NAACP Organizational Structure

NAACP Organizational Structure Course: Instructor: Date: Introduction The National Association for the Advancement of Colored people (NAACP) is a civil rights group that advocates for the rights of minority people in the U.S. Historically, this organization sought to end segregation of African Americans through legal means and protests. The group aims to end race prejudice and ensure that there is equality for all American citizens regardless of their background. In essence, the group initially acted as a watchdog organization to address infringement of rights among minorities in 1909. Political activism has influenced the organizational structure of the group, and the leadership structure is predominantly African American. Organizational structure The NAACP organizational structure is decentralized with a national board of directors being the overall head executives of the organization. Below the board executive, are the President and the CEO of the group, there is staff among the national offices with branches, school chapters, area conferences, prison branches and units (NAACP, 2010). However, each unit has different president, vice president and secretaries. The organizational structure is primarily based in America, but Coca Cola has a different structure that caters for the international market, with the company focusing its operations in the U.S. and having a global strategy (The times, 2005). The NRA (National Rifle Association of America) is a non profit organization, but like the NAACP, it is headed by a board of directors (Citizendium, 2013). Both the NRA and NAACP have members who give money to finance the activities of the organizations. This reflects the organization’s actions in advocacy with activists involved in campaigning for their groups’ role in the society. Both the NRA and NAACP receive money from corporations, firms and donations. NAACP also receives financing through taxpayers’ money as well as grants. However, in financing Coca Cola the company relies on revenue from North America and the international market. Thus, financing and nature of activities determine the organizational structure among the three organizations. As a private company, Coca Cola aims to maximize wealth through using flexible organizational structure adaptable to market expectations, unlike NAACP whose organizational structure is more rigid. The units involve grassroots community involvement, but each of the units requires approval from the board of directors in carrying out their operations. Similarly, each of the units is also governed through by laws, constitution and Charter. Thus, in carrying out the activities of the organizations, decentralization through the units ensures that all operations are coordinated through Councils, Conferences and Branches (NAACP, 2003). Even though, the organization emphasizes on the hierarchical nature of the organizational structure there are elements of both centralization and decentralization through the board of directors. Essentially, assessment of the activities of various units occurs at the national level, together with disbursements of proceedings for units during training (NAACP, 2003). Organization function and design Functions of an organization influence its organizational structure, and NAACP is divided into seven re...