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Wildfire Entertainment: Organizational Structure Archetypes

Published 26 May 2015
Reference 6139
Industry Computer Games
Region Europe
Length 5 page(s)
Language English
Summary

Organizational design can be complex, involving many different levers. But at its roots are a few fundamental formal structures or forms: functional, matrix, and divisional. This case tracks the early history of a (fictitious) start-up company in the software/mobile entertainment industry that rapidly expands and needs to consider the pros and cons of these various archetypes of formal structure.

Teaching objectives

The case is short and to the point, allowing the reader to quickly see the strengths and challenges of three different structural forms (functional, matrix, divisional). It is told as a story of a young company that faces organizational design challenges as it grows. The case is ideal as a discussion vehicle, giving the reader just enough information to motivate a deeper discussion of structural forms, encouraging readers to pull in their own experiences (rather than being a highly context-specific or 'closed' case study).

Keywords
  • Formal Structure
  • Organization Design
  • Functional Structure
  • Matrix Structure
  • Divisional Structure
  • Structural Change
  • Organization Change
  • Q31415
  • Corporate Governance
  • Value Creation, Strategy and Implementation