Week 6 Answer All The Questions Below: 6a ✓ Solved

Week 6 Answer all the questions below: 6a:

Why is it important for managers to carefully consider the type of organizational structure that they use to implement their strategies? 6b: What are some of the key attributes of effective groups? Ineffective groups? 6c: How can the five central elements of "learning organizations" be incorporated into global companies? 6d: What are some of the important mechanisms for promoting ethics in a firm?

Paper For Above Instructions

Introduction

Organizations achieve strategic goals only when structure, people, processes, and culture are aligned. The four questions in this assignment address (a) the strategic importance of organizational structure, (b) attributes distinguishing effective and ineffective groups, (c) application of the five elements of learning organizations in global firms, and (d) mechanisms for promoting ethics. Answers below integrate organizational theory and empirical findings to provide practical guidance for managers.

6a. Why managers must carefully consider organizational structure to implement strategy

An organization’s structure translates strategy into coordinated action. The choice of structure—functional, divisional, matrix, networked, or hybrid—determines reporting lines, decision rights, information flows, and resource allocation, all of which shape the firm’s ability to execute strategy (Mintzberg, 1979; Galbraith, 2014). When structure matches strategy, the firm avoids coordination bottlenecks, reduces redundancy, and improves responsiveness. Conversely, a misaligned structure creates slack, slows decision-making, and undermines strategic initiatives (Daft, 2016).

For example, centralized functional structures may produce operational efficiency for stable, scale-driven strategies but impede innovation and speed required for market-driven or ambidextrous strategies (Galbraith, 2014; Daft, 2016). Matrix structures can support dual objectives (e.g., product and geographic focus) but require clear role definitions and conflict-resolution mechanisms to avoid ambiguity (Mintzberg, 1979). Thus, managers must diagnose strategy demands (speed, innovation, coordination, local responsiveness) and design structure to provide appropriate authority, integration mechanisms, and information channels (Robbins & Judge, 2019).

6b. Key attributes of effective and ineffective groups

Effective groups share several empirically supported attributes: clear, shared goals; complementary skills and role clarity; psychological safety allowing voice and risk-taking; established norms of accountability; strong leadership that facilitates rather than dominates; and effective communication and decision processes (Katzenbach & Smith, 1993; Edmondson, 1999).

Specifically, psychological safety encourages learning and error reporting, which improves performance over time (Edmondson, 1999). Complementary skills and mutual accountability allow groups to leverage diversity while maintaining cohesion (Katzenbach & Smith, 1993). Effective groups also use structured processes for problem solving and continuous improvement, and they align on measurable performance indicators (Robbins & Judge, 2019).

Ineffective groups exhibit vagueness about goals and roles, poor communication, dominance by a few members, low trust and psychological safety, avoidance of accountability, and resistance to feedback (Tuckman’s stages—poorly managed groups stall in storming or norming) (Tuckman, 1965; Robbins & Judge, 2019). Such groups experience coordination losses, social loafing, groupthink, and suboptimal decisions.

6c. Incorporating the five central elements of learning organizations into global companies

Peter Senge’s five disciplines—systems thinking, personal mastery, mental models, shared vision, and team learning—form a framework for organizational learning (Senge, 1990). Global firms can embed these elements through design and practice:

• Systems thinking: Implement global dashboards, integrated performance metrics, and cross-border process mapping to reveal interdependencies across units. Use scenario planning and global risk assessments to build holistic understanding (Argyris & Schön, 1978).
• Personal mastery: Invest in continuous development programs and rotational international assignments that build skills and global mindset. Encourage individual learning goals and tie them to career progression (Senge, 1990).
• Mental models: Create forums for surfacing implicit assumptions (e.g., cross-cultural learning labs), use after-action reviews across subsidiaries, and translate local learnings into corporate knowledge repositories (Argyris & Schön, 1978).
• Shared vision: Co-create a unifying purpose that balances global brand and local relevance. Use inclusive communication channels so subsidiaries participate in shaping strategy, improving buy-in and alignment (Senge, 1990).
• Team learning: Encourage cross-border teams and communities of practice that share tacit knowledge. Foster psychological safety within and across teams so members from diverse cultures can contribute without fear (Edmondson, 1999; Hofstede, 2001).

Operational enablers include IT platforms for knowledge sharing, leadership development emphasizing global collaboration, incentives that reward collective learning, and governance processes that capture and scale local innovations (Daft, 2016).

6d. Important mechanisms for promoting ethics in a firm

Promoting ethical behavior requires both formal structures and cultural levers. Key mechanisms include:

• Code of ethics and policies: Clear, accessible codes that describe expected behaviors and illustrate common dilemmas provide normative guidance (Treviño & Nelson, 2016).
• Leadership tone and modeling: Ethical behavior from top leaders sets norms; leaders must communicate values, reward integrity, and penalize violations consistently (Treviño & Nelson, 2016).
• Ethics training and decision tools: Interactive training, scenario-based learning, and decision frameworks help employees apply values under pressure.
• Whistleblower channels and protection: Confidential reporting systems and non-retaliation protections encourage detection and correction of misconduct.
• Incentive alignment: Performance metrics and rewards should emphasize ethical process as well as results to avoid perverse incentives (Treviño & Nelson, 2016).
• Ethics governance: Ethics officers, independent audit committees, and clear escalation paths institutionalize oversight (Robbins & Judge, 2019).
• Local adaptation with global standards: Multinationals should maintain a global ethical baseline while allowing culturally sensitive communication and enforcement to ensure relevance and legitimacy (Hofstede, 2001).

Combining structural controls (policies, audits), cultural interventions (leadership modeling, training), and practical systems (reporting channels, incentives) produces a robust, sustainable ethics program (Treviño & Nelson, 2016).

Conclusion

Managers must intentionally design structures that fit strategic imperatives, cultivate group characteristics that enable effective teamwork, embed the disciplines of learning organizations into global operations, and deploy multiple complementary mechanisms to promote ethics. Integrating structure, learning, team processes, and ethical governance creates resilient organizations capable of implementing strategy and adapting over time.

References

• Argyris, C., & Schön, D. A. (1978). Organizational Learning: A Theory of Action Perspective. Addison-Wesley.
• Daft, R. L. (2016). Organization Theory and Design. Cengage.
• Edmondson, A. (1999). Psychological Safety and Learning Behavior in Work Teams. Administrative Science Quarterly, 44(2), 350–383.
• Galbraith, J. R. (2014). Designing Organizations: Strategy, Structure, and Process at the Business Unit and Enterprise Levels. Jossey-Bass.
• Hofstede, G. (2001). Culture's Consequences: Comparing Values, Behaviors, Institutions and Organizations Across Nations. Sage.
• Katzenbach, J. R., & Smith, D. K. (1993). The Wisdom of Teams. Harvard Business School Press.
• Mintzberg, H. (1979). The Structuring of Organizations. Prentice-Hall.
• Robbins, S. P., & Judge, T. A. (2019). Organizational Behavior. Pearson.
• Senge, P. M. (1990). The Fifth Discipline: The Art & Practice of The Learning Organization. Doubleday.
• Treviño, L. K., & Nelson, K. A. (2016). Managing Business Ethics: Straight Talk about How to Do It Right. Wiley.