hierarchy and formal power structures in modern organizations
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Hierarchy and Formal Power Structures in Modern Organizations [PhD Project]
Strong candidate sought to investigate formal hierarchies and their alternatives in modern organizations.
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www.cranfield.ac.uk/som/phd
Admission requirements: • a strong first degree (UK level 2.1 minimum) • please see website for English language requirements.
Deadlines: • applications for scholarships – mid-April.
Expressions of interest, alongside a CV, are invited via email to [email protected] in the first instance.
See full details on our website.
Management hierarchy is a core feature in the absolute majority of organizations existing today. It is especially prominent in large and complex corporations. Although hierarchical management structures carry a substantial economic and psychological cost to the organization, their value is not readily obvious.
The effectiveness of the co-ordination function of hierarchy is questionable, as the people at the apex of the hierarchy often do not have sufficient knowledge to co-ordinate the behaviour of their subordinates appropriately. Hierarchy may also reflect the structure of formal power in an organization. However, the source and nature of this power have been debated for decades, and recent changes in organizations have highlighted the ongoing relevance of this issue and opened it up for further questioning.
Your research in this area will focus on the nature of formal hierarchies in modern organizations and may evaluate the value of traditional hierarchies, analyse their mechanisms, propose alternatives, study the sources and functions of power in organizations, etc. As such, you will be questioning the very nature of management and managerial work.
Supervisors: Professor Cliff Bowman & Dr Andrey Pavlov