The Uneasily Defined Organizational Structure of Apple Essay

The Uneasily Defined Organizational Structure of Apple Anna Windust MGT/230 January 20, 2013 Christi Monk The Uneasily Defined Organizational Structure of Apple Organizational structures have been used for centuries to help people within organizations to understand who holds authoritative roles and how it is ordered, who has certain responsibilities and how they are organized and executed, and how communication flows between the tiers of management (â€Å"BusinessDictionary,† 2013). There are many types of organizational structures; the common ones are functional, divisional, and matrix organizational structures. Apple is a company in which the organizational structure is somewhat of a mystery; therefore, it is a very interesting†¦show more content†¦It was rare that any employee would not have a clear understanding of what Job’s direction was going and what his objectives of any given week were. There was such a personal connection to the CEO that employees at all levels generally believed they were an instrumental and working part of the organization. Jobs wanted the very best person in each specific job; therefore, employees were held accountable for their own positions. Lashinsky (2011) noted the odd culture and organizational structure of Apple: To Apples legion of admirers, the company is like a tech version of Wonkas factory, an enigmatic but enchanted place that produces wonderful items they cant get enough of. That characterization is true, but Apple also is a brutal and unforgiving place, where accountability is strictly enforced, decisions are swift, and communication is articulated clearly from the top. (para. 3) The organizational structure at Apple would make most people uneasy, yet surprisingly the employee turn-over is quite low. Employees have a good understanding of what the company wants to achieve, believes in the products that they are creating, and wants the company to succeed. These beliefs have helped employees to meet the organizational goals of Apple, making it one of the most successful companies in the United States. Apple has a reputation for providing top-quality customer service. Employees are required to have a