What is the Best Structure?
Top-Down or Bottom-Up? Which structure works better within an organization? Increasingly, you hear that Bottom-Up is the best approach and that Top-Down would be detrimental. But is that really the case? What do these structures actually mean within an organization’s culture?
What is Organizational Culture?
Organizational culture is a broad concept. A common explanation is that it refers to the unwritten norms and values within an organization. These are not laws, but informal rules that you naturally pick up. Think of social customs like holding a door open for someone or wearing appropriate clothing at the office.
Culture exists not only at a national or ethnic level but also within small groups. Companies, sports clubs, and educational institutions all develop their own culture. You often only notice this when you enter a new environment where the unwritten rules are different.
How is Culture Formed?
Within each company, the culture is unique and is shaped by the people who work there. With a stable workforce, the culture often remains the same. With a high turnover of employees, it changes more quickly. Factors such as age, background, and education level play a significant role in this.
In practice, culture usually originates bottom-up: employees collectively determine the norms and values. This is why many companies prefer a bottom-up structure. The disadvantage of this is that changes can occur slowly because consensus is always needed.
When Does Top-Down Work Better?
The workplace is becoming increasingly diverse. This means that norms and values within an organization can differ. This can lead to misunderstandings about hierarchy, authority, and social interactions. In some cases, a top-down structure then provides more clarity and efficiency.
However, too strong a top-down approach can make employees feel unheard or undervalued. This can actually negatively influence the work culture.
The Ideal Balance: a Mix of Both
There is no clear-cut answer to which structure works better. In practice, a combination of top-down and bottom-up is often most effective. The key lies in awareness: by having insight into the company culture, you can determine an appropriate strategy.
How Do We Apply this at MareVisie?
At MareVisie, we work in an intercultural environment with employees from different backgrounds. Therefore, we use a bottom-up approach to give everyone a voice and utilize different perspectives. This creates a dynamic and inclusive work environment.
At the same time, we also employ a top-down structure where necessary. For example, in time-pressured situations, such as when a deadline is brought forward. Here, speed and efficiency are more important than consensus.
By flexibly switching between both structures, we create a work culture where innovation, collaboration, and results are central.
Want to know more about how we combine culture and structure within project management? Contact us!