Although informal and formal organizations might seem diametrically opposed, they can and do coexist within a single company's organizational structure. Indeed, every company with a formal structure ...

With today's widespread accessibility of information and wall-to-wall communication, the idea of leveraging informal organizations has become much more popular in the board room, as well as such ...

Most business people are familiar with organizational charts that show who reports to whom in a company. Those people in the boxes at the top of the chart are those presumed to have the most power.

In the traditional corporate world, leadership has often been associated with formal authority. Conventional markers like a corner office, high-ranking title and decision-making power define what we ...

Thompson, T., and Kathleen L. Valley. "Changing Formal and Informal Structure to Enhance Organizational Knowledge." In Strategic Flexibility: Managing in a Turbulent ...

Every organization, no matter its size, has an abundance of moving pieces. Ensuring that all those pieces move in perfect synchrony starts by devising an organizational structure that represents the ...

It's often said that about 75% of an employee's learning comes from informal venues, not — as might be expected — from a college degree or an accredited institution. Although this might come as a ...

Thompson, Tracy A., and Kathleen L. McGinn. "Changing Formal and Informal Structure to Enhance Organizational Knowledge." Harvard Business School Working Paper, No. 98-060, December 1997.