I am looking for a scale measurement (3-6 items) that captures the horizontal centralization. Currently, I examine process of business unit restructuring. As such, I focus on the introduction of a new centralized business unit. The most established measurements follow the thought of the Aston studies and consider solely vertical centralization (e.g., dependence-independence from supervisor). Thanks for your help!
Dear Philip,
The most detailed questionnaire on centralization and other parameters of organizational design can be found inside OrgCon software available from www.ecomerc.com The general description of that software and the questionnaires used is presented in Burton, R. and Obel, B. Strategic Organizational Diagnosis and Design, Kluwer, 2004.
Success,
Igor
Thanks Igor, that looks like a very helpful source.
All the best,
Philipp
I think this is a great research based question for which you can use your creativity and innovation to develop your own model and questionnaire to answer. First, I would look at what centralized services are you testing the re their intended goal(s) and/or desired outcomes...what indicators would you use to evaluate the results or on-going progress of each effort. Have a question asking, say using a Likert Scale model for all of the questions, about the fit of the effort of centralization to the vision of the organization...goal(s) re efficiency and effectiveness...and, if it were a healthcare organization some perspective re quality of care and the continuity of care as two ways to see how the degree of centralization of services has impacts on the carte provided. I personally would not seek a "standardized" questionnaire for this study and research...I might find one that is relevant but rather create your own!
Even though there are many benefits of centralization specially in a large manufacturing organization. I have found that decentralization work well in a research oriented R&D company, start ups, or those companies, who concentrates on utilizing new innovations or technologies while developing new products. Take a look,...
Article Decentralized cooperation: A distributed approach to team de...
As I read the question, you want to measure it using a survey. Given the fact that most respondents hardly know anything about org structure design, and given the reality that there are so many different types of decisions that may or may not be decentralised, my advice would be to do a qualitative study. See attached work-in-progress article in which I try to make the point that organisational structure is too complex to survey.
I agree with Kenneth Rethmeier.
You could focus on a few centralised services, and use your own creativity. For example, while a recruitment decision is implemented by the human resources department, some departments that would be involved in decision-making are: the department/ function which has raised the recruitment need; the human resources department would be involved in assessment, reference checks, joining negotiations and formalities; the finance department may be involved in working out a package of compensation, stocks or a severance package and so on, as necessary.
You can explore the horizontal centralisation in this case.
I recommend an article, only in Polish language http://www.zakrzewska-bielawska.pl/new/1398289451_publikacja_8_2008.pdf
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