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A study of the project responsibility - authority gap in the matrix organization structure

Theses (MBA)--Stellenbosch University, 2002. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Dual lines of responsibility and authority that exist in the matrix structure's
approach to project management lead to conflict and power struggles between
project managers and functional managers with regards to personnel and
resources. Most problems associated with the matrix structure have to do with
the inability of the upper managers to work out the required power sharing in the
organization. Responsibility can be defined as feeling obligated to perform
assigned work, while authority is the power to apply resources to carry out the
work. A common problem that arises as a result of the need to share power in
the matrix organization is the responsibility - authority gap that project managers
face, i.e. project managers charged with the responsibility of attaining ambitious
goals often lack sufficient formal authority to meet them.
It is accepted that authority should be commensurate with responsibility, but
feedback suggests that general managers are often reluctant to assign sufficient
formal power to project managers.
The objectives of this research study are to, through study of literature,
investigate the characteristics of matrix organizations that create the
responsibility - authority gap and its implications on the organization in order to
identify certain recommendations and tools that will assist management to
address responsibility and authority issue. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die matriks organisasie stuktuur het dubbele lyne van verantwoordelikheid en
autoriteit wat dikwels lei tot konflik en mags konflik tussen die projek en
funksionele betuurders met betrekking tot personeel en hulpbronne. Meeste van
die probleme wat gepaardgaan met die matriks struktuur spruit voort uit die
onvermoee van top bestuur om die gewenste balans van magsdeling in die
organisasie te bewerkstellig. Verantwoordelikheid kan gedefinieer word as die
neiging om verplig te voel om toegedeelde werk te vervul, terwyl autoriteit die
mag is om die werk te kan doen. 'n Algemene probleem wat voorkom as 'n
gevolg van die nood om mag te deel in die matriks organisasie, is die
verantwoordelikheids - autoriteits gaping. Projekbestuurders is dikwels toegedeel
met die verantwoordelikheid om ambisiuese doelwitte van projekte te bereik
terwyl hulle nie die nodige autoriteit toegedeel word om die doelwitte te bereik
nie.
Daar word dikwels gesê dat autoriteit verantwoordelikhied moet aanvul, maar
terugvoering is dat algemene bestuurders dikwels nie genee is om genoegsame
formele autoritiet aan projekbestuurders toe te staan nie. Die studie se doel is om, deur literatuur studie, die elemente van die matriks
organisasie wat tot die verantwoordelikheid - autoriteits gaping lei, en die impak
daarvan op die organisasie te ondersoek ten einde voorstelle en aanbevelings
aan projek bestuurders en algemene bestuurders voor te lê wat hulle in staat sal
stel om effektiewelik die probleem te kan bestuur

Identiferoai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:sun/oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/49718
Date03 1900
CreatorsBarnard, J. N.(Jakobus Nicolaas)
ContributorsBrown, C., Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Economic & Management Sciences. Graduate School of Business.
PublisherStellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
Source SetsSouth African National ETD Portal
Languageen_ZA
Detected LanguageEnglish
TypeThesis
Format63 p.
RightsStellenbosch University

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