The same basic. objections apply to the military form of organization in the other departments.
7. Functional type.—The separation of strictly office work from that within the scope of tbe sales, production, financial and accounting departments is similar to the change which takes place in the factory organization when the functional type is substituted for the military. The duties of the gang foreman, in the latter case, are distributed among a number of functional foremen, each with his own special duty to perform. In the office, the department heads confine their energy to selling, manufacturing, financing or accounting, as the case may be. The specialized func tion of managing the office is turned over to a person trained for this duty. Frequently we find an officer —usually the accountant—performing the dual task of running an office and one of the four other depart ments. While this arrangement is sometimes expe dient, especially when a concern is not large enough to warrant the employment of an office manager, it does not conform strictly to the accepted idea of a func tional organization.
When the functional idea is in force it is carried out, so far as possible, thruout the entire office organiza tion. Except in cases where there is not enough work to keep a person busy, one specific task is assigned to each employe. Functional organization in a modified form is illustrated in Figure 9.
During the change to the functional scheme of or ganization, in this case, numerous instances were dis covered where one clerk could do the work that had formerly occupied two. The office, in this organi zation, is a separate department directly responsible to the executive committee. It is not a subdepart ment of any one department, but a subdepartment of them all. All the clerical work is under the supervi sion of the office manager; and he has his subordinate chief clerks, whose duties are also specialized. The functional idea is carried to its consummation in the collection department where each clerk has one task to perform. One checks bills, receipts and addresses, another types form letters, another enters remittances, and so on.
8. Semi-fwnctional organization.—We frequently find an office organization almost on a functional basis, but still adhering in minor respects to the old scheme of management. For good reasons, the various de
partments retain their own stenographers and one or two special clerks. The work may be of a confiden tial character, or the clerk may need specialized train ing that can be obtained only by carefully obeying the head of the department or his assistants.
The organization of the office in the White Com pany, Cleveland, Ohio, manufacturers of motor cars, is of this character. In this company the sales de partment is in two divisions, one in charge of the sec ond vice-president, the other under the jurisdiction of the secretary. The auditor is also office manager, but various sales departments and subdepartments have retained some clerical help. The advertising depart ment is a typical example. Specially trained clerks are usually necessary in advertising work and we find that special stenographers and clerks are assigned to this department.
9. Committee committee system is employed in the office with excellent effect. In Fig ure 9, it will be seen that the office manager is a mem ber of the executive committee. The value of this ar rangement is evident when it is remembered that the force he controls is in constant attendance upon the de partments of which the other members of the commit tee have charge. Thru the committee meetings the office manager keeps in touch with the plans and poli cies of the various departments, and is thus enabled to direct his force with an intelligent regard for that work which should take precedence over other work. Here, too, he learns of the shortcomings of his force, receives suggestions that add to its efficiency and im bibes the spirit of the entire organization, which in turn he communicates to his department heads thru an of fice committee. The office committee is composed of the office manager and his chief clerks. The fre quency of the meetings of the executive committee and the office committee depends upon the nature of the business. The former usually meets more often than does the latter. There is danger of carrying the com mittee system too far, just as there is of not carry ing it far enough. The routine of the day should not be broken any more than necessary; it is often advis able, in fact, to hold meetings during the lunch hour or on Saturday afternoons.