Case Study Mercy Corps Essay

Introduction With the fourth biennial Mercy Corps leadership seminar in The fall of 2006 executive leadership defined the well-known, internal problems at Mercy Corps being a large business ($194 million budget in 2006) that “has to pay attention to two key areas: worldwide relief and development” (Grossman & Full, 2008). The status in the organization was examined in depth by the Harvard Business School case study and a number of problems were revealed. This examination is based on the information provided by the case study and addresses several issues.

The first section discusses 3 forms of differentiation and how they are relevant to Mercy Corps. The second section addresses the five different forms of integration in an organization. Another section evaluates the use of difference and the use in the organization and the success of differentiation and incorporation.

In the last section I take a look at whether Mercy Corps is actually a mechanistic business or organic and natural organization. Changes in Differentiation While discussed in class and in designated reading for PUB M 511 you will find three types of differentiation. This really is essentially just how an organization splits its labor into unique tasks and then coordinates these people (Hodge & Anthony, handout).

Hodge & Anthony have got defined three forms of differentiation as: 1 ) Horizontal difference – differentiation of work into tasks exact same level of business. 2 . Straight differentiation – division of job by standard of authority, pecking order, or string of control. 3. Space differentiation – refers to geographical dispersion. All three forms of difference are highly relevant to key issues in the Mercy Corps case.

Horizontal differentiation is clearly evident when the four software directors earlier supervising forty five country administrators were changed by half a dozen regional system directors. Successfully, a new section was added and the confirming structure was changed in order that country directors were now reporting for their respective regional director whom reported to the Portland, OR HQ rather than the program directors in Portland, OR. Since the reporting structure was transformed the country directors now had one more stage before achieving the HQ. Alternatively country owners now a new faster response rate pertaining to questions which were not critical. Vertical difference was likewise apparent by Mercy Corps.

One example of vertical differentiation at Whim Corps was Zimmerman’s position. Originally plan directors reported to the leader but now local program administrators (replaced the four software directors) reported to Zimmerman. This removed the director from the local program company directors; it also helped the chief executive focus on proper initiatives and turn the face with the organization rather than the day-to-day administrative functions. Mercy Corps a new strong perception of space differentiation.

With 3, 1000 team members spread out across the world the corporation had a technique that kept the teams overseas aligned while using mission. Every teams, irrespective of their physical locations, line-up their nation goals for their greater perspective and objective of Whim Corps. Though country company directors get superb autonomy in how they run their software and where their financing comes from they still will work towards a shared target. Changes in The usage Many of the kinds of integration had been significant in the Mercy Corps case. Because defined simply by Hodge & Anthony in the handout supplied in class the Five Varieties of Integration are defined as: 1 . Formalization – utilization of formal rules, plans and methods.

2 . Centralization of decision-making or authority – identifies the place in the hierarchy exactly where decisions are manufactured. 3. Period of Control – identifies the number of instant subordinate positions a bureaucratic position regulates or coordinates. 4. Standardization – integration can be achieved through a method, input (human resources and materials), and output standardization. 5. Nonstructural means for the use – refers to the coordination mechanisms which includes liaison functions, teams, tradition, information systems, and conversation processes. The Mercy Corps case starts using formalization at the country director – president.

Communication channels are well defined and employee and staff find out whom they will report to. Following the addition of regional company directors another level was put into the connection process. The policies and procedures were formalized and understood by all employees and staff and used so that financing and program goals could possibly be met. Centralization was not evident at the firm level. It absolutely was evident at the country level, where region directors received permission to operate their applications in the most efficient way for that country.

Period of control was sensible for the staff of Mercy Corps. Previously the several program directors had 45 direct information. This improved when 6 regional system directors. Although span of control was manageable the standardization procedure was not. Your resources crew small compared to other agencies of the same size.

The human resources team as well was based primarily out of the Portland, OR office with one person in Scotland. With regards to nonstructural means for integration, Whim Corps offers liaison tasks and interaction processes in place. Mercy Corps also has a culture that may be adapted by simply all groups across the globe. Appropriateness of Use of Differentiation and Integration & Success with Differentiation and Integration Whim Corps employed differentiation and integration within a successful way.

By leveraging both the altitudes and the levels of difference and integration the organization can also work at excessive operational and strategic level. Mechanistic Firm vs . Organic and natural Organization Mercy Corps as a whole runs like a very mechanistic organization. Even though the country offices run more similarly to a organic organization.

As defined in the handout by Hodge & Anthony a mechanistic organization is usually: high up and down and horizontal complexity, excessive formalization, filter spans of control, high centralization and high standardization. While a organic business is defined as: low vertical and horizontal complexness, low formalization, broad ranges of control, low centralization and low standardization. Realization In conclusion, Mercy Corps represents high differentiation and incorporation at an company level. In the field/country level it seems to control more over a low difference and integration. Therefore , the organization as a whole is run as a mechanistic corporation and the field offices are run even more organically with more autonomy.

Recommendations Grossman, Allen S., and Caroline Full. “Mercy Corps: Positioning the business to Reach Fresh Heights. ” The Harvard Business University (2008): 1-24. Print. Hodge, Anthony and Gales.

Company Goals and Effectiveness, Business Theory: An organized Approach. sixth Ed., 2002. Print. Hodge, Anthony and Gales. The size of Structure and Design, Business Theory: A Strategic Approach. 6th Ed., 2002.

Print. Morgan, Gareth. Images of Business. Thousand Oak trees: Sage Journals, 2006. Produce.