A Flexible Work Arrangement Coursework Example

Essays on A Flexible Work Arrangement Coursework The paper "A Flexible Work Arrangement" is a brilliant example of coursework on management. A flexible work arrangement refers to a workplace setting that allows workers to work under a more changeable schedule instead of keeping to the traditional 8-hour workday. At present, a growing number of workers are working under a flexible schedule from different locations and some even share jobs. The main flexible work arrangements include flex-time, job-sharing, compressed workweek schedules, and telecommuting. Under flex-time, employees are allowed to set time for starting and finishing their work within limits set by management. Job-sharing allows two employees to share duties under one full-time job position. Compressed workweek schedules let workers work for 40 hours in less than 5 days. Most employees work for 10 hours in four days every week. Lastly, telecommuting involves working from home for some hours and going to the office for two or so days within a week (Kelliher Anderson 2 008, p.423).Organic and Mechanistic organizationsGitman McDaniel (2009, p.190) note that an organic firm is typified by a comparatively low job specialization, few management levels, loose departmentalization, broad spans of control, a short command chain and decentralized decision-making. When these elements combine they form a flat firm structure. Universities and colleges have a tendency of having flat structures, with just a few administration levels amid the president and the faculty. On the other hand, a mechanistic firm is typified by a comparatively high level of job specialization, several management layers, rigid departmentalization, centralized decision-making, the long command chain, and narrow control spans. All these features constitute what is known as a tall firm structure. The United Nations and U.S Armed forces are examples of characteristic mechanistic organizations. The decision on whether to form a more organic or mechanistic organization depends on a number of factors including, the overall strategy of an organization, its size as well as the stability of the external environment.Description of the workplaces in the case studyThe workplaces described in the case study are more organic. In the case of Mr. Marburg, he is able to both work at ANZ Bank as well as pursue his sports’ passion for towing. Instead of working from an ANZ’s office in the city, he carries his laptop and does some work from his boat shed during his towing practice (SMH 2009). This characterizes an organic organization in the sense that, the span of control that is exercised by the ANZ Bank is very wide. For instance, Mr. Marburg is free to discharge his duties as a communication adviser from his boat shed without being supervised by anybody. The organization is not exercising a lot of control over him as part of its workforce. Moreover, decentralized decision-making as is the case for organic organizations is evident where Mr. Marburg is free to decide when to discharge his bank duties in the course of his towing training (SMH 2009).