Organizational Structure and Mission Statements for Whitlam Memorial Hospital

This article discusses the traditional bureaucratic structure of Whitlam Memorial Hospital and the benefits of implementing a matrix organizational structure. It also emphasizes the importance of mission and vision statements in an organization.

Introduction:
Organizational structure acts as a backbone on which the work processes and the policies of
the organisation rely and are built to achieve the objectives (Dischner, 2015). The
relationship among the management and the employees and the flow of emotions, ideas and
information’s are lay out formally through the organisational structure of the organisation
(Dischner, 2015). The health care’s organisations functions very specifically, executing the
services that are of high quality to the patients each and every hour of the day (Dischner,
2015). Hence, the health care organisations for fulfilling such service requirement are to
follow the erect organizational structure having different management layers. The different
layers of the management are designed in such a way to ensure that the tasks are done exactly
and correctly (Dischner, 2015).
Whitlam Memorial hospital is also following the traditional bureaucratic structure where the
organisation works under the different management layers (Melrose, 2018). The bureaucratic
organisational structure includes the hierarchy that moves from the executives to regional
managers and then the department managers and at the base shift supervisors works with the
frontline employees. The decision making is to pass through the different level of the
organisation as compared to the organization that is flat (Melrose, 2018). For example, the
refund case has to pass first through the frontline employees and then towards the shift
supervisor and after their approval, it passes to the store management the retail outlet in the
company with bureaucratic structure. In the origination where the structure is bureaucratic,
their authorities are usually centred at the crest, and information usually surges from the crest
to down (Melrose, 2018). This encourages the culture of the company to be focused on
standards and rules, where the operational procedure is strictly controlled with certain best
methodologies and supervision (Singh, 2013).

The current traditional bureaucratic structure:
Top-level managers in bureaucratic organizational structures exercise a great deal of control
over organizational strategy decisions, which is ideal for business owners with a command
and control style (Singh, 2013). Deliberate decision-making moment under the bureaucratic
structure is to be shorter in a high organizational arrangement because only few individuals
are involved in the structure (Singh, 2013). Best-practices and Standardization are over and
over again highlights in companies with tall managerial structures, making sure that work is
again and again completed resourcefully and efficiently.
Disadvantages
Bossy structures can dishearten innovation and creativity throughout the association. No
matter how clever a company owner is, it is almost impossible for a solitary individual to
produce the variety of planned ideas probable in a large, interdisciplinary cluster (Abbasi,
2017). Front-line workers may get less fulfilment from their jobs in a severely bureaucratic
association, increasing worker earnings rates. Organization bound by severe control can, in
addition, find them a lesser amount able to become accustomed to changing circumstances in
the industry, marketplace or the legal atmosphere (Abbasi, 2017).
Mission and vision:
A vision and mission are critical as well as standard elements of a company's managerial
strategy. Most well-known companies build up organizational undertaking statements and
revelation statements that serve as introductory guides in the enterprise setup of the company
objectives (Dharmadasa, 2010) The business then develops tactical and strategic plans for
objectives. These statements play 3 main roles: commune the function of the relationship to

stakeholders; update strategy expansion, and develop the reckonable objectives and goals by
which to measure the accomplishment of the organization’s approach (Dharmadasa, 2010).
Vision and Mission provide a vehicle for comprehensively communicating an organization’s
principle and values to all main stakeholders. The stakeholders are those main parties which
have some authority over the association or the stake in its expectations (Dharmadasa,
2010). Vision and Mission create a goal for strategy expansion. That is, one decisive factor of
a good quality policy is how well it helps the firm attain its set mission and future vision
(Garnett, Lawes, James, Bigland & Zander, 2015). Vision statements are significant as such
statements provide the bridge between the organisation strategies and mission which
develops the sense of responsibility among the employees and thus achieving the objectives
of the organisation. Hence, the better vision statements generate restlessness and tension as
per the status quo that is; the company to promote the spirit of continuous improvement and
innovation (Garnett, Lawes, James, Bigland & Zander, 2015).
Vision and mission both relate to the organization’s aspirations and purpose and are
communicated normally in the form of certain brief written statements. The mission
statement of the organisation results in communicating the reason related to the presence of
the organisation, the purpose of the organisation and how the company aspires to serve the
main stakeholders (Garnett, Lawes, James, Bigland & Zander, 2015). The vision statement is
future-oriented, narrower, the organization’s declaration purpose and aspirations. Vision and
mission together result in developing the guiding strategy, help to communicate the purpose
of the organisation to the stakeholders and inform about the objectives and the goals are set
for determining whether the structure of the organisation is working properly according to the
objectives (Garnett, Lawes, James, Bigland & Zander, 2015). Mission, vision and the goals
provide the guide of high level and the organisation structure results in the specific guide for
achieving the objectives and goals, the failure and success of the strategy and also satisfaction

related to the different objectives that are stated in the mission statements (Gunasekare,
2016). The secret of developing the better mission statements is to focus on the reason that is
related to the organisation existence and not on the services and the products which the
organisation provides (Gunasekare, 2016).
Organisational Structure:
WMH is restructuring itself and increasing the number of the beds form 130 to 250 according
to the increase in the capacity for the communities based clinics in the specialities. Hospital is
planning to provide certain other new facilities and treatment as per the growing needs of the
community, such providing services related o the treatments including, paediatric,
cardiovascular, cancer, trauma services, aged care services, community and the renal
services.
The Matrix organisational structure will be the best structure that is to be applied by the
Whitlam Memorial hospital for its restructuring. The matrix structure in a great way
accommodates constantly as per the changing landscapes and the requirement of the
organisations (Saunila, Mäkimattila & Salminen, 2014). Matrix is the combinations of the
single and the cohesive structure which in turn results in the dual authority system. The
matrix organisational structure instead of applying the structure of linear management
structure utilizes the dual-reporting associations. Persons, for the completion of the task
regardless of the department to which they belong, have to report diverse departments
(Saunila, Mäkimattila & Salminen, 2014). Collaboration is also considered as the significant
feature in matrix organisational structures, particularly in a situation where teams are formed,
drawing persons from the diverse division of the institute, for the specific project
accomplishment (Saunila, Mäkimattila & Salminen, 2014).

The matrix organisational structure is beneficial for the reason of the efficient and the faster
flow of the information among the organisation (Zgrzywa-Ziemak, 2015). The information is
exchanged at the speedier and the free flowing manner because of the closer cooperation
between the organisation and the employees. Data Sharing is also encouraged by the matrix
structure, flowing horizontally and vertically, so everyone can access the information as
required. The matrix structure results in the rapid flow and exchange of the information with
the improving response rate for the changes and the unforeseen circumstances (Zgrzywa-
Ziemak, 2015). The structure is more remarkable as it involves the larger number of
departments within the organisation. Matrix structure utilizes the resources in an efficient
and the cost effective way. The structure results in the department to protect it from the
excessive spending on the tools, manpower, and equipment as the same can be sourced from
the other sections (Zgrzywa-Ziemak, 2015). The structure is also beneficial in the personal
and the professional growth of the managers, matrix structure tends to produce the proficient
managers and the specialised workers through the information sharing and the experiences
which they obtain while working in the different projects of the organisation and hence the
structure also results in improved dedication and sense of commitments related to the jobs
(Zgrzywa-Ziemak, 2015).
Conclusion:
Among the strength, there are certain limitations among the Matrix structure, such as creating
confusion as a result of the duals the dual authority system. This also results in lack of control
and actual loss of the managers in controlling the employees of their own department. This
also lessens the sense of accountability and responsibility along the employees. Increases the

initial and setup cost of the organisation. The conflicts awaken due to the dual authority
among the employees develops the feeling of frustration and dissatisfaction.
Whitlam Memorial hospital is restructuring itself into the larger hospital with the increased
spaces and treatment facilities, Matrix is the better option as it is suitable for the larger
structure organisations, the adaptability and flexibility of the structure will be a better option
for the fast pace organisation WHM (Gunasekare, 2016). The different department in the
WHM will require the decentralisation process that is to encourage the decision making
process at the different level of the different department, for managing the larger organisation
WHM requires the flat structure that is the authority is to spread out for taking the decision,
hence looking into such factors it is believed that the matrix structuring will be best suitable
for the restructuring of the WMH hospital. (Gunasekare, 2016)

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