By organizing we understand that it is to establish or reform something, subjecting the number, order, harmony and dependence of its parts to rules.
Organizations are complex entities that require a hierarchical order that specifies the function that each one must perform in the company.
For this reason, its functionality relies on the proper structuring of the organization chart, which indicates the line of authority and responsibility, as well as the communication and supervision channels that link the various parts of an organizational component.
For this reason, various topics that refer to the organization chart and its function in the organization of a company will be specified in this work, which will allow knowing the correct elaboration of the same, for later occasions.
Organization Charts
The organization chart can be described as an instrument used by the administrative sciences for theoretical analysis and practical action.
On his concept, there are different opinions, but all very coincident. These definitions start from Henri Fayol's conceptions. For example, an author defines the organization chart as follows:
"An organization chart is a summary table that indicates the important aspects of an organization structure, including the main functions and their relationships, the supervisory channels and the relative authority of each employee in charge of their respective function."
Another author presents his concept in this way:
"The organization chart constitutes the expression, in the form of a document, of the structure of an organization, showing the coupling between the various component parts."
When analyzing these definitions we observe that each one of them preserves the essence of it, and they only differ in their form and in their specification.
An author considers that organizational charts are useful organizational tools and reveal to us:
“The division of functions, the hierarchical levels, the lines of authority and responsibility, the formal channels of communication, the linear nature or advice of the department, the heads of each group of employees, workers, among others; and the relationships that exist between the various positions of the company in each department or section of the same. "
According to the flowchart concept, this shows:
- - An element (figures) - The structure of the organization - The most important aspects of the organization - The functions - The relations between the structural units - The positions of greater and even those of less importance - The communications and their routes - The routes of supervision - The hierarchical levels and strata - The levels of authority and their relativity within the organization - The units of special category.
The organization chart has greater scope and other purposes, for example, for public relations, for personnel training, inspection and inspection of the organization, evaluation of the structure, reorganization, evaluation of positions, among others.
Purpose of the Organization Chart
An organization chart has various functions and purposes. An author states the following:
- It represents the different units that make up the company with their respective hierarchical levels. It reflects the different types of work, specialized or not, that are carried out in the company, duly assigned by area of responsibility or function. It shows a representation of the division of labor, indicating: The existing positions in the company. As these positions are grouped into administrative units. As the authority is assigned to them.
Organization Chart Functions
- For the science of management:
It serves as assistance and guidance for all administrative units of the company by reflecting the organizational structure and its graphic characteristics and updates.
- For the organization and system area:
It serves to reflect the structure as well as ensure its permanent review and updating (in small and medium-sized companies, the personnel unit generally assumes this function), which is made known to the entire company through the organization manuals.
- For the personnel administration area:
The personnel analyst requires this instrument for job description and analysis studies, salary and salary administration plans and in general as a support element for the implementation, monitoring and updating of all personnel systems.
And in general it serves to:
- Discover and eliminate organizational flaws or failures Communicate the organizational structure Reflect organizational changes
Advantages of the Organization Chart
The use of organization charts offers several distinct advantages, among which the following stand out:
- Forces its authors to clarify their ideas (Leener, 1959) The general structure and working relationships in the company can be seen at a glance, better than could be done by means of a long description (Leener op. Cit) It shows who depends Whose (Leener op. cit) Indicates some of the important peculiarities of the structure of a company, its strengths and weaknesses (Leener op. cit) It serves as a history of changes, teaching tools and means of information to the public about the company's working relationships (Leener op. cit) are appropriate to make the principles of the organization work (Melinkoff, 1990) Tell managers and new staff how they integrate into the organization (Melinkoff op. cit)
Disadvantages of the Organization Chart
Notwithstanding the multiple advantages offered by the use of organization charts, when using them, their main defects should not be overlooked, which are:
- They show only the formal relationships of authority leaving out many significant informal relationships and information relationships. They do not indicate the degree of authority available at different levels, although it would be possible to construct it with lines of different intensities to indicate different degrees of authority, this in you cannot really undergo this form of measurement. Furthermore, if the different lines indicating informal relationships and information channels were drawn, the organization chart would become so complex that it would lose its usefulness. They often indicate the organization as it should be or as it was, rather as it really is. Some administrators neglect to update them, forgetting that the organization is dynamic and allow organization charts to become obsolete.It can cause staff to confuse authority relationships with status.
Flowchart Content
An organization chart may contain various data, but according to the criteria of an author, these are its main contents:
- Titles of condensed description of the activities. This generally includes the name of the company and the activity that is defined. Name of the official who formulated the letters. Date of formulation. Approval (of the president, executive vice president, organizing council, etc.). Legend (explanation of lines and symbols specials)
Conventional symbols and references most commonly used in an organization chart
1) Lines filled without interruptions: are those that indicate formal authority, line or command relationship, communication and hierarchical path.
Full vertical lines indicate authority over. Horizontals mean specialization and correlation.
When the full line falls on the middle part and above the box it indicates command.
When the filled line is placed on the sides of the geometric figure, it indicates a supporting relationship.
2) Dotted or discontinuous lines: are those that indicate coordination relationship and functional relationships.
3) Geometric figure with a box indicates special or autonomous condition.
4) A unit can be highlighted to attract attention. For this, a half box is used, quite colored, for each unit to be highlighted.
5) Zigzag lines at the end and an arrow indicate continuation of the structure.
6) The circles placed in special spaces of the organization chart and that have a number inside, indicate a committee in which all the units indicated with the same number participate.
C lases flowcharts
According to the way they show the structure they are:
a) Analytical: provide detailed information. They are intended for the use of the directors, experts and staff of the general staff.
b) General: this type of organization is limited to the most important units. They are called general for being the most common.
c) Supplementary: they are used to show a unit of the structure in analytical or more detailed form. They are a complement to the analytical.
Depending on the shape and geometric arrangement of the organization charts, these can be:
a) Vertical (classic type): it easily represents a hierarchical pyramid, since the units move, according to their hierarchy, from top to bottom in a descending hierarchical graduation.
b) Horizontal (From left to right): They are a form of the vertical organization chart, because they represent the structures with a distribution from left to right. In this type of organization chart the names of the figures are placed in the drawing without boxes, although the geometric figures can also be placed.
c) Scalar Organization Chart: This type of organization does not use boxes for the names of the units of the structure, but lines above which the names are placed. When a line runs vertically from a horizontal line, it shows the authority of the latter.
d) Circular or concentric organization chart: Hierarchical levels are shown by concentric circles in an inside-out distribution. This type of organization chart is recommended by the practice of human relations, to dispel the image of subordination that vertical organization charts translate.
The hierarchy
The hierarchy when individualized could be defined as the status or rank that a worker possesses within a company, thus the individual who performs as manager undoubtedly enjoys a respectable status within it, but the difference of this individual in his position will also condition their higher or lower hierarchy within a company.
The hierarchy when used as an instrument to execute authority has a greater formality and is known as the structural hierarchy of the organization. This type of hierarchy not only depends on the functions that exist due to it but also on the degree of responsibility and authority assigned to the position, for example, regardless of the efficiency that a president may have in his performance, this position has intrinsically determined and complex roles, responsibilities and a high degree of authority.
According to the criteria of two authors, four types of hierarchies can be defined in organizations:
- The hierarchy given by the position The hierarchy of the rank The hierarchy given by the capacity The hierarchy given by the remuneration
The hierarchy given by the position:
This type of hierarchy is what constitutes the different structural levels of the organization, it is exposed by means of organizational charts and is described in the organization manuals. It is in charge of classifying the different positions in the organization's structure, taking as a basis the work activities and duties inherent in a specific position or position.
This hierarchical modality favors the classification of people into groups, series and classes, depending on the nature, characteristics, obligations, attributions and responsibilities of the positions, but on condition that they keep certain similarities between them.
The rank hierarchy:
This type of hierarchy is not established on the basis of activities nor is it linked to specific tasks. It is based on personal conditions, not on the obligations that you have, but on some requirements that must be met. It is used in military organizations to establish the different degrees by which they will be governed.
The hierarchy given by the capacity:
This type of hierarchy is limiting and according to each individual. People are previously classified according to their abilities, regardless of their class condition in society, that is, the individual rises in the organization according to her ability.
The hierarchy given by the remuneration:
This type of hierarchy is determined by the complexity of the job (the higher the complexity, the higher the salary), the seniority in the company or because one is a trusted employee and, to a great extent, by the performance of the individual.
The hierarchy of an employee in a company is based on the degree of specialization they possess but their high location within the organization also depends on the nature of the business, for example, in many Venezuelan companies the plant manager is a very important executive, Their status becomes greater than that of a finance manager. In any fundamentally operational company, for example, oil exploitation in our country, a field where there are generally dynamic and powerful unions, the person responsible for the personnel function is a highly valued and influential executive, reaching the position of vice president.
Organizational structures
Explanation of the organization chart of the kitchen department of a hotel
The kitchen department's function is to prepare dishes and culinary specialties to be served in the restaurant and to satisfy the clients' demands.
According to the annex, it is observed that the highest authority of said department is the executive chef, who is in charge of managing the kitchen, then he is in charge of the sous chef who replaces the executive chef during his absence, then the sous chef has to His position is the chef de partie who will be the one who has the power of the kitchen of a consumption center, this in turn has his command over the games of: butcher and fishmonger, cold kitchen, hot kitchen, pastry, banquets and stewards. The 1st game is in charge of transforming the merchandise brought by meat and fish suppliers into raw material necessary for kitchen production, it has its authority over the butcher chef and the fishmonger chef.The 2nd game is responsible for preparing those dishes whose raw material does not need fire or heat to be transformed into suitable foods (cold appetizers, juices, cold desserts, cold sauces, etc.), this game is in charge of the garden manger and the head of pantry. The 3rd party is in charge of preparing all the dishes whose raw material needs fire or heat to be transformed into food (broths, soups, hot sauces, garnishes, cereals, pasta, etc.), this game is in charge of the salsa chef, chef entremetier and the rotisserie chef. The 4th party is in charge of preparing the bread, cakes and desserts that are served in the various consumption centers as well as preparing the various doughs for the kitchen service,This game is in charge of the pastry chef having his authority over the chief baker and the chief pastry chef. The 5th game is dedicated exclusively to the preparation and dispatch of all the programs to be held within the establishment, which is under the command of the pastry chef. And the last game, his daily work is carried out in the kitchen areas, washing equipment, polishing plates, garbage room, bottles, china, glassware, warehouse for stewards, banquets and general; This party is in charge of the head steward and he in turn gives orders to the floor steward who is in command of the steward waiter, the machine operator and the steward, the latter delegating his authority over the banquet steward, the buffet steward and the coffee steward.The 5th game is dedicated exclusively to the preparation and dispatch of all the programs to be held within the establishment, which is under the command of the pastry chef. And the last game, his daily work is carried out in the kitchen areas, washing equipment, polishing plates, garbage room, bottles, china, glassware, warehouse for stewards, banquets and general; This game is in charge of the head of the steward and this at the same time gives orders to the floor steward who is commanded by the steward waiter, the machine operator and the steward delegating his authority over the banquet steward, the buffet steward and the coffee steward.The 5th game is dedicated exclusively to the preparation and dispatch of all the programs to be held within the establishment, which is under the command of the pastry chef. And the last game, his daily work is carried out in the kitchen areas, washing equipment, polishing plates, garbage room, bottles, china, glassware, warehouse for stewards, banquets and general; This game is in charge of the head of the steward and this at the same time gives orders to the floor steward who is commanded by the steward waiter, the machine operator and the steward delegating his authority over the banquet steward, the buffet steward and the coffee steward.garbage room, bottles, crockery, glassware, store for stewards, banquets and general; This game is in charge of the head of the steward and this at the same time gives orders to the floor steward who is commanded by the steward waiter, the machine operator and the steward delegating his authority over the banquet steward, the buffet steward and the coffee steward.garbage room, bottles, crockery, glassware, store for stewards, banquets and general; This game is in charge of the head of the steward and this at the same time gives orders to the floor steward who is commanded by the steward waiter, the machine operator and the steward delegating his authority over the banquet steward, the buffet steward and the coffee steward.
conclusion
The organization chart is a methodological instrument of administrative science. This has a dual virtue, on the one hand it brings advantages, because it allows observing the internal structure of an organization; and on the other hand it brings disadvantages that this structure adapts to something written and not what it really is.
The organization chart is the result of creating the structure of an organization which must be represented. These show the hierarchical levels existing in a company or organization.
As for the types of organization charts, the vertical ones with which they are used with more frequencies, while the scalar and circular ones are the least known.
Among the most outstanding advantage of an organization chart is that it shows who depends on whom and has the particularity of indicating to administrators and new staff how the organization is integrated.
Just as there are multiple positive factors, the disadvantages are also detailed, considering it very unfavorable in the aspect that frequently indicates the organization as it was before and not as it currently is, since some administrators forget to update them and neglect the dynamism of the organization, which makes an organization chart is obsolete.
Hierarchy is a basic principle of organization and so is management.
Bibliography
- MELINKOFF, Ramón V.: The Structure of the Organization. Central University of Venezuela, Caracas, 1969.TERRY, George: Principles of Administration. Mexico, 1961.RICCARDI, Ricardo: The Director's Manual, Madrid, 1965.
TITLE: THE ORGANIGRAMS
AUTHOR: Mairena Romero Sánchez - [email protected]
- TERRY, George, PRINCIPLES OF ADMINISTRATION, Mexico, 1961, p. 385 RICCARDI, Ricardo, The director's manual, Madrid, 1965, p. 71 LEENER, Georges de, Treaty of business organization, Madrid, 1959. MARCANO, Angel. The organization chart and organization. READ, George de. Treaty of organization of companies, Madrid, 1959. PFIFFNER, John and Frank SHERWOOD. Administrative organization, Mexico, 1966.
