In several articles about challenges for tomorrow’s quality leaders, we’ve addressed how to plug the knowledge drain and effectively manage your company’s know-how. Your organizational structure and processes can be your worst enemy—or best asset. Organizational silos and roadblocks can impede efficiency, innovation, and overall performance. These barriers often stem from vertical line management, outdated practices, and fragmented communication channels.

Here’s why you should consider a cross-functional organization focused on processes, and how modern quality management systems (QMS) can transform organizational dynamics.

Traditional vertical line management to cross-collaborative processes

Some companies have hierarchical divisions, groups such as marketing, finance, and production, as well as functions within functions that operate in silos. That serves a purpose: Each employee reports to a single manager with a clear reporting line, or to departments with specialized experts within a specific area. Decisions are made from the top and flow downward.

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