A Comparison of Knowledge Age Organizations with Traditional, Industrial Age Organizations

Over recent years there has been a shift in thinking regarding the structure of organizations within the business field. Rather than business being designed in the same manner that they had been for many years, i.e. a traditional structure, there are signs that some businesses are thinking in a significantly different manner; reflecting current knowledge and thinking, i.e. a knowledge age or post-modern structure.(Ancona et al (1999), Blacker (1994), Overholt, Stever (1998)) Here we are going to examine a selection of the elements which are associated with traditional business structure such as management style and control, levels of management within the company, and structured bureaucracy. Once the traditional organization has been identified, we will continue with a look at some of the major changes which identify a company as knowledge age, such as flat business structure, diversity and openness to change, and the ability to cross function. (Ancona et al 1999).…