An organization is a group of people working together to achieve a common objective. An organization can be as small as two people or as large as billions of people.
Organizations can be public or private and can be for profit or non-profit. The word “organization” comes from the Latin word organum which means something brought together. In ancient Rome, an organization was referred to as an “organum” or an instrument.
An organization must have a leadership structure consisting of a leader, managers and employees. The leader defines the objective of the organization and directs the work of the employees towards achieving that goal. The employees are also known as staff members and are responsible for carrying out tasks within their area of expertise.
They report back to their supervisors on how they performed and what results they achieved. This feedback is used by the leaders to modify future plans if necessary. It is also used to measure success in achieving goals versus time spent working towards that goal.
An example of an organization with a mission statement is Starbucks Corporation, which has the following mission statement: “To inspire and nurture the growth of all humanity through our coffees and our communities." An example of an organization without a mission statement is Apple Inc., which has no official statement other than making great products that enrich people’s lives. An organization’s byline is defined by its name, logo, colors, symbol or motto since it represents what type of organization it is. For example, Amnesty International has a black and white color scheme with a red triangle symbolizing its support for human rights violations worldwide.