Deck 12: Adaptive Organizational Design

Question 1

Employee empowerment is crucial in organizations with team structures because no line of managerial authority flows from top to bottom in such organizations.

Answer 1

True

Question 2

Project structures tend to be rigid organizational designs, with the departmentalization and organizational hierarchy slowing down the decision-making process.

Answer 2

False

Question 3

The horizontal boundaries imposed by work specialization and departmentalization are a part of an organization's external boundaries.

Answer 3

False

Question 4

An organization finds it very easy to differentiate between independent and non-independent contractors.

Question 5

In a cross-functional team there are no artificial boundaries and thus, the team focuses on working together to achieve organizational goals.

Question 6

Companies have to pay Social Security, Medicare, and unemployment insurance taxes for workers classified as independent contractors.

Question 7

In a learning organization, employees continually acquire and share new knowledge and apply that knowledge in making decisions or doing their work.

Question 8

Open innovation refers to opening up the search for new ideas beyond the organization's boundaries and allowing innovations to easily transfer inward and outward.

Question 9

Researchers have concluded that the structures and strategies of organizations worldwide are vastly different from one another.

Question 10

A compressed workweek is a workweek where employees work longer hours per day but fewer days per week.

Question 11

A task force is a permanent committee or team formed to tackle a long-term problem affecting several departments of an organization.

Question 12

In order to make communities of practice effective, it is important to remove any sort of managerial supervision.

Question 13

One unique aspect of the matrix structure is that it creates a dual chain of command.

Question 14

The virtual organization is often called a modular organization by manufacturing firms.

Question 15

Strategic partnerships are collaborative relationships between two or more organizations in which they combine their resources and capabilities for some business purpose.

Question 16

A major structural design challenge for managers today, is to find a way to offer flexibility and at the same time keep widely dispersed and mobile employees connected to the organization.

Question 17

Telecommuting is a work arrangement in which employees work at home and are linked to the workplace by telephone.

Question 18

Collaborative work increases communication and coordination among participants.

Question 19

A virtual organization typically consists of a small core of full-time employees and outside specialists temporarily hired as needed to work on projects.

Question 20

Communities of practice refer to groups of people who share a concern, a set of problems, or a passion about a topic, and who deepen their knowledge and expertise in that area by interacting on an ongoing basis.

Question 21

Employee empowerment is a crucial aspect of which type of organizational design?

A) bureaucratic structures
B) simple structures
C) functional structures
D) team structures

Question 22

A dual chain of command is the key characteristic of the ________ structure.

A) matrix
B) project
C) team
D) virtual

Question 23

A matrix structure violates which important element of organizational design?

A) unity of command
B) span of control
C) team size
D) decentralization

Question 24

Organizational levels and hierarchies are a part of an organization's ________ boundaries.

A) external horizontal
B) internal vertical
C) external vertical
D) internal horizontal

Question 25

Which of the following is a disadvantage of a matrix structure?

A) It increases the complexity of assigning people to projects.
B) It slows down the decision-making process.
C) It reduces organizational responsiveness.
D) It leads to lower morale among team members.

Question 26

In which of the following organizational designs is there a greater likelihood of task and personality conflicts?

A) simple structures
B) functional structures
C) project structures
D) team structures

Question 27

Which of the following is an advantage of a team structure?

A) It empowers employees and makes them more involved.
B) It establishes a clear line of managerial authority.
C) It reduces the pressure on teams to perform.
D) It separates different functional groups.

Question 28

Which of the following is a characteristic of a matrix organization?

A) It conforms to the unity of command principle.
B) It consists of outside specialists who are temporarily hired to work on projects.
C) It has formal departments to which employees return after completing a project.
D) It is free of both internal and external boundaries.

Question 29

In which of the following organizational designs are employees most likely to experience communication difficulties?

A) team structures
B) matrix structures
C) project structures
D) boundaryless structures

Question 30

In a ________ structure, no clear chain of command exists.

A) team
B) project
C) mechanistic
D) functional

Question 31

Which of the following is a characteristic of a project structure?

A) It has no formal departments.
B) It creates a high level of team loyalty.
C) It has a rigid organizational hierarchy.
D) It has a very slow decision-making process.

Question 32

A virtual organization ________.

A) is structurally complex
B) has a fairly large full-time workforce
C) hires outside specialists on a project basis
D) has a high degree of departmentalization

Question 33

Which of the following organizational designs has no rigid and predefined structure?

A) matrix structures
B) boundaryless organizations
C) simple structures
D) functional organizations

Question 34

In terms of organizational design, external boundaries refer to the boundaries that separate ________.

A) an organization's permanent workforce from its contingent workforce
B) an organization's top-management from its middle- and lower-management
C) an organization from its customers, suppliers, and other stakeholders
D) an organization from its divisions in other countries

Question 35

All work in project structures is performed by ________.

A) teams
B) functions
C) outside specialists
D) informal groups

Question 36

In a matrix structure, a functional manager has authority over all of the following, EXCEPT ________.

A) promoting functional members
B) making salary recommendations
C) conducting annual reviews
D) the performance of functional members on projects

Question 37

The ________ structure assigns specialists from different functional departments to work on projects being led by a project manager.

A) divisional
B) functional
C) simple
D) matrix

Question 38

Work specialization and departmentalization constitute the ________ boundaries of an organization.

A) external horizontal
B) internal vertical
C) external vertical
D) internal horizontal

Question 39

The management at Ranger Oil Corporation (ROC) decides to outsource functions such as accounting, payroll, and human resources, thereby allowing them to focus on what they do best-oil exploration and distribution.The management is aiming to turn ROC into a ________.

A) team organization
B) matrix organization
C) project organization
D) network organization

Question 40

Network organizations ________.

A) tend to perform all work activities in-house
B) are also called modular organizations by manufacturing firms
C) generally fail to develop their core competencies
D) have rigid and clearly defined boundaries

Question 41

Which of the following will help in making communities of practice successful?

A) conducting face-to-face meetings, instead of online meetings
B) having clear accountability and managerial oversight
C) encouraging members to nurture competing goals
D) focusing on simple and routine issues, that can be easily tackled

Question 42

In order to succeed in today's world, organizations need to ________.

A) be more flexible in how work get done
B) pace themselves when it comes to innovation
C) strictly follow the top-down decision-making approach
D) adopt narrowly-defined functional arrangements

Question 43

________ refer to groups of people who share a concern, a set of problems, or a passion about a topic, and who deepen their knowledge and expertise in that area by interacting on an ongoing basis.

A) Communities of practice
B) Strategic partnerships
C) Cross-functional communities
D) Task forces

Question 44

A cell phone maker has created a digital platform that allows it to directly interact with its customers.Customers are allowed to post their ideas regarding the features they want in the phones that the company plans to launch.What is this process of interaction between the company and its customers known as?

A) open innovation
B) strategic partnership
C) joint venturing
D) knowledge management

Question 45

Searching for new ideas beyond an organization's boundaries and allowing changes to easily transfer inward and outward is known as ________.

A) strategic partnering
B) knowledge management
C) organizational osmosis
D) open innovation

Question 46

Which of the following is a characteristic of a learning organization?

A) contingent workforce
B) multiple structural and physical barriers
C) empowered work teams
D) several managerial roles to direct and control employees

Question 47

A strategic partnership ________.

A) promotes efficiencies because of its flexible and informal arrangements
B) leads to dysfunctional conflict, as opposed to synergy, among the parties involved
C) entails a lot of paperwork when creating and disbanding projects
D) does not allow either firm to retain its brand identity

Question 48

Which of the following is a structural option that an organization should consider for internal collaboration?

A) joint ventures
B) communities of practice
C) open innovation
D) strategic partnerships

Question 49

Ohm Software prompts representatives from its software development team as well as its sales and marketing team to review and monitor the performance of its product and service innovations.This is an example of a ________.

A) task force
B) community of practice
C) joint venture
D) cross-functional team

Question 50

A ________ organization is an organization that has developed the capacity to continuously acquire knowledge, adapt, and change.

A) learning
B) mechanistic
C) programmed
D) functional

Question 51

Which of the following is an advantage of open innovation?

A) It can be implemented even if the organization follows a rigid structure.
B) It requires minimal support from top management.
C) It gives customers a voice and allows them to be heard.
D) It requires few, if any, changes in the way knowledge is shared.

Question 52

Which of the following is a characteristic of a strategic partnership?

A) It allows multiple parties to share the risks and expenses.
B) It can accommodate only a small number of participants.
C) It provides access to new markets and technologies.
D) It prevents rival firms from collaborating.

Question 53

Collaborative relationships between two or more organizations in which they combine their resources and capabilities for some business purpose are known as ________.

A) communities of practice
B) strategic partnerships
C) ad hoc organizations
D) organizational task forces

Question 54

Which of the following is a drawback of open innovation?

A) It increases the level of risk associated with product development.
B) It diverts the organization's attention away from the marketplace.
C) It nurtures external relationships but not internal ones.
D) It requires extensive support.

Question 55

A task force is also called a(n) ________.

A) matrix structure
B) community of practice
C) ad hoc committee
D) strategic partnership

Question 56

A temporary committee formed to tackle a specific short-term problem affecting several departments is known as a ________.

A) task force
B) community of practice
C) strategic partnership
D) joint venture

Question 57

Which of the following is a drawback of collaborative work?

A) It decreases communication and coordination among the participants.
B) It reduces the level of creativity and produces fewer ideas.
C) It can be effectively applied only to simple problems.
D) It is possible that participants may have opposing views and competing goals.

Question 58

Which of the following is true regarding task forces?

A) They have a longer life span than cross-functional teams.
B) Team members are not required to perform any other tasks while serving on the task force.
C) The team takes on newer issues or problems as older ones get resolved.
D) They tackle specific short-term problems affecting several departments.

Question 59

Which of the following is true regarding the benefits of collaborative work?

A) The participants have similar views and similar goals.
B) The logistics of coordination is easily achieved.
C) It increases communication among participants.
D) It minimizes interpersonal conflicts.

Question 60

The employees of a firm's R&D wing and sales and marketing department were asked to form teams.Within these teams, the members from R&D were required to explain the features of the new products in detail to the employees of the sales and marketing department.This helped the sales and marketing team to promote the company's products better.This an example of the use of ________.

A) cross-functional teams
B) task forces
C) communities of practice
D) cross-cultural teams

Question 61

Brent works in the accounts department at a small firm.All employees at his firm are expected to clock-in 40 hours of work per week.After five years in the work force, Brent decides to go back to school but on a part-time basis.The classes he is taking are currently scheduled for three days in a week, between 3 to 6 pm.Which of the following work arrangements is most suitable for Brent's situation?

A) flextime
B) telecommuting full time
C) job sharing
D) compressed workweek

Question 62

Temporary, freelance, or contract workers are known as ________.

A) communities of practice
B) contingent workers
C) passive labor
D) virtual employees

Question 63

Which among the following is the best way to convince employees to become remote workers?

A) By telling them that telecommuting eventually blurs the line between work and home.
B) By pointing to the pay "increase" employees would receive from money saved through telecommuting.
C) By telling them that they are unlikely to miss the camaraderie and social exchanges of the workplace.
D) By offering free high-speed Internet access and office furniture.

Question 64

The management decides to set up an online forum which will allow its software developers to post queries and share their ideas and best practices with their peers around the world.Such forms of collaboration are called ________.

A) strategic partnerships
B) communities of practice
C) task forces
D) cross-functional teams

Question 65

Which of the following is one of the main issues businesses face with their contingent workers?

A) classifying who actually qualifies as a contingent worker
B) deciding the remuneration for contingent workers
C) allocating work resources to contingent workers
D) providing the option of a compressed workweek to contingent workers

Question 66

A compressed workweek is one wherein ________.

A) employees work longer hours per day but fewer days per week
B) employees work the same number of hours per week but do more work
C) employees work fewer days per week but also do lesser work
D) employees work for a lesser number of hours per day in the week

Question 67

The management is thinking of joining hands with its one time rival, CG-VAK Software in order to gain access to new markets and technologies.By doing this, the organization is nurturing a ________.

A) cross-functional partnership
B) task force
C) community of practice
D) strategic partnership

Question 68

The top management instruct Adam to put together a temporary team which will develop new training programs for the purpose of upgrading the existing skills of the firm's software engineers.Adam is being asked to put together a ________.

A) task force
B) community of practice
C) contingent workforce
D) cross-cultural team

Question 69

The most common arrangement in a compressed workweek is ________.

A) four 10-hour days
B) three 12-hour days followed by one 4-hour day
C) five 8-hour days
D) four 9-hour days followed by one 4-hour day

Question 70

Identify the correct statement regarding contingent workers.

A) The more control a company has over a worker, the more likely that the individual is a contingent worker rather than an employee.
B) Companies are required to pay Social Security, Medicare, and unemployment insurance taxes on workers classified as contingent workers.
C) Managers should have a method of establishing goals, schedules, and deadlines for the contingent employees.
D) Monitoring the work performance of contingent workers is not mandatory, especially if the contingent employee is working off-site.

Question 71

Which of the following is the biggest issue faced by organizations employing widely dispersed, mobile employees who do work anywhere and at anytime?

A) employee remuneration
B) security
C) lawsuits
D) attrition

Question 72

The company decides to enter the cell phone market.Before launching its new handset, it creates a digital platform which allows the general public to post their ideas and opinions about the features they want in the new phone.In this scenario, the company is ________.

A) forming a joint venture
B) promoting cross-functional teams
C) promoting open innovation
D) forming a strategic partnership

Question 73

The company wants to grow without incurring costs for a new office building, equipment, or parking lots.Which would be the best option for the company?

A) It can give its employees the option of telecommuting.
B) It can adopt the open innovation approach.
C) It can enter into a strategic partnership.
D) It can compress the workweek of its employees.

Question 74

Which of the following is a major characteristic of today's organizations?

A) constant managerial supervision
B) loyal employees
C) full-time, permanent jobs
D) mobile employees

Question 75

________ is a work arrangement in which employees work at home and are linked to the workplace by computer.

A) Outsourcing
B) Coworking
C) Telecommuting
D) Hot desking

Question 76

The practice of having two or more people split a full-time job is known as ________.

A) moonlighting
B) job rotation
C) job sharing
D) temping

Question 77

Assume Cheryl's company decides to provide its employees with the option of working remotely.Which of the following is a disadvantage of this approach?

A) The company is likely to incur increased overheads in the long run.
B) Employees are likely to find that the line between work and home becomes even more blurred.
C) It provides more freedom to the employer but at the same time less control to the employee.
D) Employees are likely to work longer hours per day but lesser days per week.

Question 78

A ________ schedule typically designates certain common core hours when all employees are required to be on the job, but allows starting, ending, and lunch-hour times to vary.

A) telecomputing
B) flextime
C) job sharing
D) compressed workweek

Question 79

Which of the following is the best option for a qualified, female employee with a baby wishing to work from home?

A) telecommuting
B) job sharing
C) flextime
D) compressed workweeks

Question 80

Contingent workers on a movie set are an example of workers in a ________ organization.

A) learning
B) simple
C) divisional
D) project