Principles of management.Mechanistic Structures.

A mechanistic structure, also known as a bureaucratic structure, describes an organizational structure that is based on a formal, centralized network. The mechanistic structure is best suited for companies that operate in a stable and certain environment. In general, a mechanistic structure is easy to maintain and rarely needs to be changed when an organization operates in a stable environment.

In mechanistic organizations, authority reflects a well-defined hierarchy where top-level managers make the majority of the decisions[thus more centralized]. Because the environment is relatively stable, complex decision-making processes that involve multiple parties are not required. Subordinates are expected to follow the directions of management and not question their rationale. Communication, much like decisions, also flows through hierarchical routes, or from the top down.

Individualized job specialization is used to place employees into designated tasks. In mechanistic organizations, it is typical for each person to be assigned one task that is relatively stable and easy to control. As a result of the stability of tasks, there tends to be low integration between functional areas or departments in organizations that use a mechanistic structure. Likewise, this creates a situation where, for the most part, functional areas are not dependent on each other.

Think of a mechanistic structure as a well-oiled machine that, once functioning properly, continues to work efficiently with little need for maintenance. Simply envision an organization where management makes most of the decisions, information is communicated based on the chain of command, tasks are highly specialized, departments stand alone and operate as their own entity, and change is, for the most part, uncommon.
“Mechanistic” describes the strictest and most formal of these structures. Mechanistic companies have fine divisions of labour, resulting in highly specialized jobs; they rely on management for control, creating a bureaucracy; and they have many rules and a strict chain of command. The company can be likened to a machine, its many parts synchronized to produce a standard, predictable output.Mechanistic is related to machines.Since machines are items designed to make work easier with installed instructions or follow set of rules and regulations so can we say that mechanistic companies follow a series of already made decisions rigidly and may not change over a long period of time.

Because of their hierarchy, mechanistic structures are vertically oriented. The most mechanistic is the functional organizational structure, with its tall, triangular shape. Many workers form the structure’s foundation, grouped into departments by similar activities such as production. Above them sits their managers. When each employee narrowly specializes in some limited part of a larger whole, one manager can easily supervise many employees and has a wide “span of control.” The span of control gets smaller moving up the organization, where managers manage other managers. The central power of the company crowns it all

As the mechanistic structure gained widespread and prolonged use, researchers,managers and organizational designers found that the very mechanization that allows for productivity, economy and efficiency also causes problems. Innovation has to wait on red tape. Rigid control and job specialization means employees aren’t free to be creative problem-solvers. As mere cogs(a person who plays a minor part in a large organization, activity, etc. ), employees’ morale may be low. Finally, grouping employees by function contributes to departmental isolation(separation). Interdepartmental cooperation and communication suffer in mechanistic structures.
These are considered as disadvantages of mechanized organization.

Advantages include;

• Effective management.
• Fixation of responsibility.
• Benefit of specialization.
• Proper discipline.
• Minimize supervision cost.
• Quick decision and implementation.
• Experienced with related risks and problems in the organization.  

Disadvantages include;

• One way communication.
• Focus on authority thus employees may become lazy.
• Difficult to coordinate.
• Impractical decision.
• Work is more formalized thus employees skills are not award-worthy.
• Managers are easily moody due to work overload.
• Static and rigid.

Organic and mechanistic types of organizations are defined by three general factors:

• complexity.
• formalization.
• centralization.  

Key Terms.

Complexity:  Condition of having many diverse and autonomous but interrelated and interdependent components or parts linked through many (dense) interconnections.

Formalization: The extent to which jobs activities and behaviours are standardized and the means by which the standardization is accomplished.

Centralization: The degree to which decision-making power and control are concentrated.