Deck 5: Knowledge and Theories About Organizations

Question 1

Which theory has been criticized for its emphasis on power and access to resources instead of effective service provision to clients?

A) Ecosystems
B) Political-economy
C) Contingency
D) Institutional

Answer 1

Political-economy

Question 2

For the remainder of chapters, this text will view organizations from the ________ perspective.

A) ecosystems
B) contingency
C) institutional
D) cultural

Answer 2

ecosystems

Question 3

Plugitup manufactures earplugs. Which term refers to the raw materials necessary for producing these earplugs?

A) Input
B) Output
C) Subsystems
D) Products of entropy

Answer 3

Input

Question 4

Which of the following terms refers, in the broadest sense, to the entire system of services, benefits, and programs designed to help people sustain themselves and their families?

A) Human services
B) Public social agencies
C) Social welfare
D) Family life education

Question 5

Which of the following is NOT one of the four components that define organizations?

A) Political entities
B) Goal-directed
C) Linked to the external environment
D) Designed as deliberately structured and coordinated activity systems

Question 6

Which organizational theory emphasizes that jobs and tasks be studied extensively to develop and standardize work procedures and expectations?

A) Systems
B) Scientific management
C) Theory Y
D) Cultural perspective

Question 7

Which of the following is a core value in the NASW Code of Ethics ?

A) Dignity and worth of the person
B) Quality management
C) Adherence to professional boundaries
D) Focus on human relations

Question 8

Which statement describes Theory X managers?

A) They view workers as lifetime employees.
B) They believe employees will not only accept responsibility but also seek it.
C) They believe mistakes and errors are viewed as necessary phases of the learning process.
D) They view employees as being incapable of much growth.

Question 9

Organizational _____ is the study of human conduct in the workplace, the interaction between people and the organization, and the organization itself.

A) culture
B) management
C) behavior
D) hierarchy

Question 10

Which of the following is true in organizations that apply classical organizational theories?

A) Constant assessment and adjustment is emphasized.
B) Minimal independent functioning on the part of employees is needed.
C) There are flexible rules.
D) How people feel about their jobs is significant.

Question 11

Which of the following statements about the cultural perspective on organizations is FALSE?

A) It asserts "if it ain't broke, don't fix it."
B) It assumes performance will be predictable.
C) It may squelch innovative ideas.
D) Workers will evaluate nontraditional approaches fairly and impartially.

Question 12

Which of the following is NOT one of the principles basic to the administrative theory of management?

A) Authority and responsibility
B) Unity of direction
C) Flexibility and creativity
D) Centralization

Question 13

Theory Y managers:

A) believe that mistakes and errors are necessary phases of the learning process.
B) presume employees will undergo long periods of evaluation and are not promoted quickly.
C) view employees as being incapable of much growth.
D) assume a homogeneous internal organizational culture.

Question 14

The Hawthorne studies of the 1920s lead to the emergence of the ________ movement.

A) human relations
B) scientific management
C) bureaucratic
D) feminist

Question 15

Which of the following statements regarding the dynamics of gender-based power in organizations is FALSE?

A) Power elites enforce norms and systems that guarantee continued power.
B) In organizations where men already assume most of the powerful positions, there is a tendency to promote other men to maintain that status quo.
C) People in powerful positions begin to assume they are naturally entitled to maintain that power over others.
D) Women who attain higher levels of authority and power continue their interest in helping other women advance.

Question 16

Which of the following is NOT a concept of feminist theories that can be applied to organizations to counteract gender-related power dynamics?

A) Empowerment
B) Diversity is strength
C) The importance of process
D) Keeping the political impersonal

Question 17

Which type of social agency is run by some designated unit of government and is usually regulated by laws impacting policy?

A) Private
B) Proprietary
C) For-profit
D) Public

Question 18

The underlying premise of the _____ theory is the organization's dependence on resources controlled by agents and interest groups in the external environment.

A) institutional
B) political-economy
C) culture-quality
D) contingency

Question 19

Which theory maintains that each element involved in an organization depends on other elements?

A) Institutional
B) Political-economy
C) Culture-quality
D) Contingency

Question 20

Which of the following is true in organizations that establish an ecosystems theories approach?

A) Performance is regulated and measured.
B) Efficiency is of utmost importance.
C) They are more flexible than many other theories.
D) Managers view employees as being incapable of much growth.

Question 21

Theory Y managers view employees as being incapable of much growth.

Question 22

A potential weakness of the contingency perspective is its lack of direction.

Question 23

Human relations theories emphasize that satisfied and happy employees will manifest the most productivity.

Question 24

Theory X managers believe that the promise of internal rewards is stronger motivations than external rewards and punishment.

Question 25

Traditional bureaucracies demonstrate the application of systems theories.

Question 26

An intake unit for a large county department of social services is an example of an activity system.

Question 27

The basic purpose of institutional social services is to enhance the relationships between people and between people and their environment.

Question 28

Happyhelp Counseling Center strives for the ecosystems concept of entropy by adding new staff and innovative programs so it can continue to function as a helping agency.

Question 29

Financial assistance programs are considered institutional social services.

Question 30

Social workers have the serious ethical responsibility of enhancing agency functioning.

Question 31

The cultural perspective on organizations assumes "if it ain't broke, don't fix it."

Question 32

People in powerful positions begin to assume they are naturally entitled to maintain power over others.

Question 33

In organizations using an ecosystems theory approach, irrational, spontaneous interactions are expected.

Question 34

A major purpose for the existence of a proprietary social agency is to make a profit for its owners.

Question 35

The political/economy theory poses difficulties for social workers who maintain professional values and ethics.

Question 36

Organizations are social entities.

Question 37

Social service agency, social service organization, and social agency are terms that can be used interchangeably.

Question 38

Scientific management theory developed at a time when there was great accord between management and employees.

Question 39

The mezzo system is critical in human relations theories.

Question 40

Theories stressing organizational culture and quality improvement characterized the early decades of the twentieth century.

Question 41

What ethical issues may arise when working in an organization? What must the social work practitioner do when confronting such issues?

Question 42

Compare and contrast classical organizational theories and human relations theories. What are the strengths and weaknesses of each?

Question 43

Define organizations. Why is their study important to social work practitioners?

Question 44

Cite and explain three types of social agencies.

Question 45

Define the ecosystems concepts of input, output, role, and system and apply them to a fictitious organization called Smileyface Counseling Center.

Question 46

What do you think of the five proposed dynamics of gender-based power in organizations? Do they make sense to you, or are they too extreme? Explain why. What are the reasons women make up such a relatively small percentage of people with the greatest political and corporate power, despite making up more than half the population?

Question 47

Explain the differences between Theory X and Theory Y management styles.

Question 48

Which organizational theory or theories do you think are most effective and practical? What are your reasons for thinking so? What concepts do you think are most important? In what type of organizational environment would you prefer to work? What experiences in working for businesses or organizations have you had that influence your opinions?

Question 49

Describe the relationship between management and employees at the time Frederick Taylor developed the scientific management theory. How did this affect the development of the three classical organizational theories?

Question 50

How do men fit into the application of feminist theories to organizations?