The Logic of Balanced Matrix Project Management Teams
In the 1960s and earlier, frequently big corporations were logically arranged into silos, in which divisions of employees reported to a line or functional manager. The attempt to restructure the organization to develop workable project management teams is referred to as a matrix organization.
Different styles of matrix management can exist within an organization. The overall objective is to satisfy divisional or departmental functional requirements by pooling workers with similar skills. The major organizational matrix types consist of either weak, strong, or balanced matrix structures. This article presents pros and cons of the weak matrix organization.
A Balanced Matrix Organization Structure
Absolute power induces absolute corruption is an old age saying. Unless a suitably balanced power structure is evolved and implemented a power struggle would crop up in a matrix structure. This may result in the most unhealthy situation of one group managers controlling the other consequentially adversely affecting the project as well as the organization, though, for the time being any individual phase or isolated project may not be affected. If no such balance is attained, a project manager having singular control might direct a functional manager and compel to spare the most valuable team members of the project resulting in non completion of the project.
One way to deal with this problem is to create limits in the organization which determines when a manager can control a worker. These strategies should be based on a specific set of circumstances. For example, keeping a rule where a worker will be managed exclusively by the functional manager if a project will last for less than a week's time. In case, the project will take longer than a week, the control will pass on to the project manager. Otherwise, a rule can be made in such a way that a worker should not be employed by a project manager to work on two projects in a row.
Structural rules and regulations can be adopted in several possible ways to gain an objective which is the balancing power between functional managers and a project in order to prevent win or lose conditions. Hence, the balance of power is derived from balanced matrix leading to a better structural format of the company.
About the Author: Daiv Russell is a management and marketing consultant with Envision Consulting in Tampa, Florida. Get more information on matrix organizational structure at project-management-course.info. Choose the right Project Management Software and improve your Gantt Charts
More articles by Daiv Russell
Print Article | Download PDF | 90 views | Feb 25 2008
|
|
