Develop an Organization-Wide Policy Framework - Implementation Plan

Anthony Madrigal

IS4550 Unit 2 Lab

10 Jan 2016

1. What are the differences between a Flat and Hierarchical organizations?

• Flat organizational structures are characterized by the following:  Management structure is cross-functional and more open to employee input.  Dialogue and communications between employees may occur across organizational functions.  Employees tend to be more open and communicative.  Employees tend to be more creative and involved in business decisions.  Employees are not constrained within their role or function and can see and interact across the organization more freely.
• Hierarchical organizational structures are characterized by the following:  Departments are separated by function, creating multiple functional silos.  Business decision-making performed at the executive management level.  Dialogue and communications is more top-down.  Employees tend to be less communicative and more isolated within their business functions.  Employees find it difficult to offer additional creativity or input to business decisions.  Employees are constrained within their roles and cannot interact outside of their business functions without going through a chain of command.

1. Do employees behave differently in a flat versus hierarchical organizational structure?

Yes...they tend to be more free spirited and offer more open dialogue and communication across business functions and not just within their business function.  Employees tend to be more entrepreneurial; however, they may lose focus on the immediate task at hand.

1. Do employee personality types differ between these organizations?

        Employees within flat organizations tend to be more outgoing and communicative, not shy to         share ideas and provide business decision-making inputs when needed.  Employees within         hierarchical organizational structures tend to be more isolated and less communicative across         business functions.  Employee personality types within a hierarchical organizational structure tend to be isolated when compared to a flat organizational structure where employees tend to be more open and involved in business decisions.

1. What makes it difficult for implementations in flat organizations?

        The lack of structure within flat organizations is a luxury that employees enjoy, but when confronted within organizational change or stringent policy definition, this type of action may hinder employee openness and involvement.  This can contribute to employee apathy and distrust in the establishment.

1. What makes it difficult for implementation in hierarchical organizations?

        Overcoming employee apathy is the most difficult and important obstacle to overcome and manage.  Employee ownership and the responsibility for information systems security policies         require a conscious decision to follow them as tedious, bothersome, or inconvenient as they         may be Communication the impacts and liability that may be placed on the organization can         draw lawsuits and other risk as a result of loss of data or compromise of privacy data