Determining an organizational structure model toimprove productivity in architectural design offices

Abstract

While organizational productivity and its influencing factors have been widely explored in the literature across various sectors, there remains a significant shortage of research dedicated specifically to architectural design offices (ADOs). ADOs exhibit distinctive operational characteristics—such as their reliance on project-based workflows, interdisciplinary teamwork, and creativity-centered outputs—that set them apart from more conventional corporate or industrial settings. Despite these unique aspects, the organizational management of ADOs has been largely overlooked in productivity-focused research. This gap may stem from the limited incorporation of architectural practice management into the broader discourse of organizational theory. Consequently, there is a notable deficiency in our understanding of how productivity can be accurately measured, evaluated, and improved within ADOs, underlining the need for focused investigation in this specialized area. This study aims to determine an organizational structure model to improve organizational productivity in ADOs. To achieve this, the research began with a comprehensive review of relevant literature. This review encompassed a wide spectrum of topics including the foundational definitions and historical origins of organizations, their components, and particularly, the attributes of project-based organizations. Emphasis was placed on understanding the implications of organizational structure—its role, typologies, and theoretical foundations—with particular focus on aligning structural design to organizational objectives. Additionally, the literature examined the concept of organization on the individual level, addressing personal and professional self-organization and its impact on workplace productivity. The review also investigated the connection between organizational structure and performance, providing a framework for defining and evaluating productivity within organizational contexts. It identified various productivity-enhancing strategies and outlined how performance can be effectively assessed. Furthermore, the study narrowed its focus to ADOs, exploring their internal structures, workflows, and the role of architectural management (AM) in coordinating both creative and technical tasks. It was observed that existing research on factors influencing productivity in ADOs remains scarce and lacks empirical depth. Based on this theoretical groundwork, the study proposed the following hypothesis: Organizational Structure with 7 Divisions (with functionel structure subcategories) is a suitable model to improve organizational productivity in ADOs. This model was chosen for its comprehensiveness and product-oriented design, which is thought to correspond well with the project-based nature of ADOs. As design offices typically operate with distinct, time-bound projects that mirror the characteristics of projectbased organizations (PBOs), a structure built around such logic is deemed appropriate and potentially beneficial. To test this hypothesis, a quantitative research methodology was employed. A survey was distributed among professionals working in ADOs to evaluate their organizational awareness, the degree to which functions of the proposed model are currently applied, and the perceived impact of these functions on productivity. The survey data were analyzed using a range of statistical techniques, including reliability analysis, normality testing, correlation analysis, and independent samples t-tests. The findings revealed that more than half of the participants lacked awareness of a clearly defined organizational structure within their offices, suggesting a general absence of organizational clarity. However, it was also observed that many of the functions associated with the proposed structure were already being partially implemented. The data shows a notable mismatch between how some functions are used and how important they are thought to be. Despite being underutilized, "strategic planning for organizational growth" was found to have the greatest influence on productivity, underscoring the necessity for ADO owners and employees to understand the significance of strategic planning. Financial operations like "expense management" and "revenue management" were widely employed and thought to be very productive. On the other hand, "keeping and archiving customer information" came in last in terms of perceived productivity impact yet somewhat high in utilization (i.e., it cannot be argued that it is utilized less), indicating that its high use may be due to factors other than productivity. As a general conclusion, it can be said that the analysis supported the hypothesis, indicating that the suggested model holds significant potential for improving productivity in ADOs.