In any organization it is necessary to know the relationships that exist between the elements that make it up, as well as the positions and functions that each one of these performs, it is necessary to understand the general internal structure of the organization; Structure is one of the key factors to encourage human resources to be competitive and productive, resulting in the organization successfully achieving its objectives.
The structure of the company is one of the key factors of the organization, therefore it is important to know the models and types of organization charts that exist in order to implement the one that best suits our needs.
Taking into account that the organization chart is a graphic representation that expresses the hierarchical structure and interrelation of the different areas or elements that make up an organization, it is necessary that all those who are part of said organization know what its definition is, so that That way, they have a basic understanding of what this simple but valuable administrative resource is.
There are different definitions of organization chart some of these are:
• According to Ferrel, Hirt, Adriaenséns, Flores and Ramos, authors of the book «Introduction to Business in a Changing World», the organization chart is a «visual representation of the organizational structure, lines of authority, (chain of command), relations of staff, permanent committees and lines of communication ”.
• For Enrique B. Franklin, author of the book «Business Organization», the organization chart is «the graphic representation of the organic structure of an institution or one of its areas, in which the relationships between the bodies are shown. that compose it ”.
• Jack Fleitman, author of the book «Successful Business», defines the organization chart as the “graphic representation of the organic structure that reflects, in a schematic way, the position of the areas that make up the company, the hierarchical levels, the lines of authority and advisory ».
• Benjamin Franklin:
An organization chart is the graphic representation of the organic structure of an institution or one of its administrative areas or units, in which the relationships between the bodies that compose it are shown.
If we analyze these definitions, they all preserve in a certain way the same explanation, in summary we can extract from all these contributions a definition that is the following:
The organization chart is the graphic and schematic representation of the organizational structure in which the relationships between the organs that compose it are shown.
The purpose of the organization chart is to provide information through graphic representations of the fundamental aspects of which the organizational structure is formed, allowing a general understanding of the relationship and integration of the elements that comprise it.
We can deduce that organizational charts are a source of information consultation, and likewise help to discover functional deficiencies, reflecting the various types, departments and work areas.
There are different models of organization charts, before making the decision to implement or design an organization chart we must take into account the characteristics of the organization and thus design the organization chart that best suits our needs.
Organizational charts can be classified by their objective, which can be functional or structural, by area, which can be general or departmental, and by their knowledge, which can be schematic or analytical.
They are usually designed from top to bottom, showing the hierarchy from highest to lowest.
The organization chart is made up of rectangles and tables that are joined by means of lines, which represent the channels of dependency and responsibilities of the institution.
The organization chart, as already mentioned, is a graphic tool, which can be implemented, to know and analyze structures, in addition to being an administrative tool, it is an auxiliary that serves for decision-making, that is why organization charts are of great importance within any organization. The main utility of the organization chart is that the way in which an organization is structured can be easily appreciated, without the need for detailed explanations.
