4.3.4 Design and implementation of organizational structures

The parameters of the organizational structure have a significant impact on the efficiency of the management system. The unreasonable, overstated number of managerial employees reduces the efficiency of the management staff. Excessive number of levels of management increases the duration of the passage of information and reduces the efficiency of management decisions. Thus, the very structure of the subject of management is a form of organization of management processes, which determines the important role that the creation of a regional structure plays in solving the problem of increasing the effectiveness of the management system. The need to design new organizational structures arises in two cases:

1. for newly created organizations;

2. for existing organizations, when major changes in the external and internal environment require the introduction of fundamental changes in the organizational structure (for example, when switching to the production of a new product with a change in the production structure of the enterprise).

Of the proposed methodological approaches to the formation of organizational structures, the system-target approach has received the greatest practical distribution. Such an approach with a focus on the final results of the system’s activity requires that the management structure ^* does not reflect the set of established functions, but would correspond to the objectives of the system.

The system-target approach is the most promising from the standpoint of the requirements for organizational management structures, and in particular, the requirements of individualization. Its feature is that the design is conducted from the goal. The main advantage of the approach is the possibility of forming such an organizational structure, which would correspond to the maximum production conditions. This means that the structure of the organization must be such as to ensure its strategic goal.

In accordance with this approach, the organization and content of the process of improving management structures includes three stages:

• pre-project preparation, consisting in the study and analysis of the current organizational structure, the identification of its shortcomings and the identification of ways to eliminate them; []
• organizational structure design;
• implementation of the project organizational structure.

Stages of organizational design. According to the classical organization theory, the management structure should be developed from top to bottom in the following sequence:

1. The organization in the horizontal plane is divided into structural blocks in accordance with the main activities for the implementation of the strategy ^* , which ultimately determines the structure. The division of labor in the horizontal plane also implies the provision of clear interaction, cooperation and coordination of the activities of the selected units. In parallel with the division of labor in structural units in the horizontal plane, it is necessary to establish which activities will be carried out by line units, and which ones by headquarters.

2. The problem of a rational division of labor in blocks is very closely related to the problem of a rational balance of centralization and decentralization, determining the powers of various positions, and delegating authority to lower levels of government. Centralization of the most important decisions at the highest levels of management is necessary to achieve unity of action for all departments of the organization towards the realization of strategic goals (for example, the implementation of a single economic, social, scientific and technical policy, etc.). The goal of the enlarged structural blocks may be subject to decomposition, i.e., be broken down into more specific goals, for the realization of which smaller structural units are created.

3. Within the structural blocks, function-tasks are formed, homogeneous in their direction, which are assigned to specific executors as official duties.

4. Internal and external environment are constantly in development, in dynamics, changing plans and guidelines of the organization. Hence the need for periodic reorganization of the management structure and bringing it into an adequate state in accordance with changes in the external and internal environment.

5. The quality of solving many issues arising during the design of organizational structures is determined by experience, intuition and other subjective characteristics of specialists.

It should be noted that the process of improving the organizational structure is an iterative process, which provides for the possibility of specifying the design decisions made at the previous stages during the execution of work at any stage.

The introduction of design solutions. The organization of the implementation of the developed activities is the final stage, during which the sequence, the timing of the restructuring of the organizational structure and the implementers are determined. Analysis of the results of the introduction of projects of new organizational structures and projects of reorganization of the management structures of existing enterprises suggests that the main reason for rejection or a sharp decline in the effectiveness of such innovations is the lack of appropriate organizational and management support. Such support for the implementation of design solutions includes:

• determining the composition of tasks requiring implementation in the implementation of an organizational project;
• the creation of the necessary resource support (human, informational, technical, financial, etc.);
• selection of the organizational form and work planning system;
• training of employees of various departments in connection with the> new orientation of the management structure;
• drafting orders, orders, other documentation and organization of control over the implementation of the implementation plan;
• coordination and operational regulation of the implementation of the project solution;
• development of regulations on material and moral incentives for employees involved in the implementation of an organizational project.

Implementation of design solutions is impossible without taking into account the principle of the first leader. Indeed, if the implementation process is complex, systemic, then it is quite natural that all large-scale work will be carried out under the direct supervision of the first head of the organization. A good result also comes from external consultants.

Special attention should be paid to conducting social and psychological training, the purpose of which is to convince employees of the need not only for a positive perception of changes in the structure of the management system, but also for active participation in their implementation. This work should be carried out both by the project developers and managers of various ranks.

A progressive direction in improving the quality of design work, shortening the design period is the creation of computer-aided design (CAD) systems. However, the use of CAD to improve organizational structures is difficult due to the low level of formalization of the design process.

The economic efficiency of improving the organizational structure will manifest itself in improving the quality of management decisions, the speed of decisions made, reducing the cost of management processes, reducing the amount of information and other factors depending on specific design decisions.