Organization’s structure
NYS department of taxation and finances is logically organized. In most cases, tasks are done by a team, as opposed to breaking it down to accomplished by an individual employee. In IT, working in a team is preferable to working individually.
This is because software and hardware problems are sometimes complex and therefore, requires to be input from different people working in a team to come up with a proper solution. There are some bureaus where tasks are subdivided into separate jobs. In data warehousing for instance, there are those taking care of database and those whose work is programming.
Jobs are grouped according to departments and sub-categories falling under departments. Departmentalization as a basis of grouping jobs together considers basic activities that require to be carried out for the organization to deliver required output (Baligh, 2006). Departmentalization can be done based on functions, product, geographical areas, process or customer.
At NYS Dept of Taxation and finances, departmentalization is done based on functions. Activities are grouped according to work done to leverage on shared skills. Under technology management, jobs are further grouped together around a certain specialty in technology, such as database. Hence, we have database administrators under database, and network management under IT infrastructure.
Chain of command is important in an organization. It help clarify reporting relationships, enhances responsibility, employees can easily acquire resources requires over the chain, and introduces simplicity (Tsukamoto, 2003).
The chain of command may, however, impede free flow of information, and frustrate decision making in today’s world where decisions requires to be made faster (Dess, Lumpkin & Eisner, 2010). At NYS Dept of Taxation and finances, the chain of command is clear. The teams under each department have a higher reporting authority. For instance, in the Enterprise Storage Management where I (A. Richard ITS2 p/18) am based, we report to S. Mayo.
In management, Span of control is taken to mean the number of workers reporting to a one manager (Baligh, 2006). When the span of control is narrow, the organizational structure must necessarily be hierarchical. A broad span of control produces a flat structure.
In designing the organizational structure of an organization, the biggest question remains how to come up with an optimal manager to employee’s ratio without jeopardizing productivity. NYS Dept of Taxation and finances has a narrow span of control. This is possibly because the work done is reliant on technology, which is complicated to some extent. Also, most of the work in the department is through teams.
An organizational structure represents a chain of command. At the top is the senior manager who is involved in matters of strategy. The technical aspects of strategy are worked out by lower lever managers and employees (Joyce & Woods, 2001). Major decision making lies with the senior manager who in the case of NYS Dept of Taxation and finances is the assistant director ITS. Further down in the structure, heads of divisions of the bureaus are involved in decision making.
Public organization normally operates in a very formal way as opposed to small businesses and upstarts. Upstarts works best in a less formal way, because their products or services are usually innovative (Daft, 2010). As the organization becomes big, it increases in complexity, because it also produces complex products and services.
For an organization such as NYS Dept of Taxation and finances, rules and regulations are important to direct managers and employees. The IT department requires general directions as opposed to specific rules to follow. This is because IT requires a healthy dose of creative thinking for the simple reason that technology keeps on changing very fast (Hitt, Ireland & Hoskisson, 2011). Regulations should be imposed to the extent the department’s goals, such as security, are achieved.
Technology
Much of the stride made in increasing productivity in the workplace is as a result of adopting new technologies. Technology is now one of the hottest topics in the world of business. All organizations, large or small, are racing to adopt the latest technology in what they do as a business.
In an organization process, a new technology is likely to increase efficiency and hence boost profitability. For example, adopting information process in tax collection process will help tax department achieve the cannons of taxation, such as economy and convenience. In a sales process, customers can easily acquire goods and services. Therefore, technology generally makes things easier for the businesses.
Although adopting new, emerging, and relevant technologies is smart, it may nevertheless cause problems in organization processes. A new technology portends change, and people are afraid of change. The problems that technology may cause to a specific organization process are essentially problems related to employee’s inability to fit in a new environment driven a new technology.
If for instance a new technology was introduced to drive sales, products sold may initially go down before picking up or exceeding previous levels. In tax collection, adopting internet technologies in filing returns may lead to delays in filing returns initially, but later the problem does not recur as people learn. Adopting a new technology may render workers redundant. Offloading excessive employees is good, but unemployment increases.
A simple technology such as personal computer has the potential to change an organization that does not use computers massively. The same case applies to a goods producing company that adopts computer-aided manufacturing. By adopting the right communication technologies, it’s possible for a large organization to have a larger span of control in its structure without compromising productivity.
Technology can also make the relationship between employees and managers more engaging. In general, implanting a technology and information systems have the ability to introduce change in an organization completely (Mangham & Mangham, 1987). An erstwhile inefficient organization can, through technology, become very efficient.
There are those entrenched cultures that are difficult t change except by adapting new technology. Adopting internet and communication technologies may, for instance, enhance communication and dialogue between employees and the management in an organization where this kind of communication was absent.
Technology can enhance interpersonal relationship or increase distance between employer and employees (Finlay, 2000). For example, it’s possible for the manager to keep communicating often with a team leader at the head f the project through video. In the same breath, lack of direct face-to-face communication lacks the characteristic human quality that makes people truly bond. Also, internet and communication technologies make it possible to stay connected throughout. This makes it easier to do business and monitor employees.
Implementing a new technology is an involving process. Training is required to familiarize employees on the new technology, and it’s a process that requires a lot of resources (Haberberg & Rieple, 2007). Training is also required to change the attitudes of employees, not just increasing their technical competence to handle the technology (Clegg, 1990).
The success envisaged on implementation of the technology depends partly on the cooperation of employees. Implementing a new technology may require additional extra equipments which the company must acquire. As noted earlier, technology brings change, which may be reason for adopting the technology in the first place (Alkhafaji, 2003). In that case, change management is important. Leadership is also required.
Environment
NYS Dept of Taxation and finances is a public institution which interacts with a lot of players, both inside and outside the organization. All these players have competing interests. The biggest problem the organization encounter is how to keep everybody happy. Tax payers expect fast and efficient service.
Anything less than that will lead to complains. Government authorities also expect people to get minimum quality of service and anything less than that is unacceptable to it. Other players also have their own demands as well as expectations that must be considered. There is also the scrutiny from the media and other consumer rights groups. This put the department under tremendous pressure.
Strategy is developed in response to the results of analysis of the internal environment as well as external environment (Burack, 1975). As such, therefore, it’s the senior manager who pays attention to the forces in the environment. Once the forces are identified, appropriate actions can be instituted. The lower cadre employees are the ones responsible for execution of strategy as developed by the management. NYS Dept of Taxation and finances plays the important role of dealing with taxes.
Such a role is necessarily sensitive and the department must be efficient. Deploying the right technology, and doing so flawlessly is a strategic action that must be hatched by the top management, but executed by the lower cadre technical staff (Thompson & Martin, 2010).
Most of the difficulties that the department face or may face stem from their operational efficiency or lack of it. To provide superior service, the first they need is to continually deploy the latest technology in information and internet technology.
The management should also set up a strong consumer service/public relation department to engage outside parties. Perceptions can be changed or modified. The best way to do this is by engaging those likely to change or sway public opinion. The department also has a number of unfilled vacancies. There is no reason why they should continue to be vacant.
Integration
The department is in the business of collecting taxes and managing finances, as well as providing support infrastructure for doing the same.
The work is divided according to functions. Specific functions are carried out by employees hired for that purposes. They could be programmers or database administrators.
NYS Dept of Taxation and finances has a logical organization structure with a narrow span of control. It is easy to manager employees. Also, the employees can communicate easily among the management through the internet.
A challenging job done well gives immense satisfaction. Some of the tasks there are accomplished in a team. Working in a team is very rewarding. Another reward is of course the salary the employees get.
The various bureaus have persons mandated to manage them. These managers themselves are answerable to senior managers at the top. Through these leaders, the whole department is intact and can execute its mandate.
Internet and communication technologies are deployed to help coordinate the functions of the department.
References
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Baligh, H. H. (2006). Organization structures theory and design, analysis and prescription. New York: Springer.
Burack, E. H. (1975). Organization analysis: theory and applications. Hinsdale, Ill.: Dryden Press.
Clegg, S. (1990). Organization theory and class analysis: new approaches and new issues. Berlin: W. de Gruyter.
Daft, R. L. (2010). Organization theory and design (10th ed.). Mason, Ohio: South-Western Cengage Learning.
Dess, G. G., Lumpkin, G. T., & Eisner, A. B. (2010). Strategic management: creating competitive advantages (5th ed.). New York: McGraw-Hill Irwin.
Finlay, P. N. (2000). Strategic management: an introduction to business and corporate strategy. New York: Pearson Education.
Haberberg, A., & Rieple, A. (2007). Strategic management: theory and application. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
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Joyce, P., & Woods, A. (2001). Strategic management: a fresh approach to developing skills, knowledge and creativity. London: Kogan Page.
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Thompson, J. L., & Martin, F. (2010). Strategic management (6th ed.). Andover: Cengage Learning.
Tsukamoto, S. (2003). Human nature and organization theory: on the economic approach to institutional organization. Cheltenham, UK: Edward Elgar.