Matrix management

There is famous saying "The farther you pull back the forward you go" and this is something i can relate in context with the matrix management. Fredrick Winslow Taylor created the functional foremanship where one person had to report to many superiors for various needs. This concept was thrashed by the purists saying it violates unity of command and it was thrown out and thus in the past few years we have this Matrix system of reporting where a person may have to report to more than one boss, If we look at the sheer structure of functioning of this style it is atleast to say the least inspired from Taylor's model and that made me think on certain things about this matrix style its Pro's and Con's

Advantages

1)Loss of communication through channels can be decreased
2)Direct interaction with clients and customers
3)The employee knows what is required by the customer and can modify accordingly

Now to the critical part its flaws

1)The communication if in Oral may not be the same for different reporting heads as it depends on the interpretation of the superior
2)It cause conflicts especially in certain conservative Indian organizations
3)The need for competent employable individuals for ushering in this kind of system

Now if we analyze it we can easily see its like a dynamite !!! give it to the right guy who may use it for cracking up mountains or if it ends up in the wrong hands it has deadly implication.

Cheers

Arvind