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This is a structure which is based on structuring an organisation on basis of their products/services contrary to traditional job descriptions (Cimini et al., 2020). An illustration of the structure is illustrated in the following;

Figure 1: Illustration of Divisional structure

An example of an organisation using this structure is Riyad Bank in Saudi Arabia. Different divisions (accounts, finance, online and loans) are classified in line with the products/services offered (Gentile-Lüdecke et al., 2020).

The strengths of divisional structure are;

Flexible– With different divisions, an organisation is flexible in service delivery and access to their customer segments.

Innovative– The divisions are independent which provide an appropriate opportunity for the employees to be innovative in their functions to enhance quality services and products delivery.

The drawbacks are;

Reduced cross-functional team-based working– Using a divisional structure means isolation of the employees from each other with communication curtailed. For instance, SNB has the division failing to work in sync hence miscommunication.

Job functions duplicated– In SNB case, each division has a receptionist which could be merged together and include a single receptionist. The roles duplication leads to this structure being expensive to manage.

The underpinning reason for using this structure is to manage different divisions with the final outcome being large scale practices. SNB operations in finance and real estate sectors is best implemented by leverage on a divisional organisation structure.

Matrix Organisation Structure

For this form of structure, departments operates with their leadership with all the other departments having to report to one leader at the helm (Sinkovics et al., 2021). An example is illustrated in the following;

Figure 2: Example of Matrix Organisation

In figure 2 HSBC matrix structure, their strengths include the following;

High-level collaboration– By embracing matrix organisation structure, different people come together with varying skills and knowledge levels. This contribute to increase in team work.

Efficient use of resources–  For HSBC case organisation, by embrace of matrix organisation structure, this lead to attracting multiple talents. An efficiency in using the resource lead to reduction of wastage in such an entity.

For drawbacks, these are;

Lack of clear roles description– With different departments in place in different regions, confusion emerge in reporting structure and how they are engaging. The employees end up getting confused in executing their roles.

Priorities conflict– In Matrix organisation, various departments exist by their functions in conflict (Cimini et al., 2020). This lead to ambiguous job roles in place in their functions.

The underpinning reason for using the structure include ensuring elaborate allocation of job roles in various departments and staff.  This is while bringing together all the employees based on their qualifications.

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Link with Organisation Strategic Goals and Objectives

A major organisation strategy entail pursuing of market-based research for understanding an environment characteristics and their positive and negative implication. In Antunes and Pinheiro (2020), depending on the economic environment factors such as inflation, competition , market demand-supply changes, it is possible attracting multiple clients. Further, strategy is in alignment with different expectations and needs. In SNB case organisation, making sure there are sufficient resources for private and public enterprises as part of Vision 2030 is instrumental. The strategy is linked to goals and objectives of preferred financial outlet in entire Kingdom. Part of this entail improved value proposition to acquire loyalty in working environment. Also, they become well situated in implementing L&D programs for serving different nation demand and business environment.

Strategic goals and Products/Services

Considering economy landscape and need to implement varying strategies, linking to products/services is essential. In Paramadita  and Hidayat (2022), based on Porter’s5 Forces Analysis, it is possible to note the scope of organisation strategy influencing factors including buyer and suppliers power, industrial rivalry and competition. For SNB, their strategy entail being in a position of increasing the access to financial resources as part of KSA Vision 2030. As such, their products would be aligned to this by having customer-centric products and services guaranteeing optimum satisfaction. This is evidenced by their multiple portfolios offered.

Also, achieving clients satisfaction is part of SNB strategy. This is attained by noting on the clients demands and offering customised services to their particular demands. This is at the same time achieving management of entire operation costs in business sector. For differentiating themselves from the rest in banking industry, SNB provide online and sharia-backed banking services. The outcome include increased clients satisfaction and sustainable business practice.

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Interest rates

This factor is applicable in two dimensions which are organisations savings or loans taken. According to Bauer and Rudebusch (2020), from the principle amount either invested or loaned, a percentage is offered/deducted which is informed by the overall economic outlook. Therefore, with bad economic performance, interests reduce hence reduced profits or losses noted. Today, Mbah and Wasum (2022), note the UK as having an increased interest rates. Similarly, in KSA where SNB operates from, the interest rates are averaging at 5.5% every month. The impact profitability of the organisation in the loans advanced to their banking customers. According to Eggertsson et al. (2023), the interest rates impacts the overall profits gained in market and existence of resources to implement their functions. With interest rates being registered for a substantial amount of time, this increase goods and services overall costs with purchase powers declining.

Priority– For SNB, with interest rates increasing, their priority is expanding. Through an expansion priority, they would acquire support from the government both in monetary and policy favouritism. This would lead to the organisation leverage on competitive advantage and dominate KSA banking industry. The drawback of this include inflation being caused by different factors which often are not clearly stipulated.

Inflation

This factor represent increasing costs of goods and services which is a characteristic of the currency fluctuations in a specific economy (Musarat et al., 2021). Considering entrepreneurs and entities in banking industry, inflation positively impact their operations. For SNB business sector, inflation is ranked at 2.5%  which is a substantial increase in the level. This impact their different policies including need for Saudisation or recruiting the nationalities in their major programs.

Priority– In SNB case, the priority would entail implementing contraction policy as a major part of their operations. Through an embrace of the process, spend by KSA government and monetary policies as regulated in the Central Bank are evidenced to be regulated. In financial sector operations, this end up reducing the spend amount with upto 25%.  The drawback include unfavourable policies being passed affecting small organisations.

Social

A significant factor in contemporary business sector entail a shift in workforce constitution. According to Gabrielova  and Buchko (2021), this is identified by increased Generation Z and Millennials assuming positions of leadership in their organisation. This is at the same time being involved in managing international business alteration due to their influence on skills mismatch. In banking sector for example, Generation Z and Millennials need to include approximately 40% of the overall workforce.

Priority– Implementing a restructuring strategy as part of their resourcing process. The importance of this is to ensure entire generations are well accommodated. The drawbacks of this priority is being costly and not a guarantee of increased performance.

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Considering current practice by people practice professionals Generative AI is appropriate for formulation of varying job functions guided by embrace of profiles, keywords and previous functions (Vrontis et al., 2023). Also, by use of the Generative AI, it is possible to effectively set job functions guided by their context and drafting personalised interactions amongst different players. This is evidenced by view that Generative AI contribute to upto 30% increase in talents development, efficient resourcing and onboarding effectively.

Robotics

In the people practices functions, robotics are important to aid the automation process with success. According to Vrontis et al. (2023), for enhancing increased empowerment to the HR teams in allocation of enough time and power in making strategic decisions. Also, this technology is popular as it lead to an increased human interactions with machines hence improve overall wellbeing and health. To support use of robotics, Mohamed et al. (2022) argue that approximately 40% of all people professionals functions have been replaced by using the robotics. To improve the process, upto 60% of all the job functions are improved by using robotics. The level of robotics application is going to include 40% full replacement of people functions going to the future.

Use in Organisations

By holistically using the Generative AI, all the organisation departments end up being revolutionalised (Gupta et al., 2024). this is evidenced by streamlined business practices hence  increasing how creative and customised their practices are particularly in banking  sector. The disadvantages of the Generative AI entail potential of stealing/fraudulent activities which would affect the brand image of the SNB organisation in their business environment.

The rationale of using robotics is to guarantee their success in executing various job roles automation. The application of Generative AI is an assurance of fully automated job functions. The various allocated job functions are a priority and executed over time in job roles implementation (Brynjolfsson et al., 2023). The hindrance of this include less creativity and innovativeness embraced. This is the case considering SNB does not have a personalised strategy in use of the Generative AI.

For the robotics, they have a direct implication on workplace activities and increasing scope of controlling qualities as a core area of their practice. The negative impact of the process entail lack of adaptable and flexible operations which affect ability of SNB to attain expected performance level.

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Word count: Approximately 400 words

Figure 3: Illustration of Kotter’s 8 Phases Model

A summary of these stages include;

Creating urgency- The change process need is elaborately articulated and supported by rationale for supporting by management.

Building coalition- Team is assembled for implementing the change by first enhancing their awareness on scope of required changes.

Developing vision- As carriers of the change vision, they are allowed to understand the change scope and participate in its initial development.

Communicating vision- In order to be aligned, all stakeholders are made aware of the change process being advanced.

Empowering others in acting- The teams are facilitated with capacity development opportunities to acquire relevant skills and knowledge to execute their roles.

Short-term based wins- Success of change starts to be felt as a mirror of the eventual outcomes at the end of the project.

Consolidation- Depending on outcome of the previous phase, the process is improved to either become broad or narrowed down to specifics. This lead to multiple results acquired.

Anchoring change– This entail an alignment of the organisation change with the change process to become part of their culture or ways of doing things.

Application

The relevance of this theory is to implement successfully a 2 day working week in hybrid arrangement. At the start, urgency would be created by demonstrating the disruptions in the business environment (economic, socially and politically). This is by use of statistical evidence for affirming why change need to be pursued with a qualified team by leadership of people professionals brought together. A continuous communication process would be pursued as part of the change implementation. The quick wins would entail initial development of 1 day working week which would be consolidated further to become 2. The final practice would be ensuring the process is part of organisation culture going forward.