Overview

Planning and staffing of your company will be greatly assisted once you examine how companies acquire structure. You are more likely to recognize key business growth issues that stimulate the need for more or different structure in your company, and to understand the consequences of ignoring such issues.

At the end of this unit, you will be able to:

• Explain the meaning of “organizational structure” and stages of organizational growth
• Describe the structure of a start-up company and dilemmas that emerge from success
• Explain what issues owners must consider before hiring or outsourcing
• Describe why steady or rapid growth creates the need for additional structure in a small business
• Explain the benefits of organization charts and how to create them

Author Overview

Linda Eligh, M.A. is an organizational development consultant, specializing in strategic human resources, change management and innovation. Her company, Springboard to Innovation Inc., is based in London, Ontario (www.springboardtoinnovation.com).

Linda Eligh has a B.A. (Sociology) and a Certificate in Personnel and Industrial Relations from the University of Guelph, and an M.A. in Leadership and Training from Royal Roads University. In addition to teaching various topics in human resources and organizational behaviour at the University of Guelph and the University of Western Ontario for the past three years, Linda’s professional experience includes thirteen years in Human Resources at Johnson & Johnson, six years in various law firms in Alberta and Ontario, and five years in consulting, facilitation and training with private, non-profit and public sector organizations. Linda has provided coaching to numerous small business owners on issues of growth and management, as well as facilitating sessions for human resources planning or creative problem solving. Recently she has acquired part ownership in a Mail Boxes Etc. franchise located in London.

Linda has been a member of the Human Resources Professionals Association of Ontario (HRPAO) for 19 years, and the Canadian Association of Management Consulting (CAMC) for 5 years. For the past twenty years, she had broadened her knowledge of business and organizational issues through extensive involvement with boards and committees in the areas of social services, substance abuse/mental health, civic organizations and the arts. Her current involvement in community leadership includes the London Chamber , the Canadian Cancer Society and the Thames Valley Children’s Center.