Introduction
All types of organizations have relied on the four quadrants. From various perspectives, they have enhanced numerous aspects of organizational success. A four-quadrant model developed by Burton and Obel allows for the analysis of organizations’ efficacy and efficiency. The significance of job division and collaboration for good design outputs is highlighted by Burton et al. (2015). Inadequate designs are defined as outliers that harm the organization’s efficiency (Sebestyén et al., 2019). It should be mentioned that not all organizations fall into each of the four categories.
According to the details circulated regarding the quadrants, Nike, Inc. occupies the quadrant D. Justifications for the stance will be emphasized in the paper. In addition, this study will highlight the aspects of the company that correspond to the quadrant. In this regard, the evaluation will center on strategy and leadership. Leaders should remember that each of the four quadrants is devoted to a distinct topic, while leadership and strategy are the two most critical aspects.
Quadrant the Organization Fits
According to Burton et al. (2015), Nike, Inc. is located in quadrant D, which includes companies prioritizing effectiveness and efficiency. The following are the reasons why the Nike Company belongs in quadrant D:
Workers Have Direct Contact with the Company
As an instant messaging tool, Nike employs electronic mail to communicate with its staff. Instant messaging makes it easy, fast, and efficient for all individuals in the organization to operate, which ensures teamwork in its operations (Eyada, 2020). Companies can take various approaches when dealing with their staff; some organizations prefer direct communication with workers.
One of the key methods that Nike uses to interact with its employees properly is instant messaging across all departments and ranks (Kim, 2020). Instant messaging is a top digital communication strategy because it enables all employees, regardless of time or place, to access company information without the need to be physically present. Organizations should choose instant messaging over traveling to attend meetings since it saves time and money.
Instantaneous communication is one of the most critical components of a successful modern organizational structure. Any company serious about fixing its communication issues should use instant messaging. Using electronic mail as an instant messaging platform gives Nike a competitive advantage due to enhanced collaboration and more convenient communication. Nike should exercise extreme care in its communications to ensure the trust of its consumers. Adequate and prompt communication improves the morale of its staff, the inclusion of all people, the diversification of their experiences, the best possible engagement, and the reduction of time and money spent.
In contrast to Nike, however, many companies only interact indirectly with their workers (Ballaro et al., 2020). These are the two most distinguishing features of Nike’s direct employee interactions. These traits have been disclosed for evaluation from the company’s perspective.
The Personnel Have Access to the Executive Group
Employees feel the effects of Nike’s management style firsthand; the company’s management team is approachable to the staff. Thus, it signifies that management is the initial party informed in the event of any problem (Rasmussen et al., 2021). A clear relationship links quadrant D and the organization, as indicated by existing data within the organization.
Supervisors Do Not Have the Authority to Enforce Disciplinary Measures
A change in the dynamic between workers and upper management could result from supervisors’ authority to enforce disciplinary measures. According to Ballaro et al. (2020), employees are safeguarded when not granted power. Nonetheless, this does not give Nike Company employees full authority to do whatever they want, whenever they desire (Sebestyén et al., 2019). Supervisors should report cases to higher authorities. Reporting of occurrences makes it less of a mystery to upper management how things are shaping out financially.
Altering Firsthand Strategies Is One of the Organization’s Goals
The workers should feel the effects of the company’s strategies firsthand. To fulfill its purpose, management can meet its employees’ demands when the organization implements procedures that meet those needs (Ballaro et al., 2020). Strategies at Nike, Inc. are likely to center on the company’s workers. Consequently, it becomes less of a hassle to make any adjustments. This quality is critical because it establishes a framework the company may utilize to foster trust between workers and upper management.
Organizational Regulations Aid in Determining Staff Requirements
The goal of the organization’s regulations is not to repress its personnel but to encourage them to do their best work. According to Ballaro et al. (2020), Nike, Inc.’s organizational architecture bolsters the company’s rules and regulations. Employees are more likely to report high job satisfaction and financial reward levels when company policies are structured to benefit them.
The Present Leaders Adhere to Direct Tactics
Nike, Inc. relies heavily on direct techniques that encourage consistent change; hence, Nike, Inc. ensures that unswerving strategies are established. According to Sebestyén et al. (2019), top executives are responsible for addressing employee interests. Unlike Nike, Inc., there is a wall separating management from staff in other companies. Direct tactics consider the employee’s workplace; their job is to ensure that workers feel like they have a part in the company’s success. By fostering a sense of belonging among workers, they inspire them to do their best.
Design Aspects That the Organization Fits
Along with goals, strategy, knowledge sharing, and leadership style, the most critical component of the organization’s design is its people, which result from the bond between the company and its workers. At Nike, Inc., the executives aim to be the world’s leading provider of innovative athletic footwear, apparel, and components via research and development, product innovation, and global marketing. Developing a distinct identity for the Nike brand is essential to the company’s advertising campaign (Rasmussen et al., 2021).
A necessary part of Nike’s strategy for knowledge sharing and achieving success is the innovation of products. Nike’s leadership style is known for its skillful innovation, which results in high-performing products that appeal to customers’ emotions. Little about the company so far suggests that Nike, Inc. has succeeded in uniting its upper and lower management. Keeping this in mind, the relationship-building component of the company is a natural match.
Design Aspects That Do Not Work for the Company (Misfits)
The environment is one area where Nike’s designs do not work. Female employees have accused Nike regularly of sexism, bullying, and gender bias in a long-standing discrimination and sexual assault case; this has created an unwelcoming work environment (Rasmussen et al., 2021). Nike, Inc. has placed a greater emphasis on hierarchical design, which is why the organization does not fit in with coordination or control.
This conclusion follows from Ballaro et al. (2020) and states that a divisional design is inappropriate. Respect for authority persists at Nike, Inc. despite the company’s emphasis on employee-management relationships. Workers at lower levels of an organization are expected to show respect to those in higher positions Burton et al. (2015). Due to difficulties in product manufacture outsourcing, production methods, and quality assurance, Nike also has task design problems.
Areas of Misfit That the Management May Address Promptly
Regarding Nike, Inc., the management team can swiftly fix the mismatch in control and coordination. Nike, Inc.’s structure has impacted the task design; implementing new regulations is the most effective approach to address this organizational arrangement. Leaders should be courteous when given the authority to deal with personnel (Rasmussen et al., 2021). Organizations should seek methods to unite their staff, not ways to divide them, and this is the reasoning behind it (Sebestyén et al., 2019). Nike, Inc.’s upper management may swiftly fix task design by including designers and researchers in responding to customers’ changing wants and needs.
The Areas of Misfit That Will Take Longer to Modify
The environment is the misfit that might take the longest to fix at Nike, Inc. since it calls for a shift in corporate culture that affects the way management and staff think. The culture at Nike, Inc. influences how employees engage with one another. A challenging aspect of the organization’s culture is its high level of practice, which makes breaking the routine demanding (Burton et al., 2015). Changing people’s behaviors in an organizational setting and in real life is suddenly challenging.
Redesigning the organizational structure is necessary to alter the mindset and culture of Nike, Inc.’s management and staff, which is not an easy task. It takes a lot of effort to alter an organization’s culture (Sebestyén et al., 2019). A substantial investment of time and energy is required for this endeavor. It would be best if upper management could reach a consensus and implement the modifications. Leaders should include all employees and stakeholders in the change management process to reduce resistance from staff and other interested parties.
Conclusion
Organizational models are crucial because they foster order and sanity in the workplace. Nevertheless, only some models are tailored to suit every type of workplace. As established in this study, companies like Nike, Inc. fall in quadrant D. As an example, for Nike, Inc., the model can be a valuable tool for reaching its goals when applied to its people, goals, and strategy. The organization can alter some of its procedures about misfit characteristics, including environment, control, and coordination.
Nike, Inc. can probably become very competitive and profitable by changing tactics. Leaders and employees should remember that models aid decision-making but do not impose order on an organization. A consensus among upper management regarding implementing the modifications would be ideal. From the outset, leaders should incorporate all personnel and stakeholders into the change management process to mitigate opposition from staff and other interested parties.
References
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Burton, R., Obel, B., & Haakonsson, D. (2015). How to get the matrix organization to work. Journal of Organization Design JOD, 4(3), 37-45. Web.
Eyada, B. (2020). Brand activism, the relation, and impact on consumer perception: A case study on Nike advertising. International Journal of Marketing Studies, 12(4), 30-42. Web.
Kim, M. (2020). How Phil Knight made Nike a leader in the sport industry: Examining the success factors. Sport in Society, 23(9), 1512-1523. Web.
Rasmussen, K., Dufur, M. J., Cope, M. R., & Pierce, H. (2021). Gender marginalization in sports participation through advertising: The case of Nike. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(15), 7759. Web.
Sebestyén, V., Bulla, M., Rédey, Á., & Abonyi, J. (2019). Network model-based analysis of the goals, targets and indicators of sustainable development for strategic environmental assessment. Journal of Environmental Management, 238, 126-135. Web.