Organizational Structure

Introduction to Business
Handouts

Purpose: The purpose of this assignment is to help you understand the basic forms of organization structure and development of an organizational chart.

Instructions: Create an appropriate organizational chart for each of the following business based on the limited information provided. Be sure to include logical department names and position titles. You may create any missing information. Clearly explain why you organized the company as you did and identify the specific organizational structure(s) you used.

Benefit Training Resource Company: This growing publishing company provides leadership management training materials in five geographical areas in the United States. Their products are limited to ten different leadership training programs including all print and online resources. The small company is composed of a president, regional sales directors, production managers, and content writers and editors.

Anderson Publishing Company: This company produces books in three major areas: technical training manuals for industry, college textbooks, and elementary through high school textbooks (called K-12). The company is led by a president who reports to a CEO. Each division is headed by a Vice President who supervises a sales staff and an editorial staff.

American Publishing Systems: This global company produces “how to” books on hundreds of subjects for the general population. It sells in the Unites States, Canada, Mexico, Europe, and Asia. Though the general concepts are similar, the books are customized to the needs of each countries population, including subject areas, language, and cultural issues. The company is headed by a CEO. Each country is run by a president with vice presidents heading up subject divisions (home repair, auto repair, self improvement, and child care.) A team of editors, content writers, researchers, and production staff is required to produce a book.

Select one of the above companies and explain how you might implement one emerging trend in organizational design. What would it take to change over the existing organizational structure to the new design? What potential problems do you see? What advantages do you see?

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