Matrix management is an organizational structure in which many of the workers have more than one direct manager. For example, if all engineers report to a director of engineering but also report to a project manager who does not report to the director of engineering, it’s an example of matrix management. If all accountants within an organization report to a director of finance but also report to, for example, a line manager it’s another example of matrix management.
It’s an idea that appears to have begun in the Pentagon during World War II but reached its full bloom at NASA in the 1960s and became a sort of fad among large corporations in the 60s and 70s. It’s largely fallen out of fashion now except in government.
The general problem with matrix management is managers. They can’t wrap their heads around the concept. Good management is scarce and precious. I have never seen an example of effective matrix management. Has anyone ever experienced effective matrix management? Give an example, outside of NASA or the Pentagon, of effective matrix management?
That may be the null set. I suffered this monstrosity at the steel company. In my opinion there are two problems a) if two people are in charge no one is in charge (think office of the president) and b) Good CEOs or GMs are a different cat. They wouldn’t put up with it. They are willing to live and die with their decisions. You don’t find them residing for long in staff positions for example.
The result is that things take interminably long to happen, and you lose your good people.