'Case Study Mercy Corps Essay\r'

'Introduction At the fourth semiannual mercy corps leadership conference in November 2006 executive leadership described the well-known, internal complications at forbearance army corps as a larger agreement ($194 million budget in 2006) that â€Å"has to nidus on two core aras: international eternal sleep and development” (Grossman & vitamin A; King, 2008). The status of the governing was examined in detail by the Harvard Business School display case conceive and a number of problems were revealed. This analysis is establish on the breeding provided by the case study and addresses four issues.\r\nThe first section discusses ternary forms of specialism and how they are relevant to Mercy army corps. The second section addresses the five different forms of integration in an plaque. The ternary section evaluates the use of specialisation and integration in the face and the success of differentiation and integration. In the resist section I examine whether Mer cy corps is a mechanistic shaping or thoroughgoing organization. Changes in Differentiation As discussed in mob and in assigned reading for PUB M 511 there are three forms of differentiation.\r\nThis is essenti solelyy how an organization divides its labor into distinct tasks and then coordinates them (Hodge & international ampere; Anthony, hand bring out). Hodge & Anthony have defined the three forms of differentiation as: 1. Horizontal differentiation †differentiation of work into tasks at the same level of organization. 2. Vertical differentiation †component part of work by level of authority, hierarchy, or chain of mountains of command. 3. Spatial differentiation †refers to geographical dispersion. All three forms of differentiation are relevant to key issues in the Mercy Corps case.\r\nHorizontal differentiation is clear evident when the four course of study music directors formerly supervising 40 rude directors were re shoesd by six-spot regional program directors. Effectively, a new department was added and the describe structure was changed so that uncouth directors were now account to their respective regional director who describe to the Portland, OR HQ and not the program directors in Portland, OR. Because the reportage structure was changed the country directors now had one much step before reaching the HQ.\r\nOn the different hand country directors now had a scurrying response rate for questions that were not critical. Vertical differentiation was overly apparent at Mercy Corps. ace example of upright piano differentiation at Mercy Corps was Zimmerman’s position. Originally program directors reported to the chairperson but now regional program directors (replaced the four program directors) reported to Zimmerman. This removed the president from the regional program directors; it also helped the president direction on strategic initiatives and become the face of the organization instead of the day-to- day administrative endures.\r\nMercy Corps had a strong sense of spatial differentiation. With 3,000 group members spread out across the world the organization had a strategy that kept the teams abroad reorient with the mission. All teams, despite their geographical locations, align their country goals to their greater vision and mission of Mercy Corps. Although country directors get great autonomy in how they conk their program and where their funding comes from they still are works towards a shared goal. Changes in integrating many of the forms of integration were signifi rumpt in the Mercy Corps case.\r\nAs defined by Hodge & Anthony in the handout provided in class the Five Forms of consolidation are defined as: 1. Formalization †physical exertion of formal rules, policies and procedures. 2. Centralization of decision-making or authority †refers to the place in the hierarchy where decisions are made. 3. pass over of bear †refers to the number of immed iate subordinate positions a managerial position checkers or coordinates. 4. Standardization †integration can be achieved through a process, input (human resources and materials), and outturn standardization. 5.\r\nNonstructural means for integration †refers to the coordination mechanisms including contact roles, teams, culture, information systems, and communication processes. The Mercy Corps case starts out using formalization at the country director †president. Communication channels are well defined and employee and staff know whom they report to. After the assenting of regional directors another layer was added to the communication process. The policies and procedures were hold and understood by all employees and staff and fol started so that funding and program goals could be met.\r\nCentralization was not evident at the organization level. It was evident at the country level, where country directors were given permission to cast their programs in the most efficient way for that country. Span of control was reasonable for the staff of Mercy Corps. antecedently the four program directors had 40 direct reports. This changed when six regional program directors. While span of control was manageable the standardization process was not. The human resources team small compared to other organizations of the same size.\r\nThe human resources team also was based primarily out of the Portland, OR office with one person in Scotland. In terms of non-structural means for integration, Mercy Corps has liaison roles and communication processes in place. Mercy Corps also has a culture that is adapted by all teams across the globe. Appropriateness of Use of Differentiation and Integration & Success with Differentiation and Integration Mercy Corps used differentiation and integration in a successful way.\r\nBy leveraging two the lasts and the lows of differentiation and integration the organization can function at high operational and strategic le vel. mechanical organization vs. Organic Organization Mercy Corps as a whole melds like a very mechanistic organization. While the country offices run more similarly to a organic organization. As defined in the handout by Hodge & Anthony a mechanistic organization is: high vertical and flat complexity, high formalization, narrow spans of control, high centralization and high standardization.\r\nWhile a organic organization is defined as: low vertical and horizontal complexity, low formalization, broad spans of control, low centralization and low standardization. Conclusion In conclusion, Mercy Corps embodies high differentiation and integration at an organizational level. At the field/country level it seems to operate more on a low differentiation and integration. Therefore, the organization as a whole is run as a mechanistic organization and the field offices are run more organically with more autonomy.\r\nReferences Grossman, Allen S. , and Caroline King. â€Å"Mercy Co rps: Positioning the Organization to chip in New Heights. ” The Harvard Business School (2008): 1-24. Print. Hodge, Anthony and Gales. Organizational Goals and Effectiveness, Organization Theory: A strategical Approach. 6th Ed. , 2002. Print. Hodge, Anthony and Gales. The personality of Structure and Design, Organization Theory: A Strategic Approach. 6th Ed. , 2002. Print. Morgan, Gareth. Images of Organization. Thousand Oaks: Sage Publications, 2006. Print.\r\n'