tall organization

tall organization

an ORGANIZATION which has many managerial layers. Such an organizational structure tends to be characteristic of large firms or public utilities and government departments.

Tall organizations tend to have a number of drawbacks – excessive bureaucracy remoteness of decision-making from ultimate customer needs and an inability to respond quickly to changes in the organization's external environment.

In recent years many larger firms have attempted to make themselves ‘leaner and fitter’ by reducing the size of their managerial hierarchies and by establishing more focused business divisions. See FLAT ORGANIZATION, STRATEGIC BUSINESS UNIT, RIGHTSIZING, HIERARCHY, DE-LAYERING.