university of ghana the effect of organisational …

UNIVERSITY OF GHANA

THE EFFECT OF ORGANISATIONAL STRUCTURE ON THE

EFFECTIVE MANAGEMENT OF THE MINISTRY OF DEFENCE

BY

ESI MANSA OKLU

(10046816)

A PROJECT WORK SUBMITTED TO THE DEPARTMENT OF

ORGANISATION AND HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT,

UNIVERSITY OF GHANA BUSINESS SCHOOL, UNIVERSITY OF

GHANA, LEGON IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE

REQUIREMENTS FOR THE AWARD OF A MASTER OF ARTS IN

MANAGEMENT AND ADMINISTRATION

OCTOBER, 2019

University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh

i

DECLARATION

I do hereby declare that this dissertation is the result of my own research and has not been

presented by anyone for any academic award in this or any other institution. All references

used in the work have been fully acknowledged. However, I bear sole responsibility for any

shortcomings.

…………………………………… …………………

ESI MANSA OKLU DATE

(10046816)


ii

CERTIFICATION

I certify that this dissertation was supervised in accordance with procedures laid down by the

university.

…………………………………… ……………………………….

Dr JAMES BABA ABUGRE DATE

(SUPERVISOR)


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DEDICATION

This study is dedicated to my children, Edem A. Minamore and Mawuli K. Minamore who

have been a source of inspiration and gave me the strength and encouragement to never give

up.


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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

I would like to express my sincere gratitude to my supervisor, Dr. James Baba Abugre for his

support, patience and immense knowledge. I could not have imagined a more knowledgeable

supervisor for my study. I appreciate the encouragement and immeasurable support of Mr.

Isaac Quarm.


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TABLE OF CONTENTS

DECLARATION....................................................................................................................... i

CERTIFICATION ................................................................................................................... ii

DEDICATION........................................................................................................................ iii

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT ...................................................................................................... iv

TABLE OF CONTENTS ........................................................................................................ v

SECTION ONE INTRODUCTION ...................................................................................... 1

1.1 Background of Study ....................................................................................................... 1

1.2 Statement of Problem ....................................................................................................... 2

1.3 Objectives of the Study .................................................................................................... 4

1.4 Research Questions .......................................................................................................... 4

1.5 Significance of the Study ................................................................................................. 4

SECTION TWO ....................................................................................................................... 6

LITERATURE REVIEW ....................................................................................................... 6

2.1 Introduction ...................................................................................................................... 6

2.2 Definition of organisation and organisational effectiveness ............................................ 6

2.3 The Concept of Organisational Structure in relation to effectiveness ............................. 7

2.4 Classification and models of Organisational Structure .................................................... 9

2.5 Conclusion ..................................................................................................................... 11

SECTION THREE METHODOLOGY ............................................................................. 12

3.1 Introduction .................................................................................................................... 13

3.2 Research design ............................................................................................................. 13

3.3 Case Institution Selection .............................................................................................. 13

3.4 Data Collection Methods: Sources of Data .................................................................... 14


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3.5 Data Analysis ................................................................................................................. 14

3.6 Validity and Reliability of the Study ............................................................................. 15

3.7 Ethical Considerations ................................................................................................... 15

SECTION FOUR PRESENTATION AND DISCUSSION OF RESULTS ..................... 16

4.1 Introduction .................................................................................................................... 16

4.2 Demographics ................................................................................................................ 16

4.2.1 Table 1 .................................................................................................................... 16

4.2.2 Gender of Respondents ........................................................................................... 17

4.2.3 Figure 1 Gender of respondents .............................................................................. 17

4.2.4 Duration of Service at the Ministry ........................................................................ 17

4.2.5 Figure 2 Duration of service at the Ministry of Defence ........................................ 18

4.2.6 Roles of Respondents .............................................................................................. 18

4.3 How Organisational Structure Affects Organisational Effectiveness ............................ 19

4.4 Why it is necessary to have a good Organisational Structure ........................................ 19

4.5 How does the organisational structure impact on organisational effectiveness at the

Ministry? .............................................................................................................................. 20

4.6 Identification of bottlenecks within the organisational structure of the Ministry of

Defence ................................................................................................................................ 21

4.7 Discussion of findings.................................................................................................... 22

4.8 Conclusion ..................................................................................................................... 24

SECTION FIVE SUMMARY OF FINDINGS, CONCLUSION AND

RECOMMENDATIONS ....................................................................................................... 26

5.1 Introduction .................................................................................................................... 26

5.2 Summary of Findings ..................................................................................................... 26


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5.3 Conclusion ..................................................................................................................... 27

5.4 Recommendations .......................................................................................................... 27

REFERENCES ....................................................................................................................... 29

APPENDIX: INTERVIEW GUIDE ..................................................................................... 33


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ABSTRACT

This study seeks to examine how organisational structure affects organisational effectiveness

at the Ministry of Defence. The study employed the qualitative research methodology where

senior management staff comprising civil servants and military officers on attachment from the

Ghana Armed Forces were interviewed. The use of semi-structured interviews were employed

to collect data from twelve (12) senior staff members of the Ministry. The findings from the

study revealed that the organisational structure at the Ministry is hierarchical. Also, regarding

how the organisational structure affects organisational effectiveness, the findings revealed that

duties and responsivities are not well allocated and reporting lines in some cases were not clear.

Integration of the military into the structure was also not effective and this was affecting

organisational effectiveness. Further to this, findings revealed that there were bottlenecks in

the current structure of the ministry, some of the bottlenecks identified are miscommunication,

slow information flow, undefined roles, poor communication and an unfavourable environment

for meeting critical deadlines as the bottlenecks. The study recommends that the validation and

dissemination of the organisational manual must be undertaken, to ensure employee

engagement and involvement. Management of the Ministry must also be flexible in the design

and implementation of organisational structure to reduce bureaucracies, increase creativity and

ensure timely delivery of task. There was also the need to improve communication flow within

the Ministry ensuring that there was a sense of camaraderie and shared vision.


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SECTION ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background of Study

Organisational structures proffer formal systems of responsibilities and reporting relationships

that control, coordinate and motivate employees to cooperate to reach the objectives of an

organisation. Organisational structure is the way in which the activities of an organisation are

divided, organised and harmonised. Using one of several organisational structures,

organisations can achieve their objectives and carry out their operations. Businesses can

sometimes use various organisational structures to improve their efficiency. In order to be more

efficient, other businesses can move from one sort of organizational structure to another. The

size of an organisation is sometimes the defining factor in the effectiveness of the

organisational structure. Radović-Marković, (2013) emphasises that a larger organisational

structure often benefits larger companies where there are many levels. Upper management in

this case should know what strategies they desire to implement and how to get all subordinates

to work together to meet the company’s goals effectively. Small businesses on the other hand,

often use flat organisational structures because completing tasks and projects without waiting

for input from various executives is more efficient for smaller businesses. In order to complete

assignments and projects more quickly, a flat structure is often more efficient. In the light of

the above discussion, it is apparent that an organisation cannot function effectively without a

definitive structure.

The 1992 Constitution of the Republic of Ghana, Article 210, Section 1 and 3 spells out the

formation of the Ghana Armed Forces under the Ministry of Defence to protect the territorial

integration of Ghana. On July 1, 1956 the West African Command was dissolved and the

Ministry of Defence was formed in 1957 with its headquarters in Burma Camp, Accra. It is the


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department of government assigned the responsibility of protecting the country from both

internal and external aggression. They are also required to promote the security interests of the

country locally and internationally. The Ministry of Defence as part of its role in improving

national security, formulates, coordinates, monitor and evaluate defence policies and

programmes, ensure a high state of preparedness of the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) for

national and international deployment and the promotion of peace and stability in the country,

sub-region and peacekeeping theatres. In order for the Ministry to fulfil this important role, it

is imperative that it is effective, efficient and productive in discharging its mandate. This study

examines how the organisational structure at the Ministry of Defence impacts on organisational

effectiveness. For measuring organisational effectiveness, responsible managers should know

what situation the organisation is in and how to accomplish the goals of the organisation.

Effectiveness is a discussion that Peter Drucker considered theoretically 50 years ago and has

been studied since the 70s. Drucker, 1977 concluded that for an organisations to be effective,

it should be doing the right things in the right way. In fact, knowing the factors that impact on

organisational effectiveness and how to strengthen them can help to achieve this objective.

1.2 Statement of Problem

An organisational structure is basically set up for the purpose of promoting collaboration and

facilitating the exercise of executive leadership. It is a way of dividing responsibility among

employees and is pointless unless buttressed by appropriate systems and a consistent culture.

The Ministry of Defence is characterised by employees from the Ghana Civil Service, the

Ghana Armed Forces and civilian employees of the Ghana Armed Forces. These different

categories of staff work in a variety of positions within the Ministry. Over the years, different

models of organisational structure have been employed to manage and incorporate these

different categories of staff in order to harness the expertise needed to enhance organisational


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effectiveness. According to Klifford (2010), Ghana’s first Prime Minister in a bid to structure

the military, rapidly expanded and established various units and a command structure of the

Ghana Armed Forces to enable him to execute his Pan-African and anti-colonial agenda. This

rapid changeover from the British and West African Command to the Ghanaian Command did

not maintain the standards due to lowering of experience levels, training and professionalism.

In 1957, the Ministry of Defence was formed and endured various reforms in structure with the

view of impacting performance and effectiveness sometimes to disastrous results. Some of the

problems that arose out of the organisational structure was duplication and a lack of

coordination between the civil and military wings. There was also a general feeling of mistrust

because of the existence of parallel functions. In the light of the above, it is important to

examine how the organisational structure can aid the effective management of this critical

department of the Government to efficiently execute its mandate. The importance of a good

structure has been espoused by various researchers and writers. Fayol (1949) espoused the

fourteen principles of management for efficiency, one of which is organisational structure as

central to attainment of organisational goals. Mohr (1982) stated that Frederick Winslow

Taylor, Henri Fayol and Max Weber identified the importance of organisational structure for

effectiveness and productivity and expected without any doubt that people adapt to the structure

that is fashioned out. Organisational theorists Lim, Griffiths, and Sambrook (2010) studied

organisational structure for the twenty first century and propounded that, the development of

organisational structure is the expression of the tactics and activities of management as well

as employees as depicted by how the system defines hierarchy, identifies each duty, its function

and the reporting lines within the organisation. It can therefore be inferred that the strategies

and the behaviour of workers and management as well as their efficiency reflects the

organisational structure of the Ministry of Defence. It is also a tool for organising the activities,

the allocation of resources and who is responsible for what within the Ministry. Thus, the wrong


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organisational structure will hinder collaboration thereby hindering the smooth operation of the

Ministry. Based, on the implication of having a good organisation structure, the researcher

wishes to examine the impact of organisational structure in the effective management of the

Ministry of Defence with the application of qualitative techniques.

1.3 Objectives of the Study

This study hopes to achieve the following objectives.

1. To investigate the organisational structure of the Ministry of Defence.

2. To investigate how the organisational structure at Ministry of Defence achieves

organisational effectiveness.

3. To identify the bottlenecks which exist within the organisational structure of the Ministry

of Defence.

1.4 Research Questions

To achieve the objectives of the study the underlisted questions will guide the researcher.

1. What is the organisational structure of the Ministry of Defence?

2. How does the organisational structure aid organisational effectiveness at the Ministry of

Defence?

3. What are the bottlenecks that exist within the organisational structure of the Ministry of

Defence?

1.5 Significance of the Study

The study will provide a detailed examination of the extent of organizational effectiveness of

the Ministry of Defence in Ghana as it executes the objectives of the mandate imposed on it by

the constitution. The study will also identify the gaps in organisational structure of Ministry of


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Defence of Ghana. This study will contribute to efficient management practices in the

Ministries, Departments and Agencies of Ghana and the use of the organisational structure as

a vital management tool at Ministry of Defence and in other Ministries. The study will also

contribute to the discussion on the appropriate organisational structure required for the Ministry

of Defence and similar organisations in Ghana, which have a mix of Civil Staff and Technical

Staff, taking into consideration the different categories of expertise needed. Detailed discussion

into the organisational structure will aid organisations to identify weak points as well as areas

of duplication in the structure. Subsequently, measures can be adopted to enhance the

achievement of organisational goals. Regarding the above, the findings will provide valuable

information for decision-making regarding policy, considering the organisational structure

operated and provide data for further research into other issues raised in its findings


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SECTION TWO

LITERATURE REVIEW

2.1 Introduction

This section seeks to explain various theories that underline the relationship between

organisational structure and organisational effectiveness as well as reviewing related works

done by other authors on similar subjects from other parts of the world.

2.2 Definition of organisation and organisational effectiveness

According to Martinelli (2011), organisations can be defined as a set of elements in interacting,

structured decision-making units. He added that effectiveness is a measure of the state of an

organisation, or the outcomes that result from management decisions and the implementation

of those decisions by employees of the organisation. Also, Robbins (2002) posits that an

organisation is a consciously coordinated social unit, composed of two or more people that

operate on a relatively continuous basis to achieve mutual goals. Organisational effectiveness

and organisational performance are used interchangeably because not only are their definitions,

measurement and explanation similar, they are both influenced by organisational structure as

well as efficient use of human resources and motivational incentives. In the light of the above,

Greenberg (2011) is of the view that performance is a set of indicators which offer information

on the degree of achievement of objectives. According to McCann (2004), organisational

effectiveness is concerned with understanding the unique competences organisations develop

to guarantee a successful performance. If the organisation has a sound strategy and the

intangible assets or human capital, expressed as structure are aligned with this strategy, then

the assets are likely to create value for the organisation, Kaplan and Norton (2004). This goes


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to demonstrate the importance of having an appropriate organisational structure and the impact

is has on organisational effectiveness.

2.3 The Concept of Organisational Structure in relation to effectiveness

According to Mintzberg (1972), organisational structure is the framework of the relations

between jobs, systems, operating process, people and groups making efforts to achieve the

goals. He argues that organisational structure describes how people are organised or how jobs

are divided and coordinated. Greenberg (2011) also posits that organisational structure is the

formal configuration between individuals and groups concerning the responsibilities, allocation

of tasks and authority in the organisation. Further to this, Stroh et. al. (2002) emphasises the

assertion that organisational structure represents the relationships among different roles played

by the units within an organisation. Some researchers have consequently concluded that

organisational structure consists of job positions, their relationship to each other and

accountabilities for the deliverables. Also, Ajagbe (2007) posits that organisational structure is

the formal system of tasks and reporting relationships that controls, coordinates and motivates

employees so that they cooperate to achieve an organisation’s goals. Liao (2011) concludes

that the nature of formalisation measures the extent to which an organisation can use rules and

procedures to prescribe behaviour. Thus, organisations with high formalisation have explicit

rules which are likely to obstruct the flexibility needed for innovation Chen et. al. (2007). In

addition, centralisation creates an environment that reduces communication, commitment and

involvement with tasks among employees. Centralisation refers to the hierarchical level that

has authority to make decisions. If decisions are delegated to the lower levels, the organisation

is decentralised and if decision making is set at the top level, it is centralised. With regards to

the above, the organisational structure that is in operation in an organisation goes a long way


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to determine performance and effectiveness. Ajabge (2007) reiterated that an organisation can

design its structure when it decides how it wants its members to act, what attitudes it wants to

promote and what it desires it members to attain as well as support the development of cultural

values and norms to get the desired behaviour, attitudes and goals. Span of control defines the

number of employees an authority figure is responsible for and is defined as narrow or wide.

Quangyen and Yezhuang (2013) also says, organisation structure decreases employee

ambiguity and helps explain and predict behaviour.

Germain (2008) discussed the impact of structure on performance and found that a formal

structure has a positive effect on performance and organisational effectiveness in a stable

environment and a negative effect in a dynamic atmosphere. He continued saying that

developing and enforcing performance control through structure improves decisions-making

and ensures effectiveness. Long, Perunal and Ajagbe (2012) explained in their research that

organisational effectiveness and its relation to structure can be determined by the fit between

communication requirements so that people can have the enough information. This emphasises

the assertion that the flow of information and laid down communication channels are important

to organisational effectiveness. Long et al. (2012) also propounded that the structure of an

organisation should be designed in such a way to ensure that departments and individuals that

need to coordinate efforts have communication lines that are built into the structure. Csazer

(2008) agreed that organisational structure shapes performance in an organisation. He further

stated that in a poorly designed structure, good performers will acquire the shape of the

structure. According to Andersson and Zbirenko (2014) structure, communication and

leadership affect productivity and efficiency and explains how productive the operational

processes are in the organisation. Nahm, Vonderembse and Koufteros (2003) came up with a

basis for understanding the relationship between key structural dimensions like number of


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layers, formalisation, locus of decision making, level of horizontal integration and

communication that combine to define an organisation’s structure and reporting relationships.

2.4 Classification and models of Organisational Structure

There are numerous classifications of organisational structure and these are dominated by the

research of Henry Mintzberg (Mintzberg, 1979). His classification is based on five (5) basic

organisational configurations. The simple, bureaucratic, professional, adhocracy and the

divisional models. The simple model can be found in young organisations that are primarily

family owned. It is simple and flexible and enables an organisation to act and adapt to changes

quickly. It is also leader oriented. The bureaucratic model is usually found in larger

organisations. It is highly efficient but inflexible and rigid. It also has a negative effect on

employee satisfaction with very high specialisation. The professional model is found in

organisations that with sophisticated technologies with workers being experts or highly

educated professionals. It is decentralised organisational model since decision making must be

delegated to professionals. The adhocracy model is used in organisations which must exhibit a

high level of flexibility and creativity. The organisation in this case consists of a series of

working teams with variable memberships. The divisional model is used in organisations

operating in different market segments and apply diversification strategy. The organisation in

this instance is divided into several partially autonomous units that conduct activities in specific

market segments. According to Mintzberg (1979) most models can be differentiated according

to the level of centralisation and the degree of formalisation (Janicijevic, 2013). Also, in

organisations, positions with low levels of concentration provide more interaction, which

generates creative perspectives and enable the exchange of information between people leading

to organisational effectiveness. Alternatively, high levels of concentration lead to


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dissatisfaction and hamper innovation. Other researchers like Shoa’i (2011) concluded that

there is an association between formality, complexity, focus and knowledge creation in any

organisational structure. According to Estalaki (2017), there is a positive relationship between

structure, complexity, formalisation, concentration and entrepreneurship, and a negative

relationship between age, work experience and entrepreneurship. There is however no

relationship between level of education and organisational entrepreneurship.

Abutorabi (2008) observed that low levels of formality coupled with high levels of

communication flow are associated with high levels of production and knowledge transfer and

these are crucial for knowledge management. A good organisational structure is instrumental

in ensuring good communication flow thereby ensuring high levels of production. It has also

been established in the literature that informal relations play an important role in defining and

understanding the internal structure of organisational activities. Informal relations are the

energy infrastructure of organisations. Evolution of structure shows that in a dynamic

environment, organisational structure should be open, emotion centred, interactive and flexible.

Wang (2002) provided that organisational structure not only consist of individuals, groups and

departments but also relations between departments, different hierarchical ranks and

individuals. This goes to show the interdependence and correlation of the elements of an

organisational structure. There is also a relationship between organisational structure and the

level of innovation in organisations. A flexible structure leads to the development and

implementation of new ideas while a formal one inhibits innovation. The structure of an

organisation in general determines the duties of people in separate sectors and provide their

coordination. Organisations have different types of structure that are used according to the

requirements and conditions of organisation. In some literature, the classification of

organisational structures is divided into two (2), mechanical and organic structure. Mechanical


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structure is stable and exists in a predictable environment and organic structure in turbulent

environments with significant changes being the norm.

Mechanical structures of organisations are recognized by details such as high formalisation,

concentration and regulations. The organic structure on the other hand is flexible and is

identified by decentralized authority and informal communication networks. From the

literature reviewed, it is obvious that a conclusive diagnosis of organisational dimensions

without a framework and purpose is difficult. Daft (2010), in his organisation theory and design

study discussed the three (3) components of structure which are complexity, formalisation and

concentration. Complexity is the number of administrative levels in an organisation. Generally,

complexity is said to be the number of job titles, hierarchy and levels of management.

Complexity in an organisation can be vertical or geographic. Geographical complexity reflects

the separation between units based on location. Vertical complexity considers the number of

organisational levels, management layers in the organisation. Formalisation in organisational

structure is when procedures, rules and responsibilities for employees, organisational units,

groups and teams are specified in writing. (Liao, 2011). Generally, formalisation is compiling

and publishing the rules, regulations, instructions, regulations, and job descriptions within an

organisation. Formalisation has two (2) parts, which are the written laws and regulations of the

organisation and the extent to which these laws, regulations and guidelines are implemented

and monitored. Concentration is an indication of decision-making power at a higher level of

management in the organisation (Liao, 2011). High concentration ensures uniformity of

policies and reduce errors by employees who have less expertise.

2.5 Conclusion

This section presented the theoretical basis and empirical works that has been done in the area

of organisational structure and management effectiveness. It is obvious from the literature that


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organisational structure should facilitate decision making, proper reaction to environment and

conflict resolution between the units. The next section will look at the methods and strategies

which were used to answer the research questions.


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SECTION THREE

METHODOLOGY

3.1 Introduction

This section gives an outline of research methods that were followed in the study. It provides

the criteria for inclusion in the study and how the respondents were sampled. The instrument

that was used for data collection is also described and the procedures that were followed to

carry out the study are included. The researcher also discussed the methods used to analyse the

data.

3.2 Research design

Research design is said to be the framework of methods and techniques chosen by the

researcher to combine various research components in a reasonably logical way to effectively

manage the research problem (Green and Thorogood, 2018). The research design gives an

insight into how research can be undertaken using a specific methodology. Creswell (2014)

asserts that there are three main research methodologies specifically quantitative, qualitative

and mixed methods. In qualitative research, there must be continuous interaction with

respondents to discover the meaning of their worlds. (Neuman, 2000). In the light of the above,

the case study approach was adopted for this study because a deeper understanding of the

chosen case institution was desired and is suitable for studies involving a small number of

respondents. A single case study is presented as a representative case, which captures the

circumstances of effective management at the Ministry of Defence.

3.3 Case Institution Selection

This study was conducted on the Ministry of Defence as the case institution. The Ministry of

Defence was chosen because of ease of data collection and this is where the researcher works.


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The Ministry of Defence is one of the public institutions in Ghana where there is strict

adherence to rules and regulations due to its mandate of protecting the nation and the linkage

with the military forces of the nation. Moreover, since data is an essential component in every

research and the research is timely, Ministry of Defence was selected based on proximity and

easy access to interviewees to get access to data and other vital materials essential for the

research. As a result, it was worth selecting the Ministry as the case institution. Twelve (12)

senior staff were purposively selected for the study. These staff are directly involved in the

daily management of the Ministry. This is because the Ministry as a public institution has

specific departments and personnel that deals with various aspect of management and hence

will provide the right respondents to give the needed data for analysis.

3.4 Data Collection Methods: Sources of Data

The data for the study is primary data which was collected through interviews, websites, and

documents concerning the Ministry. Other sources of data were gathered to compliment the

primary data, and this was mainly from articles and publications in renowned Journals, Books

and industry reports. For the purposes of this study the researcher used semi-structured

interviews which involved both direct questions using open ended questions and close ended

questions used to obtain demographic data on the respondents. According to Neuman (2000),

the researcher needs the skill to match the research question to an appropriate technique, saying

that open ended questions are most effective.

3.5 Data Analysis

Qualitative data analysis is a vital part of all qualitative research and is said to be the process

of examining qualitative data to derive an explanation for a specific phenomenon. Schatzman

and Strauss (1973) are of the view that “qualitative data analysis primarily entails classifying


15

things, persons, and events and the properties which characterize them”. This study employed

a thematic analysis approach. The collected data from the study was recorded, transcribed,

organised, analysed into meaningful groups and themes and conclusions drawn from the

themes.

3.6 Validity and Reliability of the Study

Various constructs have been suggested as indicators of the validity of a qualitative research

study. De Vos, Strydom, Fouche and Delport, (2005) stated in their research that “the strength

of a qualitative study that aims to explore a problem or describe a setting, a process, a social

group or a pattern of interaction will be its validity” (p. 471). The reliability of this study was

ensured using the triangulation method with involves employing various methods and tapping

various sources for data (Bowen, 2005). Triangulation was done by comparing documents,

observation and interviews to arrive at a consensus. Finally, the study was documented

thoroughly.

3.7 Ethical Considerations

Consent to conduct the study will be obtained from the participants and the institution.

Voluntary, informed consent will be explained and obtained from each participant.

Confidentiality will be ensured, since an audio tape-recording will be used in the discussion

that will transpire among participants of each key informant in-depth interview.


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SECTION FOUR

PRESENTATION AND DISCUSSION OF RESULTS

4.1 Introduction

This section presents data gathered, the results of the statistical analysis done and interpretation

of the findings through personal interviews. Findings were presented in a pie charts and graph

after data was grouped into a table. This was in a bid to answer the research questions regarding

the effect of organisational structure on organisational effectiveness of the Ministry of Defence

by interviewing senior management staff of the Ministry.

4.2 Demographics

4.2.1 Table 1

Profile of Respondents

No. Grade Gender Length of

service (Yrs.)

1 Chief Director Male 1

2 Principal General Staff Officer (Military) Male 3

3 Director (Research and Defence Cooperation) Female 4

4 Director (Procurement) Male 2

5 Director (Human Resource Development) Male 5

6 Director (Airforce Liaison) Military Male 2

7 Director (Navy Liaison) Military Male 5

8 Chief Budget Analyst Female 3

9 Head of Accounts (Chief Accountant) Male 4

10 Deputy Director (Research and Defence Cooperation) Male 6

11 Deputy Director (Finance and Administration) Male 4


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12 Deputy Director (Human Resource) Female 4

4.2.2 Gender of Respondents

This study interviewed twelve (12) senior staff of the Ministry of Defence of Ghana. Out of

the twelve (12) respondents, nine (9) were male and three (3) female. The figure below shows

the gender distribution of the respondents involved in the study.

4.2.3 Figure 1 Gender of respondents

Source: Field data, 2019

From the figure above both genders were fairly represented in the sample, although the males

are more than the females.

4.2.4 Duration of Service at the Ministry

The study went further to ask respondents for the length of time they have worked under the

Ministry. The figure below illustrates the data obtained from respondents.

Male

Female

GENDER OF RESPONDENTS


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4.2.5 Figure 2 Duration of service at the Ministry of Defence

Source: Field data, 2019

The responses indicated that seven (7) out of the twelve (12) staff interviewed have worked for

the Ministry for more than a duration of three (3) years. Four (4) of them has been at the

Ministry for between one (1) to three (3) years whiles one (1) of them was less than a year at

the Ministry.

4.2.6 Roles of Respondents

The respondents of this study were asked their roles they play at the Ministry. The responses

revealed that two (2) of the respondents oversee research and statistics and keeping track of

cooperation both bilateral and multilateral of the sector. It was also found that the remainder

of the respondents were spread around various roles including serving on Ghana Armed Forces

Council as recorder, correspondence, and requests for funds for sector, preparing speeches,

writing reports, management of finances of Ministry of Defence and the affiliated agencies,

human resource administration, training and development as well as welfare issues, supervising

annual budget cycle, Medium Term Development Plan, writing progress reports, serving as the

Less than one year 1-3 years More than 3 years

1

4

7

YEARS OF BEING AT THE MINISTRY


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interface between the Air force and Ministry of Defence, and carrying out procurement duties

in line with the public procurement act.

4.3 How Organisational Structure Affects Organisational Effectiveness

The people interviewed shared their views on how the organisational structure of MoD affect

the effectiveness of the Ministry. Their views are grouped under the following subheadings.

4.4 Why it is necessary to have a good Organisational Structure

Respondents were interviewed on why it is important to have a good organisational structure

in their opinion. It was obvious from the data gathered that most of the respondents had strong

ideas of how a structure should be. The interviewees stated that the structure should allow for

better communication. In every organisation, free flow of information is vital to its success,

therefore, the organisational structure should be designed with clear lines of reporting and

communication.

One interviewee noted that:

“it was important to have a good organisational structure in order to have clear

reporting lines and show the different levels of authority”.

Others noted that:

“it serves as a manual to guide operations of the Ministry, it outlines the way

things are done, the authority levels and enhances communication between

the military and civil servants”

“it serves as a way to define roles and responsibilities as well as functions. It also

defines chain of command and reporting lines”

“in order to define structures and functions and follow them”

“it aids in division of labour and helps staff to know their roles”

“it should be aimed at the purpose of productivity”


20

“it gives management the directions in manging the affairs of the Ministry. It also spells

out the directorates and units and the reporting structure”

From the analysis of the findings, respondents were of the view that organisational structure

allows for better communication among employees. This is supported by Asgari’s (2004)

finding which concluded that there is evidence of good organisational structures leading to

better flow of communication and information in the organisation. In addition, respondents

stated that it should establish clear, well defined reporting relationships among employees and

stakeholders of the Ministry so that all members of the organisation understand what their

responsibilities are and to whom they are accountable to, otherwise, responsibility for a task

may not be identified. Other respondents also held that having a good organisational structure

helps to define the roles and responsibilities of all staff thereby affecting organisational

effectiveness positively. It also defines the structure and functions and how to follow them.

4.5 How does the organisational structure impact on organisational effectiveness at the

Ministry?

From the literature reviewed, organisational structure has a huge impact on effectiveness,

performance and efficiency. This believe was confirmed as well as refuted by some

respondents at the Ministry during the interview.

One respondent explained that:

“the current structure aids productivity positively because every staff has a

supervisor”

The overwhelmingly majority however had dissenting views saying:

“it is my opinion that the positions being occupied by the military can be

adequately done by civil servants. Some of the duties of the civil servants

have been hived-off and given to the military. This has cause some of the

directorates to be idle. There is some amount of duplication”

“the structures do not allow access to the Chief Director”.


21

“duties are not balanced and there are some on the structure that do not do

anything, which is affecting productivity”

“the reporting lines for the military on attachment at the Ministry is not

clear”

“the military are not well integrated into the structure because of frequent

transfers and postings”

“some duties that are supposed to be handled by directorates are given to

others (military) and it comes back when there are challenges”

It is obvious from the above that there were inherent problems with the organisational structure

in operation. Some employees are of the view that duties and responsivities are not well

allocated and reporting lines in some cases were not clear. Integration of the military into the

structure was also not effective and this was affecting organisational effectiveness.

4.6 Identification of bottlenecks within the organisational structure of the Ministry of

Defence

On the issue of bottlenecks with the current organisational structure of the Ministry, one

respondent explained that:

“the merging of the military into the structure is not very good. Also, the

role of the military assistant to the minister is not well defined. Finally, the

soldiers prefer to take orders only from their own officers and this affects

productivity”

Others also responded saying:

“there is duplication of duties and lack of communication between the

different categories of staff”

“lapses in the flow of correspondence between the posts on the structure”


22

“some staff and officers do not understand and respect the reporting

structures. Reporting lines should be adhered to. Also, job descriptions are

not being adhered to and some are doing duties not in their job descriptions.

The office of the judge advocate general (military) are too many and not well

utilised”

“lack of dialogue, communication and employee engagement”

“discrimination”

“the organisational manual of the Ministry has not been well circulated among

members of staff”

The bottlenecks identified with the current organisational structure of the Ministry are

miscommunication, slow information flow, undefined roles and reporting of Military Assistant

to the Minister for Defence, poor communication and inconducive environment for meeting

critical deadlines. Also, lack of dialogue and employee engagement were identified as

bottlenecks within the structure. Also, one respondent said that the organisational manual was

not well disseminated to all staff.

4.7 Discussion of findings

The findings from this study show that there is a relationship between organisational structure

and organisational effectiveness. This was evident in the responses given by participants of the

study, who were able to articulate the ideal situation in terms of structure in the Ministry of

Defence. The absence of an ideal structure is affecting the work of the sampled employees

negatively. Most employees were extremely dissatisfied with the structure because it is not

well defined, and integrated. Indeed, some respondents were so dissatisfied that they were

apathetic and unwilling to give meaningful responses to the interview question. Some

respondents were of the view that duties and responsibilities are not well allocated and

reporting lines in some cases were not clear. This sentiment was coming mainly from the


23

Military Officers and Men working at the Ministry. They were of the view that that they were

not given the opportunity to inform policy and play a greater role in the Ministry. Also, the

Military component were not willing to take directives from the Chief Director of the Ministry

and would only do so if channelled through the Principal General Staff Officer who is a Military

Officer. This occurrence increases the vertical complexity of the structure needlessly thereby

impacting on organisational effectiveness.

Further to this, findings revealed that due to the lack of communication even among civil

directors, there is the occurrence of duplication within the structure. The same tasks are

sometimes carried out by both the civil and military personnel. This duplication of efforts is

brought about by a lack of communication and poor work delegation by the Chief Director.

There have also been instances where some directors have actioned on correspondence without

express directive from the Chief Director. Findings of the study also indicate that there is

unequal distribution of duties and responsibilities among the directorates. While some

members of staff routinely work overtime to meet workload, others struggle to find enough

work to keep themselves busy. It appears as if work schedules are concentrated among a select

and trusted few while others are side lined.

Formalisation in organisational structure is when procedures, rules and responsibilities for

employees, organisational units, groups, teams are specified in writing. It is a document that

spells out among other things the organisational chart, job descriptions, reporting lines, vision

and mission of an organisation. According to Wijnberg, Ende and Wit (2002) formalisation

increases the accountability of the decision makers towards each other and towards the

organisation. In line with the above, the study revealed that although Ministry of Defence has

an organisational manual, it was not widely circulated to all employees particularly the military

personnel. Also, military personnel at the Ministry maintain that they were not happy with

where they had been placed on the organisational structure. They further intimated that they


24

were not involved in the preparation of the manual. The result was that performance and

effectiveness is impacted negatively because of low employee motivation. It was apparent that

there was a lack of adequate knowledge and understanding by most staff the structural

arrangements and this was causing conflicts in communication channels as well as the job

allocations.

The study conducted, also identified some bottlenecks within the organisational structure of

the Ministry like miscommunication, slow information flow, undefined roles and reporting

lines, poor communication and inconducive environment for innovation and meeting critical

deadlines. This finding is consistent with other findings in literature which conclude that in

some cases, a hierarchical organisational structure as is the case of the Ministry of Defence is

an impediment to communication across the levels of the organisation both vertical and

horizontal.

4.8 Conclusion

This chapter analysed the data that was obtained from the field data collection in line with the

set research questions. It was found that the current organisational structure in place at the

Ministry of Defence has an adverse effect on organisational effectiveness and productivity.

From the data collected during the interviews, employees complained that duties and

responsibilities were not well allocated and reporting lines in some cases were not clear. Also,

the integration of the military into the structure was also not effective and this was affecting

organisational effectiveness. The civil – military coordination and integration was identified as

one of the major bottlenecks within the structure of the Ministry of Defence. Given the afore-

mentioned bottlenecks, it should come as no surprise that organisational effectiveness is

negatively affected within the Ministry. Communication and information flow are affected

between the different categories of staff, duties are poorly allocated and there are incidences of


25

duplication. Also, some employees are overburdened with work while others are not utilised at

all.

This finding can be aligned with others in literature (Abutorabi, 2008; Asgari, 2004). Abutorabi

(2008) in a similar study found that a good organisational structure in government institution

leads to better levels of communication which leads to knowledge sharing among employees.

It is difficult to create a strategic direction for an organisation in the absence of a good structure.

Productivity is affected negatively because of a lack of communication, teamwork and

employee citizenship behaviour.


26

SECTION FIVE

SUMMARY OF FINDINGS, CONCLUSION AND

RECOMMENDATIONS

5.1 Introduction

This section aims at presenting the summary of the study findings and draws meaningful

conclusions as well as suggests recommendations based on the study findings and conclusions.

This section will also present the study’s limitations and suggest future studies.

5.2 Summary of Findings

This study sought to explore how the organisational structure at the Ministry of Defence affect

the effectiveness of employees. The study made use of key informant interviews to gather data

for analysis. This study included twelve (12) staff of the Ministry of Defence of Ghana of which

seven (7) has been at the Ministry for more than three (3) years. Out of the twelve (12)

respondents, nine (9) were male and three (3) female. The findings reveal that the

organisational structure at the Ministry is the hierarchical type. Also, regarding how the

organisational structure affects employee effectiveness, the findings established that the

bottlenecks in the current structure of Ministry, impacted on organisational effectiveness

because of miscommunication, slow information flow, undefined roles and reporting lines,

poor communication and inconducive environment for meeting critical deadlines as the

bottlenecks. The study has also established that the interface between the military and civil

personnel was weak and needed to be strengthened to improve effectiveness. Further to this,

this study has brought to light the lack of team work among directorates and among the military

and civil personnel. Directorates are unwilling to cooperate, and workers do not feel a sense of

belonging. Employees focus on individual tasks or schedules and do not help others.


27

5.3 Conclusion

This study sought to examine the effect of organisational structure on the organisational

effectiveness of the Ministry of Defence. Literature reviewed from previous research has

shown that organisational structure facilitates proper working condition among various units

of an organisation and improve productivity. The findings of the study have shown that the

organisational structure at the Ministry of Defence is hierarchical. Apart from that, it has

several layers and integrates civilian staff and military staff. It has also established that the

organisational structure impacts on the effectiveness of the employees and stakeholders of

Ministry of Defence negatively. The study further pointed out the bottlenecks in the

organisational structure of Ministry of Defence. Duties and responsivities are not well allocated

and reporting lines in some cases were not clear. Also, integration of the military into the

structure was also not effective and this was affecting organisational effectiveness. The

interface between the military and the civilians have been characterised by miscommunication,

slow information flow, undefined roles and inconducive environment for meeting critical

deadlines. This is because there is an atmosphere of mistrust and lack of collaboration within

the Ministry of Defence which results in miscommunication as people may not be sure who

needs information or where to send important messages.

5.4 Recommendations

Based on the findings of the study the following recommendations are made:

1. An organisational structure is not meant to be a secret document and will work best if

every employee in the organisation knows the structure. The structure, roles and

responsibilities of the Ministry have been formalised into the organisational manual. It

is important to have a validation workshop where all staff will be apprised on how they


28

fit into the structure as well as their reporting lines. Also, the strategic direction of the

Ministry must be explained, so that it cascades down to individual targets of staff.

2. The organisational structure of the Ministry of Defence should clearly designate chain

of command. This prevents directorates from competing and staff from going over the

heads of their superiors or believing they do not have to follow a colleague’s direction

because that colleague is not a superior. When you have multiple Directors with the

same title, designate each one’s direct superior, which should be the Chief Director.

3. There should be a critical look at the functions of the Ministry to inform the creation of

an organisational chart to ensure proper functions and establishment levels. Typical

business functions in the Ministry include policy planning, procurement, finance and

administration, human resources as well as information technology.

4. The best way to create the optimal organisational structure for the Ministry is to design

one from scratch. Doing this allows the creation of a management and staff structure

that best suits the needs of the Ministry, rather than one that suits the needs of the current

establishment levels. The structure should be done without regard to any staff currently

at post or honouring any commitments you have made. Then adjust the organisational

chart based on the realities of what you have in place.

5. As has been the case over the years, military officers and other ranks on attachment to

the Ministry have been agitating for the platform to inform policy at the Ministry. In

that regard, there is the need for an organisational structure that recognises and validates

the skills and expertise brought by the military. The military should be repositioned on

the structure to better utilise human resource available and impact on effectiveness.


29

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APPENDIX: INTERVIEW GUIDE

THE EFFECT OF ORGANISATIONAL STRUCTURE ON THE

EFFECTIVE MANAGEMENT OF THE MINISTRY OF DEFENCE

SECTION A

1. How long have you been working here?

2. What is your position in the organisation and what do you do here?

SECTION B

3. Why is it necessary to have a good organisational structure?

4. Do you have any input in your organisations’ decisions?

5. What is the best structure for your organisation in your opinion?

6. How does the organisational structure aid productivity /performance or otherwise?

SECTION C

7. Do you see any areas within the organisation that are not working well?

8. Have you identified any bottlenecks with the organisational structure in operation

now?

9. How can these bottlenecks be addressed?


university of ghana the effect of organisational …

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