Reasons for Matrix-Organized Project in Product Development

This report analyzes the rationale behind organizing new product development projects using a trans-disciplinary, matrix-organized structure. It highlights the complexities of product development, the involvement of various disciplines, and the need for integration. The report emphasizes the benef...Read More

Running head: PROJECT MANAGEMENT
Project Management
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1PROJECT MANAGEMENT
Reasons to organize a new product development project as a trans-disciplinary, matrix-
organized project
Development of a new product is considered as complicated method that involved
with assistances of various disciplines. More complex is product, larger people are involved
in its development efforts. Integration takes place through establishment of secondary
structure and overlaying of the functional structure in project organization creates a matrix
organization structure (Ding, 2016). Following are the reasons behind establishing new
product development project as trans-disciplinary, as well as matrix-organized project such
as:
i. In order to develop new product, it requires input as well as impact on various
functional areas.
ii. The functional expert should contribute to expertise to various ongoing new
product development project work (Lock, 2017).
iii. It enhances flexibility. It has flexibility in a method that it can interface with
parent society. As it connects to the functional units of parent association,
therefore it can get access to technology of parent organization. For example,
flexibility of matrix project is valuable aimed at a globalized plans while it
requires integration of knowledge as well as workers coming since the
dispersed self-governing business units (Tian & DeMara, 2018).
iv. It provides access to technologies implemented in the organization.
v. It provides functional department with an opportunity to optimize
contributions of the project work. It can happen with project’s requirements in
a means that it becomes well-organized (Harrison & Lock, 2017).

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Gupta et al., (2019) discussed that in the matrix project organization, people should
report to more than one of the project boss. It is combination of projectized as well as
functional organization so that it is a best way to develop any new product development
project. Under this project organization structure, there is building of reporting relationships
with both functional as well as product manager. This structure helps in bringing employees
as well as managers together for working on particular organizational goal. In addition to this,
the trans-disciplinary is an approach required team members for sharing roles across the
discipline boundaries. Lock (2017) mentioned that the main purpose of this particular
approach is integrating expertise of the project team members such that there is efficient
assessment of project work and product development services are provided. It helps the
employees to address problems raised during the product development project work. Mainly,
it is used by the employees to become a successful learner.
Flow of the information is based on structure which assigned to business organization.
The organization entities are creating internal focus by determining the primary
organizational goals, building group identities, culture as well as organizing of incentive
systems (Tian & DeMara, 2018). The trans-disciplinary as well as matrix-organized
project structure is established project boundaries in the organization. For example, it is
found that organizational bond can increase probability of the project team members by
engaging them into technical communication. The organizational boundaries are emphasized
in group communication as well as hinder across the group communications (Gupta et al.,
2019). Project group is established as most key significant task for organizational design.
How the group individuals are formal for efficient new product development and facilitation
of communication across the groups are based on trade off that the managers are facing when
development of new products. For example, a project is appeared to be aim at developing a
new product with concentration of its marketing, research and development, manufacturing

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representation, staff assistance from the finance as well as personnel. The project
management can control what people will do and when they can perform it. The head of the
functional group can control from the group is being assigned to project and technology is
suitable for use it on the project work.
In the matrix project organization, each department is responsible for performing
different project activities. In the matrix organization, the project manager can control
administrative results while the functional head can control over the technological decisions.
The project manager has capability to exchange from resources towards the technical
assistance for delivering dates is a significant sponsor towards the development success
(Camilleri, 2016). Balancing the project resources, schedules as well as deliverables among
the projects is a key advantage for the matrix project organization. The project individuals
those are involved into the matrix project are far after the home subdivision as well as they
are not developed feelings that can strike involved with the pure projects. The project
manager is charge of the plan work while the functional project manager is accountable
towards superior to the development manager on organizational chart of the business firm
(Tian & DeMara, 2018). Life on the matrix project is comfortable for the project manager
and their team members.

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References
Camilleri, E. (2016). Project success: critical factors and behaviours. Routledge.
Ding, R. (2016). Effective Project Organization Management. In Key Project Management
Based on Effective Project Thinking (pp. 121-146). Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg.
Gupta, R. K., Jain, S., Singh, B., & Jha, S. K. (2019, February). Key Factors in Scaling up
Agile Team in Matrix Organization. In Proceedings of the 12th Innovations on
Software Engineering Conference (formerly known as India Software Engineering
Conference) (pp. 1-5).
Harrison, F., & Lock, D. (2017). Advanced project management: a structured approach.
Routledge.
Lock, D. (2017). The essentials of project management. Routledge.
Tian, T., & DeMara, R. F. (2018). Matrix-organized instructional delivery for scaling-up
problem-based learning through reallocation of instructional support. In Proceedings
of American Society for Engineering Education Southeastern Conference.