Learn in the textbookOrganizational Structures
DefinitionA matrix organization (マトリックス組織) is a grid-shaped organization that crosses a function axis with a business axis (products or projects), so that each member belongs to departments on both.
ExplanationBecause one person takes instructions from both a functional boss and a business-side boss, they can keep their specialty while also working toward the business's goals. The trade-off is that when the two sets of instructions clash, deciding which comes first takes effort to coordinate.
AnalogyIt is like a student guided by both a homeroom teacher and a club adviser. When their plans overlap, the student is unsure whom to follow.
Memory hookMatrix as in math: one person sits in each cell where a row meets a column.