Human resourcesGeneralOrganisational StructureAnalysisHuman Resources
AQA GCSE · Question 02.5 · Human resources
Jameel will manage all the employees himself.\n\nAnalyse one drawback of a flat organisational structure for JAA Toys.
How to approach this question
1. **Identify a drawback:** Start by stating a general drawback of a flat structure (e.g., wide span of control, limited promotion opportunities, risk of manager being overworked).
2. **Apply to JAA Toys:** Explain what this drawback means specifically for Jameel and his business. Use information from Item B (e.g., he manages everyone, he will be visiting shops, he needs high-quality toys).
3. **Analyse the impact:** Explain the consequences of this drawback for JAA Toys. What could happen as a result? (e.g., quality might fall, Jameel becomes stressed, business growth is limited).
Full Answer
A flat organisational structure has few layers of hierarchy. In JAA Toys, Jameel is the only manager.\n\n**Potential Drawbacks:**\n* **Wide Span of Control:** Jameel has to manage all employees directly. This can be difficult and time-consuming, especially as he has other roles (sales, design).\n* **Overworked Manager:** Jameel could become stressed and unable to focus on strategic tasks because he is too involved in day-to-day supervision.\n* **Lack of Supervision:** As Item B states he will be out of the business getting orders, staff may be left unsupervised. This could lead to a drop in quality, which is a key part of JAA Toys' USP.\n* **Limited Promotion Opportunities:** For the employees, there is no clear career path as there are no senior roles to be promoted into. This could lead to them leaving to find work elsewhere in the long term.
Common mistakes
✗ Not using the context from Item B. A generic answer about flat structures will not score highly.\n✗ Describing what a flat structure is, rather than analysing a drawback of it.\n✗ Confusing flat structures with tall structures.
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