The document summarizes an interview with a senior registered nurse at a Southern California hospital about the administrative structure and its effectiveness. Vertical linkages are discussed as how communication flows from top administrators to lower levels. The hospital is described as having some matrix qualities in how different divisions are organized under both functional and divisional managers.

1. Application Assignment
CMGT 540
“Interview with a senior Registered Nurse at a Southern California Hospital (referred to as “the hospital”)

2. Q&A
• From a hospital employee’s perspective, is
the Hospital administrative structure set
up in such a way where you think it is Click on Video To View Answers
effective? Effective meaning the
employee’s are happy, the satisfaction
scores are high, and the hospital is fiscally
solvent?
• Does the administration add value to the
organization?
• If there was one thing about the structure
of the Hospital administration you could
change what would it be?
• *The interviewee will not be
shown in this video. You will
only be able to hear her voice
for anonymity reasons*

3. Applying the Readings
• It can be assumed that on a general levels, the
way the hospital administration interacts with
• What are Vertical
the managers and employees in the different
divisions throughout the hospital is free
Linkages?(Daft pp. 93)
flowing and for the most part harmonious. It is
inferred that Communication is coming from
the top , down. Rules, Orders, and regulations
all come from the top people in the
organization (CEO, CNO, CFO) to the low level
managers/supervisors and employees, These
regulations and messages are Vertical Linkages
and can be seen in this organization.

4. Can A Hospital be considered a
Matrix Organization?
In my opinion hospitals are not set up entirely
the same, but have a hierarchical quality to
them. I see a lot of different themes within that
hierarchal structure and recognize different
concepts from our reading. In reference to
Matrix forms, hospitals have matrix qualities.
For example, within divisions /(units) of a
hospital (HR, ICU, Pediatrics, Public
Relations, etc) managers have authority within
that division as well as having (not equal but
close to equal) authority within the organization
as a whole. This , in way, can be classified as
having a "Matrix” quality. Matrix Forms are “The
unique characteristics of the matrix form is that
both divisional and functional managers have
equal authority within the organization, and
employees report to both of them.”(Nohria p.
7). This model allows for a flexibility and
changing circumstances including patient
flow, numbers of cases in a given day, and how
many people are staffed. “The Strength of the
Matrix is that it enables the organization to
meet multiple demands from the environment.
Resources can be flexibly allocated and the
organization can adapt to changing external
environments.” (Nohria p.7). To the right, is an
example of how a hospital may be set up.

5. Socialization within a organization
“As a component of the forces of production, the hierarchy of authority is a means of collective control for orchestrating
large-scale cooperation. . . the progressive socialization of this dimension of organization structure does not consist of
flattening the hierarchy in the romantic-reactionary pursuit of a primordial, undifferentiated unity, but consists instead of
ensuring that the authority is endorsed from below rather than imposed unilaterally from above (using the distinction
developed by Dornbusch and Scott 1975).” (Adler 254)
“The structural Marxist perspective suggests that staff functions can play an important role in the socialization of
organization structure by distilling and infusing knowledge. Employees might embrace this division of labor so long as
staff/line relations are themselves collaborative.” (Adler pp. 255) In the interview there was an overall theme of knowledge
and information being passed down through the levels of authority; open communication and collaboration within the act
of passing down knowledge different levels of authority is an important way to establish repore .

6. References
• Adler, P. (2012). "The Sociological Ambivalence of Bureaucracy: From Weber via
Gouldner to Marx:" OrganizationScience, 23(1), pp. 244-266
• Nohria, N. (1995). "Note on Organizational Structure." Harvard Business School. Pp.
2-19
• Daft, R. (2007) Organization Theory and Design. Fundamentals of Organizational
Structure. (9th ed.), pp. 88-125
• Photo on “Slide 4” Courtesy of: http://goo.gl/WChnu
• Photo on “Slide 5” Courtsey of: http://goo.gl/MWSWq