This paper examines two interconnected topics in organizational management: the shift toward collaborative workplace design and the organizational structure of The Coca-Cola Company. It begins by exploring how physical work environments influence productivity, recruitment, retention, and sustainability. The paper then identifies Coca-Cola's most likely organizational design as an international division structure, analyzing its advantages and disadvantages. Finally, it interprets Coca-Cola employee perspectives through the lens of job design theory, focusing on non-monetary rewards, innovative culture, global diversity, and the core job characteristic of skill variety as reflected in employee satisfaction and sense of meaningful contribution.
Organizations are increasingly moving toward collaborative models instead of competitive ones, which affects how the physical work environment is designed to achieve the goal of collaboration (Mardesich, n.d.). Workplace flexibility and physical environments are important because they impact productivity, as well as a worker's ability to collaborate, share ideas, and innovate (Mardesich, n.d.). The typical cubicle or multiple-office environment is being replaced in many organizations by half-walls and other open working areas designed to increase communication and collaboration among staff.
The working environment has a fundamental impact on human resource functions such as recruitment, retention, and productivity, and ultimately on the organization's ability to achieve its business strategy (Mardesich, n.d.). Poorly designed offices may hamper an organization's profitability through losses in productivity and by failing to attract and retain the right employees (Mardesich, n.d.). Workplace design should address the physical and technological needs of workers with a goal of improving productivity and worker satisfaction (Mardesich, n.d.).
Companies are also increasingly environmentally conscious and seek to create working environments that reduce waste and use sustainable products. Part-time telecommuting and the sharing of workspaces are additional ways companies can reduce waste and carbon emissions by having fewer employees commute to work on a daily basis.
Coca-Cola is a global corporation operating in countries around the world. The Coca-Cola Company's organizational structure is most likely an international division structure (Business Insight, 2010). International division structures represent a more evolved form of organizational system because of the incorporation of specialized divisions for operating in foreign markets (Business Insight, 2010). The organization by division is generally based on one of the following criteria: production (product or service); product specialization (targeting specific groups of consumers); or consumer specialization of serviced territory, meaning a regional specialty (Business Insight, 2010).
The main advantages of an international division structure are that it provides greater flexibility and quicker response to changes in the enterprise's environment, aids in expanding the company's geographic reach, and allows separate offices around the world to function as "profit centers" that actively work on improving efficiency and quality of production (Business Insight, 2010). A key advantage of this type of structure is that it enables the management of a diversified enterprise with a workforce of hundreds of thousands spread across geographically remote units (Business Insight, 2010).
The disadvantages of an international divisional structure include the large number of managerial levels that exist between workers and production-unit managers — usually three or more levels — and between workers and company-wide management — five or more levels (Business Insight, 2010). The key relationships in these divisional structures are vertical, which creates problems such as delays and poor cooperation in addressing issues related to individual units (Business Insight, 2010). There is often a duplication of functions at different levels, resulting in very high costs for maintaining the management structure (Business Insight, 2010).
"Non-monetary rewards and innovation culture motivate employees"
"Employees find meaning through brand diversity and global impact"
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