Deck 9: Responsibility, Authority, and Delegation

Question 1

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 the tasks.

Answer 1

C

Question 2

The source of authority lies within the individual.

Answer 2

False

Question 3

________ is an obligation to perform assigned activities.

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

Answer 3

D

Question 4

Which of the following outcomes is most desirable in terms of product quality when two or more employees are uncertain as to who is responsible for a particular task?

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

Question 5

Which of the following refers to a situation where 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 6

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 of the following methods is the manager using to divide job activities?

A) functional similarity
B) overlapping responsibility chart
C) process control
D) centralization
E) cash flow forecasting

Question 7

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

Question 8

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 9

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

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

Question 10

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

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

Question 11

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 the 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 12

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

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

Question 13

Bay Industries has a small-scale shoe manufacturing plant that has had a high number of product defects in 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) responsibility gap
B) overlapping responsibility
C) role conflict
D) skill gap
E) lack of functional similarity

Question 14

Mark and Joe work in the client services department of an advertising agency, and they have been assigned the account of a major client. However, when the client sends an email with an urgent request, neither of them respond. This is most likely due to ________.

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

Question 15

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

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

Question 16

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 17

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 sociotechnical systems principles to the humanization of work
E) encourage job rotation among employees

Question 18

A manager who neglects to assign all required job tasks to their employees has created a ________ gap.

A) accountability
B) duty
C) responsibility
D) task
E) authority

Question 19

According to many management theorists, 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 20

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

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

Question 21

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

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

Question 22

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

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 23

________ 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 24

Rupert is the business head at Micron Softwares. The firm has set its revenue target for the year at $5 million. Rupert 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(n) ________.

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

Question 25

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 26

A new manager could use a ________ to help ensure there is clarity of relationships across the organization and an understanding of how the relationships of individuals and jobs impact each other.

A) management planning chart
B) management delegation graph
C) management assessment tool
D) management communications guide
E) management responsibility guide

Question 27

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(n) ________.

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

Question 28

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 29

A manager is said to be ________ when they perform activities they are obligated to perform.

A) accountable
B) authoritative
C) responsible
D) efficient
E) organized

Question 30

Explain the outcomes that are possible when two or more employees are uncertain as to who is responsible for a particular task.

Question 31

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 32

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 to achieve organizational goals

Question 33

Describe the functional similarity method of dividing job activities.

Question 34

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

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

Question 35

Describe the characteristics of a responsible manager and explain the method used to determine the degree of responsibility a manager possesses.

Question 36

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 ________.

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

Question 37

Responsible managers take complete charge of their work groups.

Question 38

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

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

Question 39

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

Question 40

According to many management theorists, the most basic method of dividing job activities is the functional similarity method.

Question 41

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

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

Question 42

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 known as ________.

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

Question 43

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 44

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

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

Question 45

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) direct line of communication between manager and subordinate
E) possession of adequate communication skills by the manager

Question 46

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

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

Question 47

If authority is the right to perform or command, a manager's authority could also be called ________ power since the authority comes from the manager's assigned job.

A) expert
B) knowledge
C) coercive
D) positional
E) referent

Question 48

Why is it important managers understand the distribution of responsibility in their organizations?

Question 49

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 50

According to Barnard, in order 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

________ is the right to perform or command.

A) Responsibility
B) Authority
C) Delegation
D) Accountability
E) Centralization

Question 52

List and briefly describe the four key dimensions of responsible management behavior.

Question 53

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 54

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. Which of the following types 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 55

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 56

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

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

Question 57

Bay Industries has a small-scale shoe manufacturing plant which has incurred a high number of product defects in the past several months. The quality control team studies the problem and 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 58

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 59

Sara has delegated responsibility for completing next week's employee work schedule to her employee, Emma. However, Sara needs to remember she remains ________ for completion and effectiveness of the work schedule.

A) accountable
B) responsible
C) obligated
D) effective
E) efficient

Question 60

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 61

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 62

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

A) fear that subordinates will not perform 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

Question 63

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

Question 64

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

Question 65

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

Question 66

Explain the concepts of line, staff, and functional authority.

Question 67

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

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

Question 68

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 69

Authority is the right to perform or command.

Question 70

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

A) service role
B) advisory role
C) counseling role
D) controlling role
E) administrative role

Question 71

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 72

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 73

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 74

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 75

Differentiate between responsibility, accountability, and authority.

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

Which of the following is an advantage of delegation?

A) It helps supervisors to hide their professional inadequacies.
B) It significantly reduces the amount of time taken to complete a task.
C) It frees up the supervisor to perform other organizational tasks.
D) It allows the supervisor to forgo personal responsibility for delegated tasks.
E) It provides employees with a False sense of authority.

Question 78

________ refers to the management philosophy whereby individuals are liable for how well they use their authority or perform their activities, and live up to the responsibility of performing predetermined activities.

A) Reinforcement
B) Line authority
C) Accountability
D) Delegation
E) Centralization

Question 79

The three steps in the delegation process are ________.

A) creating accountability, promoting acceptance, and facilitating performance
B) assigning specific duties, granting authority, and creating responsibility
C) assigning responsibility, creating accountability, and assigning specific duties
D) creating responsibility, granting authority, and promoting acceptance
E) assigning specific rules, creating responsibility, and promoting acceptance

Question 80

Which of the following should managers NOT do to eliminate obstacles to the delegation process?

A) maximize the impact of delegated authority on established working relationships
B) help delegates cope with problems whenever necessary
C) build subordinate confidence in the use of delegated authority
D) willingly consider the ideas of others seriously
E) allow employees to learn from their mistakes without suffering unreasonable penalties