When you finish studying the material in this chapter, you should be able to:

• Describe the four characteristics common to all organisations.
• Describe the relationship between differentiation and integration in organisations.
• Explain the different coordination mechanisms an organisation can use.
• Define and briefly explain the practical significance of centralisation and decentralisation.
• Discuss the bureaucratic organisation.
• Discuss Burns and Stalker’s findings regarding mechanistic and organic organisations.
• Describe the seven organisation types of Mintzberg and discuss how they differ in the structural elements.
• Describe why new organisational forms developed and what the main differences are with the classical forms.
• Describe horizontal, hourglass and virtual organisations.