US Metropolitan Police Department Case Study

Chapter 10 was a good read, the role organizational structure plays within an organization of all sizes is very important. The stories and organizational charts used in this chapter was interesting and informative. I like how the author used the organizational structure for U.S. Metropolitan Police Department, Washington D.C. to show readers the importance of organizational structure when it comes to following commands within a major organization that deals with homeland security. Following, September 11, 2011 terrorist attack, homeland security and MPD was forced to make changes in the organizational structural. Because the order of communication between the national security and the police department wasn’t communicated inefficiently between

Once chief Robin Richardson was in command she made the decision to change the organizational structure within the police department. MPD chief Richardson made the decision the change the police department 's centralized organization structure to a more decentralized structure that relies on employees to communicate information to make decisions and recommend changes” ( Textbook, Chapter 10). MPD chief Richardson decisions to change the “organizational structure was to accommodate the dramatic shift in performance culture”( Textbook Chapter). MPD chief Richardson felt that the traditional functional organization structure under the vertical hierarchy has lost sight of MPD organization mission. Chief Richardson wanted to create an organizational structure that provides certain levels of autonomy, that allows employees to make decisions based on their individuals discretions. MPD chief Robin Richardson considered a “divisional organization a design structure that groups processes and jobs based on clearly defined market segments or geography”( Textbook Chapter 10). Chief Richardson considered “divisional organization structure that allows decision making to take place at the divisional level by managers, and differences of opinion would be resolved without depending on the chief. Chief Richardson felt that this design was leaning more toward what she visualized for the MPD: a centralized, horizontal organization” (Textbook chapter 10). According to the text, chief Robin Richardson “finally decision was to create a matrix organization, a design structure that facilitates horizontal integration and collaboration. A matrix model combines elements of both the functional and the divisional organizations, has dual lines of authority, and is designed to encourage the sharing of information. Robin felt that by using this model, the reporting line would shift