Bpp learning Media is an acca approved Content Provider

Market awareness
: the organisation tends to become more customer/quality focused 
(e) 
Horizontal workflow
: bureaucratic obstacles are removed, and department specialisms become 
less powerful 
There are 
disadvantages
, however. 
(a) 
Dual authority
threatens a 
conflict
between functional managers and product/project/area 
managers. 
(b) 
An individual with two or more bosses may suffer stress from 
conflicting demands
or 
ambiguous 
roles
. 
(c) 
Cost
: product management posts are added, meetings have to be held, and so on. 
(d) 
Slower decision-making
due to the added complexity. 
2.11 The new organisation 
Some recent trends have emerged from the focus on 
flexibility 
as a key organisational value. 
(a) 
Flat structures
.
 
The flattening of hierarchies does away with levels of organisation which 
lengthened lines of communication and decision-making. Flat structures are more responsive 
because there is a more direct relationship between the organisation's strategic centre and the 
operational units serving the customer. 
(b) 
'Horizontal structures'
.
 
There is increased recognition that functional versatility (through multi-
functional project teams and multi-skilling, for example) is the key to flexibility.
(c) 
'Chunked' and 'unglued' structures
. So far, this has meant team working and decentralisation, or 
empowerment, creating smaller and more flexible units within the overall structure.
(d) 
Output-focused structures
. 
The key to all the above trends is the focus on results, and on the 
customer, instead of internal processes and functions for their own sake.
(e)