Functional management in matrix organizations

Six roles of functional managers are defined by analysis of a role relationship diagram. A time allocation survey shows that the time spent on two of the roles (task management and employee development) is independent of the functional manager level; the time spent on two of the roles (knowledge updating and technical consulting) decreases with the manager level; and the time spent on the remaining two roles (technical administration and organization development) increases with the manager level. Pros and cons and problems of matrix organizations are discussed from the perspectives of a functional management practitioner and various techniques for maximizing engineering productivity are suggested. Further studies are recommended, and a series of questions, which are relevant in all matrix organizations, is presented.