Mintzberg's (1990) Typology and Job Design

Mintzberg developed a typology of the work roles that managers perform, based on empirical research involving management and leadership.  This typology is made up of 10 work roles, which are divided into 3 categories:

1. Interpersonal Roles: Involves the interactions and relationships that managers have with people
2. Informational Roles: Concerns the transfer of information from the manager to others
3. Decisional Roles: Includes sets of work activities where a manager must make major decisions for the organization

What is job design?

Job design involves responding to the question of ‘What work needs to be done?’.  In order to successfully answer this question, tasks must be identified and defined with regard to successful performance of a given product or service, and it must be determined how much work is needed and how the work will be structured.  Job design can result in simple or complex jobs.  Most often, if the labor supply is low, jobs will be simplified, since chances are that few of these available workers will be able to perform complex and difficult work.

What characterizes a simplified job?

• Easy to perform tasks
• Fewer required KSAOs
• Breaking work down into basic elements
• Increased organizational hierarchy

What are the pros and cons of simplified jobs?

Pro: Employers can save money, since simplified jobs incur lower salary costs
Con: The work can be monotonous and repetitive, which may hinder productivity

What characterizes a complex job?

• Workers perform a complete process of work on a single product
• A mixture of routine tasks as well as decision making and greater responsibility

What are the pros and cons of complex jobs?

Pros: Less supervision needed for employees, which saves money in managerial hiring; Employees experience greater richness in their job
Con: Employers must pay a higher base salary for employees in these jobs