Understanding organisational structures and design models

Organisational structures sit at the heart of 3CO01 Unit AC 2.2, and this video addresses them by mapping out four distinct structural types — hierarchical, flat, matrix, and network — alongside the trade-offs each one creates for communication, decision-making, and managerial span of control. Rather than treating structure as an abstract concept, the video grounds each type in terms of how information moves, where authority sits, and how different parts of an organisation relate to one another. These distinctions matter for people professionals because structural choices shape the context in which HR policies, procedures, and everyday people practices operate.

The video then moves into three analytical frameworks used to examine organisational design: Mintzberg's Organisational Configurations, the McKinsey 7-S Framework, and Galbraith's Star Model. Each model approaches design from a different angle — Mintzberg's through the identification of core organisational components and their relative dominance, the 7-S Framework through the alignment of seven interdependent elements including strategy, systems, and shared values, and Galbraith's Star Model through the explicit connection between strategy, structure, processes, rewards, and people. Together, they give viewers multiple lenses for analysing why an organisation is designed the way it is and what happens when its components fall out of alignment.

Underpinning all three models is the concept of organisations as interconnected whole systems, which is the central concern of AC 2.2. The video makes clear that structural choices and design decisions are never isolated — adjusting one element creates ripple effects across others, including people strategies, reward systems, and professional practices. This systems perspective is central to understanding why a people professional's actions in one part of an organisation can carry consequences well beyond their immediate area of responsibility.