measuring Success 1.8.2Reasons for Failure

2

People in Business

2.1

Internal & External Communication

2.1.1Communication

2.2

Recruitment & Selection Process

2.2.1Types of Employment 2.2.2Recruitment Stages 2.2.3Effective Recruitment 2.2.4Legal Controls Over Employment 2.2.5Diagnostic Misconceptions - Internal Recruitment

2.3

Training

2.4

Motivation & Rewards

2.4.1Motivation in the Workplace 2.4.2Financial & Non-Financial Methods 2.4.3End of Topic Test - The Workforce 2.4.4Application Questions - The Workforce 2.4.5Diagnostic Misconceptions - Money

2.5

Organisation Structures

2.5.1Organisational Structures 2.5.2Centralised vs. Decentralised Structures 2.5.3Tall & Flat Organisations 2.5.4Functional Areas Within a Business 2.5.5End of Topic Test - Org Structure

3

Business Finance

3.1

Sources of Finance

3.1.1Internal & External Sources of Finance 3.1.2Factors Affecting Sources of Finance

3.2

Cash Flow Forecasting

3.2.1Cash Flow 3.2.2Consequences of Cash Flow Problems 3.2.3Cash Flow - Calculations 3.2.4Solutions to Cash Flow Problems 3.2.5Diagnostic Misconceptions - Cash Flow

3.3

Cost & Break-Even Analysis

3.3.1Costs, Revenue & Profit 3.3.2Profit, Average Unit Cost & Interest 3.3.3Costs - Calculations 3.3.4Revenue - Calculations 3.3.5Break-Even Analysis 3.3.6Profit & Losses - Calculations 3.3.7End of Topic Test - Finance 3.3.8Grade 9 - Finance 3.3.9Diagnostic Misconceptions - Fixed Costs 3.3.10Diagnostic Misconceptions - Break-even

3.4

Financial Documents

3.4.1Financial Statements 3.4.2Income Statement 3.4.3Understanding Business Performance

3.5

Account Analysis

3.5.1Business Calculations 3.5.2Gross Profit - Calculations 3.5.3Net Profit - Calculations 3.5.4Business Calculations 2 3.5.5Business Calculations 3 3.5.6Liquidity

4

Marketing

4.1

Market Research

4.1.1Market Research 4.1.2Forms of Market Research

4.2

The Market

4.2.1Customer Needs 4.2.2Satisfying Customer Needs 4.2.3Market 4.2.4The Competitive Environment 4.2.5Market Segmentation 4.2.6Market Mapping - Price vs Quality 4.2.7End of Topic Test - Marketing 4.2.8Application Questions - Marketing 4.2.9Diagnostic Misconceptions - Competition

4.3

The Marketing Mix

5

Business Operations

5.1

Economies & Diseconomies of Scale

5.1.1Economies of Scale 5.1.2Diagnostic Misconceptions - Economies of Scale

5.2

Production

5.2.1Production Processes 5.2.2Flow and Batch Production 5.2.3Production Efficiency 5.2.4Technology & Production 5.2.5Diagnostic Misconceptions - JIT vs JIC

5.3

Factors of Production

5.3.1Factors of Production

5.4

Quality

5.4.1Importance of Quality 5.4.2Identifying Quality 5.4.3Total Quality Management 5.4.4End of Topic Test - Operational Decisions

Practice questions on Tall & Flat Organisations

Can you answer these? Test yourself with free interactive practice on Seneca — used by over 10 million students.

1
Features of tall organisational structures:True / false
2
Features of flat organisational structures:Fill in the list
3
Effects of tall organisational structures on managing:True / false
4
How does the number of layers of organisation affect communication?Multiple choice
5
Which factors affect how an organisation is managed?Fill in the list

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Centralised vs. Decentralised Structures

Functional Areas Within a Business