Abstract
Matrix design is presented as an alternative organizational model for schools and departments of communication facing competition, complex curricular demands, limited resources, and pressures for accountability. The article contrasts traditional bureaucratic structures with matrix structures, in which faculty or staff may report simultaneously to program managers and functional managers. It explains how this model can clarify authority, improve coordination, and support both continuity and innovation across areas such as undergraduate education, graduate education, research, public service, advisement, theatre production, and communication program administration. Examples include a comprehensive speech communication department and a university theatre production program, both of which require coordination across multiple roles and reporting lines. The article also identifies likely sources of resistance, including concerns about autonomy, academic freedom, increased accountability, and the interpersonal demands of managing multiple authority relationships. Matrix design is framed as a possible response to organizational complexity in communication departments and schools.
Recommended Citation
Salem, Philip J. and Gratz, Robert D.
(1984)
"Matrix Design: An Alternative Model for Organizing the School or Department,"
Association for Communication Administration Bulletin: Vol. 50, Article 25.
Available at:
https://stars.library.ucf.edu/aca/vol50/iss1/25
