Lesson Plan

• Describe the key advantages and disadvantages of functional, flat, tall and matrix organisational structures.
• Compare how each structure influences communication, decision‑making speed and organisational flexibility.
• Evaluate which structure best fits a given business scenario based on size, strategy and culture.
• Analyse the trade‑offs between control and agility when selecting an organisational structure.

• Projector and laptop for presentation
• Whiteboard and markers
• Printed handouts containing the advantage/disadvantage tables
• Case‑study worksheets for group activity
• Exit‑ticket cards
• Sticky notes for brainstorming

Begin with a quick question: “How do you think a large retailer decides who reports to whom?” Connect this to students’ prior experience with organisational charts. Explain that by the end of the lesson they will be able to list the pros and cons of four major structures and justify the most suitable one for a specific business.

1. Do‑now (5’) – Students create a mind‑map of a familiar company and guess its organisational structure.
2. Mini‑lecture (10’) – Teacher presents a visual overview of functional, flat, tall and matrix structures, highlighting key features.
3. Guided analysis (12’) – In pairs, students complete a worksheet matching advantages and disadvantages to each structure.
4. Case‑study application (15’) – Small groups receive a fictitious business scenario; they decide the optimal structure and prepare a brief justification using the criteria discussed.
5. Whole‑class debrief (8’) – Groups share decisions; teacher synthesises common trade‑offs and corrects misconceptions.
6. Exit ticket (5’) – Each student writes one advantage and one disadvantage of the structure they consider most appropriate for the case.

Recap the main strengths and weaknesses of each organisational form and how they align with business needs. Collect exit tickets to gauge individual understanding. For homework, students research a real‑world company’s structure and write a short reflection on whether it matches the theoretical model studied.