Workbrain Corporation is on the cusp of a dramatic expansion. David Ossip, the President and CEO, has hired Eric Green to manage Workbrain’s corporate development plan. In other words, Green’s task is to bring Ossip’s vision to life. Workbrain’s current organization state lacks structure, focus, and functional direction. The company is performing well but the coming expansion will require more extensive infrastructure. The external environment can be characterized by building pressure from investors, clients, and the marketplace—all driven by the innovative characteristics of their product and industry.
Workbrain management currently prefers generalists rather than specialized employees. A key resource for Workbrain is the technical, industrial, and managerial experience possessed by the executives. Traditionally companies require five basic parts to perform key subsystem functions: top management, middle management, and technical core, with the technical and administrative support staff facilitating the operation of the company (See Appendix 1). In Workbrain’s scenario, the top management and technical core boundaries have been blurred due to the hands on nature and the technical background of management (See appendix 2).Eric Green’s task is to develop a system for Workbrain to grow and thrive in. This will define the boundaries between functional areas and top management, and establish a framework in which Workbrain is free to evolve.
Analysis With the competitive nature of the technology industry, Workbrain needs to establish infrastructure fit to accommodate the coming expansion. The company’s investors are placing significant pressure on the executives to meet both time and revenue deadlines. There is a very slim margin of error in the coming months. In this way, Eric Green’s organizational strategy is critical to the success of the organization.In stark contrast with the rest of the organization (described below), Eric Green is prepared to initiate an expansion/recruitment plan for Workbrain.
Green understands that David Ossip has hired him to guide the corporate development of the company. Green’s prior experience has generally been in well-developed and strategically organized companies. “Thinking big” is what he was hired to do; and Green intends to follow suit. Eric noted a variety of things required:•Strategic recruitment plan •Defined job roles and descriptions •Organizational structures •Implement the expansion strategy at all levels including: oBusiness plan Vision oGrowth strategy •Upper management supporting the recruitment strategy •Develop commercial partnerships and client relationships Most members of the organization, with the exception of Green, are of the opinion that employees with a generalized skill-set are most valuable to the company.
Green on the other hand is insistent that more specialized positions will increase Workbrain’s output capacity. Clearly defining segments of the business will bring Workbrain closer to a traditional and more efficient organizational configuration (See appendix 1).Personal Readiness Green is more than ready to begin integrating these concepts as soon as possible. However, he recognizes that maintaining the creative corporate culture throughout the process of expansion will be difficult.
In particular, further segmenting the roles of individuals tends to diminish communication and the free flow of creative information. Retaining employees will also prove to be a challenge as the size of the office increases exponentially. Organizational Readiness Ossip and the other more technically-inclined managers originate from an entrepreneurial background.This explains their skepticism of more definitive departments and personnel.
In most start-ups, the business hinges on the wide skill sets of only a select few people. Workbrain, however, has outgrown the infant stages of commercialization. David Ossip recognized this progression and hired Eric Green to oversee the next steps for Workbrain. What Workbrain lacks, are the four of the five basic parts of an organization. Top management, to this point, has virtually been filling all of the roles, which includes middle management, technical core, technical support staff, and administrative support staff (see appendix 1).Since Workbrain suffers a structural deficiency, specifying job roles and descriptions is the next step in preparing Workbrain towards expansion.
Urgency of Change Workbrain needs to find an appropriate strategy in order to move forward. Progress will entail continuing to conduct business as well as develop systems to sustain business in the future. The implications of the urgency to develop an expansion plan places a great deal of stress on Eric Green. Communication Workbrain’s internal communication system has been relatively impromptu.More than likely, this is a function of their start-up characteristics.
Some of the management were not even present when the goals of the organization were discussed. “Due to time constraints, some of the technical and implementation team had not been as involved in the planning process as they should have. There was a disconnect about where they thought the company was going that had manifested itself in the way they were thinking about hiring (p. 553).
” The obvious communication gaps could be filled by a more effective organizational structure.The plan resulting from this meeting established the need for a more specialized workforce. Leadership Style David Ossip’s broad skill set had brought him success in the past with his previous company. These traits also lend well to start-up companies. Once again, Ossip finds himself leading a growing and increasingly successful organization. His hands-on and organic leadership style is a natural fit for a tech company.
Some of these attributes will need to continue to manifest themselves in some way. However, some elements of Ossip’s leadership will need to change in response to the growth of the company.Theory According to Situational Leadership Theory, there is no single “best” style of leadership. The most effective leader is the one who adapts to the individual/group that he/she wants to lead. With the expansion, both the internal and external environments will change drastically.
This theory suggests management must be flexible under changing circumstances. This pliable characteristic will be difficult for Workbrain’s managers to uptake. Action Plan and Future Recommendations We have chosen to recommend an organizational model to assist Workbrain and Eric Green with the expansion.The Matrix-Hybrid Model (see appendix 3) proposed is designed to more specifically divide the specialization of labour needed by the organization.
As a result, more explicit role definitions and job descriptions will be paramount in the hiring process. This new organizational structure will also help optimize the flow of information and ease of communication among executives as well as client-specific project managers. The organizational model is also in response to Workbrain’s business plan. A large focus of the organization is to develop strategic partnerships with other commercial entities.
Furthermore, the matrix-based design allows for more client-oriented operations. In this way, customer service will be at the forefront of Workbrain’s initiatives. Recruitment Having a more formalized structure gives way to more formal job descriptions. Although generalization brought success to the company, specificity will bring efficiency in Workbrain’s maturity. Despite the current mindset of many of the managers, Eric Green is correct in requesting that a more sophisticated recruitment strategy be developed.
Respective Vice Presidents will need to create lists of roles and tasks they will require in the coming months.From these lists, job descriptions can be made. Functional departments will be formed from this process. Model Traditionally, Tech-based companies sport a horizontal and organic structure in order to be responsive to the dynamic industry. While becoming more formalized is a priority for Workbrain, some grassroots elements still need to guide its direction. As a result, a hybrid model; with functional and creative positions working harmoniously is recommended.
Business-oriented positions like Finance, Accounting, and Corporate Development are all present in the matrix-hybrid structure.In tandem, the matrix aspect with the purpose of sharing scarce valuable human resources and stressing the customer-focus approach. Project managers will oversee client relations, but David Stein (VP Sales) will direct them as a whole. Tech support positions are built into the matrix to facilitate the smooth expansion of Workbrain. The nature of Tech support is to be innovative in the information management of a company.
Administration support roles are presumed to be present at every level, but are most vital within the matrix to assist in organizing projects.Both the tech and administrative support roles are a facet the organization was previously lacking in. These individuals are critical to the successful expansion of Workbrain. Direction of the company will continue from David and Martin Ossip. The more hands-on roles are filled by Morrell, Nunn, and Kiser.
Eric Green of Corporate Development and the Vice Presidents of Finance, Accounting, and Human Resources, fill a more custodial role in the organization. These positions promote the growth and the healthy operation of Workbrain equally from a financial perspective—the goal of the expansion in the first place.Conclusion In the past, Workbrain was required to be small, nimble, and comprised of individuals with a wide range of business and technical aptitudes. Such an arrangement is common of recent start-ups. With its explosive success, Workbrain must now begin planning for expansion.
The investors are indirectly pressuring Eric Green (VP Corporate Development) to design and implement a plan to handle the dramatic increase in business. Formalizing the structure of Workbrain is of the highest priority. However, it is imperative for Tech-based companies to retain a horizontal shape.The software industry is perhaps the most dynamic in the global economy.
An organic management style is the most effective way to react quickly to the ever-changing environment. Thus, Workbrain must formalize in order to grow, but must retain an organic focus to remain competitive. A matrix-hybrid model encapsulates the best of both worlds; functional and organic. The matrix section is a client-focused model—extremely important as Workbrain’s product is marketed toward very large accounts. The valuable human resources can then be distributed among the different projects (clients).Another consequence of the new structure is the more specific roles for new hires as well as current employees.
Communication and span-of-control will be indirectly improved as well. Workbrain’s software has been accepted as one of the best labour management software options available. Large companies seeking reduced operations costs have found it an excellent product. The market for Workbrain’s software will continue to increase in popularity. A matrix-hybrid organizational structure will permit both the economic growth, as well as the continued innovation of Workbrain Corporation.
