ACCA BT考点：明茨伯格的组织理论

Mintzberg’s model breaks down the organisation into five generic components,considering the role of each in relation to coordinating its activities.These are:

strategic apex

middle line

operating core

technostructure

support staff.

Figure 1 shows these activities in diagrammatic form.

Mintzberg-fig 1

Strategic apex

This element of the organisation is made up of directors and senior executives.Their role is to interpret or define the mission of the organisation and ensure that its objectives are consistent with this mission.The strategic apex is also responsible for managing the organisation’s relationship with the macro-environment.

Operating core

The operating core carries out the activities necessary to deliver outputs.

Middle line

This element provides the link between the strategic apex and the operating core.The role is partially one of interpretation,as the work of the operating core has to be consistent with the expectations and plans of the strategic apex.Simple,smaller organisations may not have a middle line at all.

Technostructure

The technostructure is made up of key individuals and teams working in functions such as human resources,training,finance and planning.Mintzberg states that there are several roles here.Analysers decide on the best ways to perform jobs and seek to standardise skills.Planners decide on outputs and define quality requirements.

Support staff

Support staff work in functions such as research and development,public relations and legal services.Their outputs do not contribute directly to the core purposes of the organisation,but their activities contribute to the efficiency and effectiveness of the strategic apex,middle line and operating core.

The relative influence of these elements to one another have a significant impact on the nature of the organisation.Mintzberg asserts that each element will have a preferred means of coordination.For example,the strategic apex will attempt to coordinate through direct supervision,and will be especially important in smaller organisations with simpler structures.The middle line seeks to standardise outputs,while the technostructure attempts to standardise work processes.The operating core will try to standardise skills.

Organisation structures

Based on his organisational model,Mintzberg described five categories of organisation structure,each of which would rely on one specific element of the model.

Simple structure

The simple structure is centralised and often autocratic,with power emanating from the strategic apex.Typically,control is exerted by the chief executive or small,influential executive team.Perhaps due to its simplicity,the structure can be flexible and sometimes informal,with a strongly defined sense of mission.However,Mintzberg warns that the simple structure is vulnerable,stating‘one heart attack can wipe out the organisation’s prime coordinating mechanism’.

Machine bureaucracy

This structure relies heavily on a robust technostructure.Strategic planners and financial controllers are influential,leading to the creation of multiple layers of management,formal procedures and standardised production processes.Due to the high degree of standardisation,the tasks performed by the operating core can be rigid,offering little discretion for the individual.For this reason,Mintzberg observed that motivation can be difficult and the organisation can be unreceptive to the need for change.The machine bureaucracy is typified by large-scale car manufacturing plants.

Professional bureaucracy

Like the machinery bureaucracy,the professional bureaucracy is based on clear lines of authority and standard administrative practices.However,the practices may be built on standards set by law,regulations or independent external bodies,including professional bodies.Mintzberg cites schools,hospitals and professional practices as examples of this structure.He suggests that the professional bureaucracy is more democratic than the machine bureaucracy counterpart,and that it is easier to motivate people.The operating core is the major coordinating influence.

Divisionalised

In a divisionalised structure,a small central core provides guidelines for business units that enjoy a high degree of autonomy.Mintzberg states that this is an extension of the machine bureaucracy,or may even comprise several machine bureaucracies within a single corporation.It is the middle line that forms a strong coordinating influence,as its key role is to translate the demands of the small central core into the objectives of the operating core.The divisionalised structure is typical of multinational companies.

Adhocracy

The adhocracy is task or project-based and has to respond quickly and flexibly to changing demands.These demands may be driven by rapidly changing markets or by innovation.There is little formality,so direct supervision and defined processes are less important than in other organisation structures.Research and development can be a primary driver of adhocracies,as typified by new technology industries.

The evolution of organisation structures

Mintzberg believes that structures are often a product of their time.He states that simple structures and machine bureaucracies were a feature of the past,when developed economies were highly reliant on large-scale production and manufacturing.By contrast,professional bureaucracies and the divisionalised form are more common today.Mintzberg predicts that the adhocracy will become more important in the future.

Written by a member of the Paper F1/FAB examining team

翻译参考

明茨伯格的模型将组织分解为五个通用组件，考虑到每个组件在协调其活动方面的作用。这些是：

战略顶点

中线

操作核心

技术结构

技术支持人员。

战略顶点

该组织的这一要素由董事和高级管理人员组成。他们的作用是解释或定义组织的使命，并确保其目标与该使命相一致。战略顶点还负责管理组织与宏观环境的关系。

操作核心

运营核心执行交付产出所需的活动。

中线

该要素提供了战略顶点和运营核心之间的联系。该角色部分是解释之一，因为运营核心的工作必须与战略顶点的期望和计划一致。简单的小型组织可能根本没有中间线。【点击免费下载>>>更多ACCA学习相关资料】

技术结构

技术结构由在人力资源、培训、财务和规划等职能部门工作的关键个人和团队组成。Mintzberg指出，这里有几个角色。分析人员决定执行工作的最佳方式并寻求标准化技能。计划人员决定输出并定义质量要求。

技术支持人员

支持员工在研发、公共关系和法律服务等职能部门工作。他们的产出不直接有助于组织的核心目标，但他们的活动有助于战略顶点、中间线和运营核心的效率和有效性。

这些要素相互之间的相对影响对组织的性质有重大影响。Mintzberg断言每个元素都有一个首选的协调方式。例如，战略高层将尝试通过直接监督进行协调，这在结构更简单的小型组织中尤为重要。中间线寻求标准化输出，而技术结构试图标准化工作流程。运营核心将尝试标准化技能。

组织结构

根据他的组织模型，明茨伯格描述了五类组织结构，每一类都依赖于模型的一个特定元素。

结构简单

简单的结构是集中的，通常是专制的，权力来自战略顶点。通常，控制权由首席执行官或有影响力的小型执行团队施加。也许由于其简单性，结构可以是灵活的，有时是非正式的，具有强烈的使命感。然而，明茨伯格警告说，这个简单的结构是脆弱的，他说“一次心脏病发作就可以摧毁组织的主要协调机制”。

机器官僚主义

这种结构在很大程度上依赖于强大的技术结构。战略规划人员和财务控制人员具有影响力，导致创建多层管理、正式程序和标准化生产流程。由于高度标准化，操作核心执行的任务可能很严格，个人几乎没有自由裁量权。出于这个原因，明茨伯格观察到激励可能很困难，而且组织可能无法接受变革的需要。机器官僚机构的典型代表是大型汽车制造厂。

职业官僚主义

与机械官僚机构一样，专业官僚机构建立在明确的权力界限和标准的行政实践之上。但是，这些做法可能建立在法律、法规或独立的外部机构（包括专业机构）制定的标准之上。Mintzberg引用了学校、医院和专业实践作为这种结构的例子。他建议职业官僚比机器官僚更民主，更容易激励人们。经营核心是主要的协调影响。

分工的

在分工结构中，一个小的中央核心为享有高度自主权的业务单位提供指导。明茨伯格指出，这是机器官僚机构的延伸，甚至可能在一个公司内包含多个机器官僚机构。中线形成强大的协调影响力，其关键作用是将小中央核心的需求转化为运营核心的目标。分工结构是跨国公司的典型特征。

专制

Adhocracy是基于任务或项目的，必须快速灵活地响应不断变化的需求。这些需求可能是由快速变化的市场或创新驱动的。几乎没有正式的形式，因此直接监督和定义的流程不如其他组织结构重要。研究和开发可能是专制的主要驱动力，以新技术行业为代表。

组织结构的演变

明茨伯格认为，结构往往是时代的产物。他指出，简单的结构和机器官僚机构是过去的一个特征，当时发达经济体高度依赖大规模生产和制造。相比之下，专业的官僚机构和部门化的形式在今天更为普遍。明茨伯格预测，在未来，专制将变得更加重要。

由论文F1/FAB审查小组成员撰写

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