Which management system is defined by teamwork and coordination between departments?

• A. Matrix management
• B. Cross-functional management
• C. Functional management
• D. Autonomous management

Answer: (B)

Cross-functional management emphasizes teamwork and coordination across departments by forming teams that include members from multiple functional areas to work toward a common objective. This setup breaks down silos, ensures a broader perspective in decision-making, and improves communication, since success depends on aligning goals, plans, and actions across different parts of the organization. In facilities management, for example, a cross-functional team might include maintenance, operations, safety, and space-planning staff collaborating on a retrofit or new-build project to address technical needs, safety concerns, and occupant requirements all at once. This holistic, collaborative approach is what enables integrated problem solving and delivers coordinated results. By contrast, functional management keeps work within single departments, matrix management adds dual reporting lines and potential ambiguity, and autonomous management focuses on independent units with less cross-department coordination.