Features of WL Gore's Organizational Structure and Management

Running page: Management 1
WLGORE-REPORT
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Table of Contents
Introduction.................................................................................................................................................2
1. Features of the organization structure and management...................................................................2
1.1 The organizational structure and management principle..................................................................3
1.2 Leadership.........................................................................................................................................3
1.3 How features represent consistent management approach.............................................................4
1.4 Examples of the principle of WL Gore's management approach.......................................................4
1.4.1 Company beliefs.........................................................................................................................5
1.4.2 Principle......................................................................................................................................5
1.4.3 Organizational culture................................................................................................................6
2. Advantages and disadvantages of Gore’s approach to organization and management......................6
2.1 Advantages of Gore's approach to management..............................................................................6
2.2 Disadvantages of Gore’s approach to management..........................................................................7
3. W.L. Gore approach to organization and management transferable to other companies..................8
3.1 Types of companies that can have a lattice organizational approach..............................................10
Conclusion.................................................................................................................................................11
Reference..................................................................................................................................................12
Introduction
Organizational structure and management play an important role in the success and to
some extent contributes to the way an company manages its employees. There are many different

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organizational structures that have features enabling certain operations within the business
environment. Companies have come up with an organizational structure that allows flexibility
and management of operations in a more effective and efficient way. WL Gore & Associates has
a management approach that is based on a lattice structure with no formal leadership positions
and ranks. In addition, the organizational structure removes hierarchy and instead sets formal
board of directors and a CEO that manages the company. Leadership is within the organization is
defined based on ability of a leaders to influence other people especially through personal
accountability and integrity. There are also some beliefs and guiding principles that enable the
lattice organizational structure and management to work. To some extent, the non-hierarchical
organizational structure can be transferred and used in other companies. The following paper
analyses the W.L. Gore and Associates approach to organization and management of the
business.
1.Features of the organization structure and
management
Gore's organization management uses the lattice organization structure and management
that is characterized by some distinct management features. These features represent a consistent
management approach that has elaborate principles. Some of the features of the organizational
structure and management include the organizational structure itself, leadership and represent
management with elaborate principles.
1.1 The organizational structure and management
principle
The organizational structure used at the Gore is majorly the lattice organizational
structure with some elements of hierarchy. Firstly, the organization has both the board of

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directors and CEO for formality as required of an organization. Secondly, the organization is
divided into four divisions namely fabrics, medical, industrial, and electronic products with
recognized "leaders". Thirdly, the company has larger departments that play some roles in the
organization and these are human resources management and information technology
departments. Fourthly, the organization has no positions or ranks but instead has a self-
management system where people manage themselves. The communication system within the
business is majorly peers to peer as opposed to the normal communication channel of senior
management to subordinate staffs. Lastly, the compensation within the business is based on the
ranking in terms of contribution to the company. Employees are compensated based on the
ranking that is derived from the associate’s contribution within the organization and this
motivates associates to work harder and get high contribution ranking (Kapoor 2012).
1.2 Leadership
Leadership is another distinctive aspect of the lattice organizational structure and
management that is used by the Gore company. The leadership within the organization is based
on the ability to lead your team. This implies that people who are able to influence other team
members are chosen by the team to lead and those leaders who cannot lead are also dismissed by
the team. Team leaders, therefore, are allowed to make decisions, set goals for the team and lead
meetings of the team. The leadership within the lattice organizational structure is based on the
leaders empowering other employees while at the same time leaders needs to empower
themselves. Furthermore, the key feature of leadership is to create the enabling environment for
people to performs hence leader's performance is determined by the team being led (Tambe
2013).