Deck 12: Responsibility, Authority, and Delegation

Question 1

Responsible managers take complete charge of their work groups.

Answer 1

True

Question 2

Organizational members should be obligated to perform only those activities that lead to goal attainment.

Answer 2

True

Question 3

Delegation is the process of assigning job activities and related authority to specific individuals in the organization.

Answer 3

True

Question 4

Line authority is the right to make decisions and to give orders concerning the production-, sales-, or finance-related behavior of subordinates.

Question 5

The first step in the sequence of activities for the functional similarity method of dividing job activities is to make individuals responsible for performing jobs.

Question 6

The most basic method of dividing job activities is the functional similarity method.

Question 7

A responsibility gap exists when certain organizational tasks are not included in the responsibility area of any individual organizational member.

Question 8

The concept of centralization implies that a huge amount of authority is delegated to subordinates by management.

Question 9

In essence, line personnel are the suppliers of workers , and the various organizational departments needing workers are their customers.

Question 10

The first step in the delegation process involves creating the obligation for a subordinate to perform the duties assigned.

Question 11

Authority is the right to perform or command.

Question 12

Even though a manager may delegate a task to another employee, the manager still remains responsible for the completion of the task.

Question 13

A manager's behavior with upper management is one way to determine the degree of responsibility a manager possesses.

Question 14

Authority is the obligation to perform assigned activities.

Question 15

A management responsibility guide is a specific tool developed to clarify the responsibilities of various managers in the organization.

Question 16

Even though organizational objectives and other conditions within the management system might change, individual job activities should remain the same.

Question 17

The source of authority lies within the individual.

Question 18

The accountability concept implies that reward or punishment is dependent upon performance.

Question 19

Having authority guarantees a specific command will be obeyed.

Question 20

Functional authority consists of the right to give orders within a segment of the organization in which this right is normally nonexistent.

Question 21

If speedy decision-making is essential, then centralization is recommended.

Question 22

When two or more employees are uncertain as to who is responsible for a task, which of the following represents the most desirable outcome in terms of product quality?

A) Employees spend valuable time negotiating each aspect of the job.
B) Both the employees perform the job.
C) One of the two employees performs the job.
D) Neither employee performs the job.
E) The job is reassigned to a different employee.

Question 23

The final step in the functional similarity method of dividing jobs is to ________.

A) design specific jobs by grouping similar activities
B) create an organization chart
C) make specific individuals responsible for performing specific jobs
D) examine management system objectives
E) identify the activities that must be performed to reach desired objectives

Question 24

Bay Industries has a small-scale shoe manufacturing plant which has experienced a high number of product defects for the past several months. Upon investigation, it was found that the shoes were never inspected for quality once they came off the production line as no particular employee had been assigned this specific task. This is an example of ________.

A) a responsibility gap
B) overlapping responsibility
C) role conflict
D) a skill gap
E) lack of functional similarity

Question 25

Which of the following exists when certain tasks are not included in the responsibility area of any individual organization member?

A) role conflict
B) a responsibility gap
C) accountability
D) a condition of overlapping responsibility
E) lack of functional similarity

Question 26

A listing of specific activities that must be performed to accomplish some task or job is a(n) ________.

A) job specification
B) job evaluation
C) job description
D) management responsibility guide
E) organization chart

Question 27

________ is an obligation to perform assigned activities.

A) Centralization
B) Line authority
C) Efficacy
D) Responsibility
E) Functional authority

Question 28

The first step in the functional similarity method of dividing jobs is to ________.

A) designate appropriate activities that must be performed to reach desired objectives
B) examine management system objectives
C) make specific individuals responsible for performing specific jobs
D) design specific jobs by grouping similar activities
E) create an organization chart

Question 29

As a general rule, the more physically separated the organization's customers are, the more viable a significant amount of centralization is.

Question 30

Organization members should be obligated to perform only those activities that lead to ________.

A) job enlargement
B) overlapping responsibilities
C) more accountability
D) job enrichment
E) goal attainment

Question 31

________ help(s) management to describe the various responsibility relationships that exist in the organization and to summarize how the responsibilities of various managers relate to one another.

A) Robert's Rules of Order
B) The overlapping responsibility chart
C) The management responsibility guide
D) The Chatham House Rule
E) The process decision program chart

Question 32

Mark and Joe work in the client services department at a large advertising agency and both have been assigned the account of a major client. However, when the client sends an e-mail with an urgent request, neither of them responds. This is most likely due to ________.

A) overlapping responsibilities
B) responsibility gaps
C) poor line authority
D) excessive delegation
E) high centralization

Question 33

Which of the following refers to a situation in which more than one individual is responsible for the same activity?

A) job enlargement
B) overlapping responsibility
C) job rotation
D) role ambiguity
E) role conflict

Question 34

The most basic method of dividing job activities is the ________.

A) process control method
B) customer location method
C) centralization method
D) functional similarity method
E) overlapping responsibility chart method

Question 35

Which of the following statements is true about responsibility?

A) Responsibility is often easy to identify.
B) Responsibility does not create an obligation to perform the assigned activities.
C) The source of responsibility lies within the individual.
D) Responsibility is the right to perform or command.
E) Managers who delegate tasks are not responsible for them.

Question 36

The self-assumed commitment to handle a job to the best of one's ability is termed ________.

A) responsibility
B) authority
C) accountability
D) answerability
E) responsivity

Question 37

ABC insurance company hired a manager for their operations team. The manager divided the job activities among his team members by examining the management system objectives, designating appropriate activities that must be performed to reach those objectives, designing specific jobs by grouping similar activities, and making specific individuals responsible for performing those jobs. Which method is the manager using to divide job activities?

A) functional similarity
B) overlapping responsibility chart
C) process control
D) centralization
E) Robert's Rules of Order

Question 38

An individual's job activities within an organization are usually summarized in a formal statement called a ________.

A) job evaluation
B) job description
C) job design
D) job specification
E) job analysis

Question 39

When properly designed, job descriptions ________.

A) encourage job sharing among employees
B) increase the number of tasks associated with the job
C) communicate job content to employees
D) encourage the application of socio-technical systems principles to the humanization of work
E) encourage job rotation among employees

Question 40

HR Village, a staffing company has invited applications for the position of director of recruitment and compensation. This position is accountable for planning, organizing, and managing recruitment and compensation services for the company. This list of specific activities is an example of a ________.

A) job evaluation
B) work sample
C) job description
D) work plan
E) job specification

Question 41

According to Barnard, a manager's commands will be accepted over the long term if ________.

A) informal communication channels are used
B) an indirect line of communication exists between managers and subordinates
C) the command is authenticated as coming from a manager
D) a chain of command does not exist
E) the manager uses formal communication lines for business and personal matters

Question 42

The three main types of authority that can exist within an organization are ________.

A) line, staff, and formal
B) staff, informal, and formal
C) line, staff, and functional
D) line, functional, and formal
E) formal, informal, and functional

Question 43

A manager who is directly responsible for executing a function has ________.

A) general responsibility
B) specific responsibility
C) operating responsibility
D) cyclical responsibility
E) consultative responsibility

Question 44

Which of the following is NOT one of the four key dimensions for appraising manager responsibility?

A) behavior with upper management
B) behavior with other groups
C) behavior with subordinates
D) behavior with stockholders
E) personal attitudes and values

Question 45

Jack is the business head at Micron Computers. The firm has set its revenue target for the year at $5 million. Jack will have to ensure that this financial target is met by overseeing the performance of the firm's various departments and providing necessary direction and guidance. In this scenario, Jack has ________.

A) general responsibility
B) specific responsibility
C) operational responsibility
D) latent responsibility
E) tactical responsibility

Question 46

In terms of personal attitudes and values, responsible managers ________.

A) perform tasks that offer immediate rewards
B) always prioritize their subordinates' needs above everything else
C) conserve corporate resources as if the resources were their own
D) avoid terminating poor performers at all costs
E) take moderate to high risks

Question 47

Barnard defines ________ as the character of communication by which an order is accepted by an individual as governing the actions that individual takes within the system.

A) accountability
B) responsibility
C) authority
D) personal attitude
E) influence

Question 48

The right to perform or command is ________.

A) responsibility
B) authority
C) delegation
D) accountability
E) centralization

Question 49

Responsible managers make sure that any gaps between their areas and those of other managers are securely filled. This is classified under which of the following key dimensions of responsible management behavior?

A) behavior with subordinates
B) behavior with upper management
C) behavior with other groups
D) behavior with people outside the organization
E) personal attitudes and values

Question 50

According to Barnard, to enhance the probability of acceptance of authority, communication channels should be ________.

A) formal
B) informal
C) lateral
D) customized
E) culturally-fair

Question 51

Which of the following statements is true about authority?

A) It is the obligation to perform assigned activities.
B) It allows its holder to influence the actions of others through indirect means.
C) It is the holder's self-assumed commitment to handle a job to the best of his or her ability.
D) It allows its holder to allocate the organization's resources to achieve organizational objectives.
E) It guarantees that a specific command will be obeyed.

Question 52

Jack is the business head at Micron Computers. The firm has set its revenue target for the year at $5 million. Jack will have to ensure that this financial target is met by providing necessary direction and guidance to the different department heads who are directly responsible for the execution of the work performed by their departments. In this scenario, the organization's various department heads have _________.

A) operating responsibility
B) consultative responsibility
C) tacit responsibility
D) latent responsibility
E) specific responsibility

Question 53

Top Pumps Ltd, a company that manufactures rubber seals for water pumps, has a total of 200 employees. Max is an assembly line worker whose job is to fix a rubber component into the spring coil of each unit that is produced. He is a crucial part in the assembly line of 30 workers but has just this limited role. Which of the following is most similar to Max's role?

A) Jenny is responsible for overseeing the work of 20 shop assistants at a New Look store.
B) George is an engine driver with Amtrak responsible for driving a passenger train between Washington D.C and Chicago.
C) Lloyd is responsible for creating graphics for the ideas given by the creative team at Prompt Advertising.
D) Monica is the head chef at the Intercontinental hotel, heading a team of 20 people.
E) Ivan is an entrepreneur who has started his own Web designing firm and handles the firm's finances, in addition to servicing clients.

Question 54

Barnard maintains that authority will be accepted under all the following conditions , EXCEPT when ________.

A) the individual believes the order is consistent with the purpose of the organization
B) the individual can understand the order being communicated
C) the individual sees the order as compatible with his or her personal interests
D) the individual is mentally and physically able to comply with the order
E) the individual considers informal communication channels to be more credible than formal ones

Question 55

Which of the following would be least likely to enhance acceptance of a manager's commands?

A) use of the complete chain of command to issue orders
B) possession of adequate communication channels
C) use of informal communication channels
D) a direct line of communication between manager and subordinate
E) possession of adequate communication skills by the manager

Question 56

In terms of their attitude toward and conduct with subordinates, responsible managers ________.

A) share the responsibility of managing their work groups with other employees
B) pass praise and credit along to subordinates
C) avoid terminating poor performers at all costs
D) always prioritize their subordinates' needs above everything else
E) stay close to problems, but distance themselves from routine work activities

Question 57

Which of the following key dimensions of responsible management behavior is concerned with managers accepting criticism for mistakes and buffering their groups from excessive criticism?

A) behavior with upper management
B) personal attitudes and values
C) attitude toward and conduct with subordinates
D) behavior with people outside the organization
E) behavior with other groups

Question 58

A manager who guides and directs the execution of a function through the person accepting operating responsibility has ________.

A) general responsibility
B) specific responsibility
C) sequential responsibility
D) rotational responsibility
E) consultative responsibility

Question 59

A manager responsible for executing a limited portion of a function has ________.

A) general responsibility
B) specific responsibility
C) operating responsibility
D) organizational responsibility
E) consultative responsibility

Question 60

Lisa recently joined the HR department at Tandem Corp, a cycle manufacturing firm. In her role as an HR executive, she is responsible for answering all employee queries on payroll issues. In this scenario, Lisa has ________.

A) consultative responsibility
B) specific responsibility
C) latent responsibility
D) operating responsibility
E) general responsibility

Question 61

The management philosophy which states that individuals will be held liable for how well they use their authority or perform their activities, and will be rewarded or punished for doing so is ________.

A) reinforcement
B) line authority
C) accountability
D) delegation
E) centralization

Question 62

A certain IT company has a legal services department which is responsible for providing timely assistance and advice on matters relating to contracts, liability, governance, and regulations. What type of authority do the legal advisors within this organization possess?

A) line authority
B) functional authority
C) staff authority
D) traditional authority
E) informal authority

Question 63

Which of the following is a guideline for making delegation effective?

A) Avoid giving employees freedom to pursue tasks in their own way.
B) Refrain from entrusting employees with whole projects or tasks.
C) Allow employees to set their own standards for performance.
D) Delegate tasks on the basis of employee interests at all times.
E) Give employees the authority necessary to accomplish tasks.

Question 64

Bay Industries has a small-scale shoe manufacturing plant which has experienced a high number of product defects for the past several months. The quality control team studies the problem and then recommends that the production manager change one of the company's suppliers of leather. In this scenario, the quality control team has _________ authority.

A) staff
B) line
C) functional
D) traditional
E) informal

Question 65

The HR department of a large IT firm is responsible for recruiting and training qualified employees for all the other departments within the organization. In essence, they are the suppliers of workers, and the various organizational departments needing workers are their customers. Under the given circumstance, identify the role played by the human resource department.

A) control role
B) functional role
C) service role
D) advisory role
E) counseling role

Question 66

Which of the following statements regarding staff authority is true?

A) It enables those responsible for improving the effectiveness of line personnel to perform their required tasks.
B) It involves giving orders concerning production activities.
C) It pertains to matters directly involving management system production, sales, and finance and, as a result, the attainment of objectives.
D) It reflects existing superior-subordinate relationships.
E) It consists of the right to give orders within a segment of the organization in which this right is normally nonexistent.

Question 67

Bay Industries has a small-scale shoe manufacturing plant which has experienced a high number of product defects for the past several months. The quality control team studies the problem and then recommends that the production manager change one of the company's suppliers of leather. Identify the role performed by the staff personnel in this situation.

A) advisory
B) service
C) control
D) latent
E) administrative

Question 68

The three steps in the delegation process are ________.

A) create accountability, promote acceptance, and facilitate performance
B) assign specific duties, grant authority, and create responsibility
C) assign responsibility, create accountability, and assign specific duties
D) create responsibility, grant authority, and promote acceptance
E) assign specific duties, create responsibility, and promote acceptance

Question 69

________ consists of the right to give orders within a segment of the organization in which this right is normally nonexistent.

A) Staff authority
B) Line authority
C) Decentralization
D) Functional authority
E) Informal authority

Question 70

Which of the following is the first step in the delegation process?

A) assigning specific duties to the individual
B) giving the subordinate the right and power to accomplish assigned duties
C) creating the obligation for the subordinate to perform the assigned duties
D) collecting feedback from the subordinate
E) training employees to complete tasks efficiently

Question 71

The process of assigning job activities and related authority to specific individuals in the organization is termed ________.

A) delegation
B) centralization
C) job specification
D) task identification
E) task significance

Question 72

The most fundamental authority in an organization, consisting of the right to make decisions and to give orders concerning the production-, sales-, or finance-related behavior of subordinates, is ________.

A) functional authority
B) staff authority
C) traditional authority
D) line authority
E) informal authority

Question 73

When staff personnel are viewed as suppliers and line personnel as customers, staff personnel are performing the ________ role.

A) service
B) advisory
C) counseling
D) control
E) administrative

Question 74

________ consists of the right to advise or assist those who posses line authority.

A) Functional authority
B) Staff authority
C) Informal authority
D) Lateral authority
E) Rational-legal authority

Question 75

In which of the following roles do staff personnel help establish a mechanism for evaluating the effectiveness of organizational plans?

A) advisory role
B) service role
C) control role
D) functional role
E) counseling role

Question 76

In which of the following roles, do staff personnel act as representatives, or agents, of top management?

A) control role
B) advisory role
C) service role
D) counseling role
E) functional role

Question 77

Functional authority ________.

A) is delegated to individuals who possess neither staff nor line authority
B) generally covers only specific task areas
C) is assigned to individuals for an indefinite period of time
D) is the most fundamental type of authority within an organization
E) is granted in the absence of line or staff authority

Question 78

According to Harold Stieglitz, in which of the following roles do staff personnel use their professional expertise to solve organizational problems?

A) advisory role
B) service role
C) control role
D) administrative role
E) functional role

Question 79

The most significant factor in determining whether an organization will have staff personnel is ________.

A) the size of the organization
B) the qualifications of the workers
C) the type of industry
D) the degree of centralization in the organization
E) the nature of the products and service produced

Question 80

Which of the following obstacles to delegation is related to the supervisor?

A) fear that subordinates will not do a job well
B) reluctance to accept delegated authority
C) reluctance to exercise authority that may complicate working relationships
D) fear that the supervisor will be unavailable for guidance
E) belief that the supervisor doesn't have confidence in employees