C Consultancy Company gives management consultancy to a range of organisations. It employs staff who have different industry backgrounds and who also offer different specialisms, for instance, in finance, marketing, IT, leadership, change management and logistics. The Company is currently organised around these specialist areas, with every specialism having a senior manager in charge. Though, for some of its project work it is necessary to adopt a matrix structure to meet the client's requirements.
Describe the key characteristics of a matrix project structure.
A matrix structure is based on a dual chain of command and is often used as a structure in project management. In the case of C Consultancy Company, it would contain establishing cross specialist teams, as essential, to work on particular consultancy projects.
Since the consultancy projects will be time bound, a matrix structure gives a way of resourcing and organising work, carry people together to work on a certain client project and then returning to their specialist area.