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Wildfire Entertainment: Organizational Structure Archetypes Case Study

Kindly answer the following questions basing it on the case the case study mentioned above.
Thank you.

Describe the context Wildfire faced in the early days of its development (Why might a
single organizational structure not be effective?)
 What are the pros and cons of the three main organizational archetypes that Wildfire used
- functional, matrix/hybrid, divisional? Illustrate using your own experiences and
examples.
 In a context of rapid growth, how can a tech-based start-up know when the organizational
structure should be changed?
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Answered by GrandAtom6912
1. In the initial periods of Wildfire's development, the environment was one that a single
organisation structure was ineffective. The company was fast expanding and felt it necessary to
quickly adjust to market developments. This meant that a traditional hierarchical structure would
not be able to keep up with the pace of change.
2. The three main organizational archetypes that Wildfire used were functional, matrix/hybrid,
and divisional. Each of these had its own pros and cons. The functional structure was good for
stability and clarity of roles, but it could be inflexible. The matrix/hybrid structure was good for
flexibility, but it could be confusing and lead to role conflict. The divisional structure was good
for adaptability, but it could be difficult to coordinate.
3. A tech-based start-up must be aware of when the structure of the organization should be
modified in the context of rapid expansion. The company should monitor the market and its own
performance, and make changes to the structure when it is necessary.

Step-by-step explanation
Question 1
 In the early days of its development, Wildfire Entertainment faced the challenge of having
to deal with a large amount of content and a lot of user interaction. A single corporate
structure would therefore be ineffective. The company needed to be able to adapt to the
changing needs of its user base and content.
 One of the challenges that Wildfire Entertainment faced was the need to deal with a lot of
user-generated content. This required the company to have a system in place to manage
this content and ensure that it was of a high quality. Another challenge was the need to
manage a large number of interactions with users. This meant that the company needed to
be able to respond to user feedback and make changes to the way that it operated.
  In order to deal with these challenges, Wildfire Entertainment adopted a number of
different organizational structures. These included a content management system, a user
feedback system, and a system for managing user interactions. These systems allowed the
company to adapt to the changing needs of its user base and content.
 The content management system allowed Wildfire Entertainment to manage a large
amount of content and ensure that it was of a high quality. The user feedback system
allowed the company to respond to user feedback and make changes to the way that it
operated. The system for managing user interactions allowed the company to manage a
large number of interactions with users.
 The adoption of these organizational structures allowed Wildfire Entertainment to adapt
to the changing needs of its user base and content. This allowed the company to be more
effective in its operations and to provide a better service to its users.
 The organizational structures that Wildfire Entertainment adopted in the early days of its
development were essential to the company's success. Without these structures, the
company would have been less effective in its operations and would have provided a
poorer service to its users.
 The organizational structures that Wildfire Entertainment adopted were:
- A content management system
- A user feedback system
- A system for managing user interactions
 These organizational structures allowed Wildfire Entertainment to be more effective in its
operations and to provide a better service to its users.
Question 2
 Organizational structure is the way in which an organization defines and controls its
operations. It establishes the hierarchy within the organization, delineates the authority
and responsibility of each level, and establishes the channels of communication between
different parts of the organization.
Wildfire Entertainment, a media production company, used three different organizational
archetypes during its history - functional, matrix/hybrid, and divisional. Each of these had
its own strengths and weaknesses, which impacted the company in different ways.
 The functional organization archetype is the most traditional and simplest form of
organization. In this type of organization, the company is divided into separate
departments, each of which is responsible for a specific function. This allows for clear
lines of authority and responsibility, and efficient communication between departments.
However, it can also lead to silos within the organization, where departments are reluctant
to share information or cooperate with each other.
 The matrix/hybrid organization archetype is a more complex form of organization, in
which the company is divided into both functional departments and divisional units. This
allows for greater flexibility and responsiveness to changes in the market. However, it can
also lead to confusion and conflict between departments, as they compete for resources
and authority.
 The divisional organization archetype is the most complex form of organization, in which
the company is divided into multiple autonomous divisions. This allows for greater
flexibility and adaptability to changes in the market. However, it can also lead to conflict
and duplication of effort between divisions.
 Each of these organizational archetypes has its own strengths and weaknesses, which
impact the company in different ways. Wildfire Entertainment used all three of these
 archetypes at different times in its history, and each had a different impact on the
company.
Question 3
 A tech-based startup should consider changing its organizational structure when it
experiences rapid growth. There are a few archetypal structures that startups typically
adopt, and each has its own advantages and disadvantages. The functional structure,
divisional structure, and matrix structure are the three most prevalent archetypal
structures.
 The functional structure is the simplest and most common organizational structure for
startups. In this structure, employees are organized by their skillset or area of expertise.
For example, all the marketing employees might be in one department, all the engineers in
another, and all the salespeople in yet another. The functional structure has the advantage
of being easy to understand and manage. However, it can lead to silos and stagnation if
employees are not given the opportunity to cross-train and develop new skills.
 The divisional structure is similar to the functional structure, but employees are organized
into divisions based on product, geography, or customer type. For example, a startup that
sells to both consumers and businesses might have a division for each. The divisional
structure can help a startup to better serve its different customer segments. However, it
can also lead to duplication of effort and confusion about who is responsible for what.
 The matrix structure is the most complex of the three archetypal structures. In this
structure, employees are organized both by skillset and by product, geography, or
customer type. For example, an engineer might be responsible for a specific product, but
also report to a manager who oversees all the engineers. The matrix structure can help a
startup to be more flexible and responsive to change. However, it can also be confusing
and lead to conflict if not managed properly.
 The best organizational structure for a tech-based startup will depend on the specific
needs of the business. However, all three of the archetypal structures have the potential to
be successful if they are well-designed and well-executed.

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