Deck 13: Organizational Structure

Question 1

The assignment of authority to another person to carry out specific duties and make the decisions required to successfully complete those duties is known as

A)chain of command.
B)departmentalization.
C)work specialization.
D)delegation.
E)centralization.

Answer 1

D

Question 2

One of the best attributes of Francois in the eyes of his employees is that he gives them the authority to carry out specific duties; this allows the employees to make some decisions on their own. This is known as

A)passing the buck.
B)chain of command.
C)giving orders.
D)delegation.
E)groupthink.

Answer 2

D

Question 3

Bob works for a manufacturer that has separate departments for engineering, accounting, manufacturing, purchasing, and human resources. This is reflective of departmentalization by

A)product.
B)osmosis.
C)function.
D)service.
E)process.

Answer 3

C

Question 4

You suggest that one of the questions to be answered is "To what degree should tasks be subdivided into separate jobs?" The answer to this question is provided by

A)formalization.
B)work specialization.
C)span of control.
D)chain of command.
E)work diversity.

Question 5

The degree to which tasks are subdivided into separate jobs is termed

A)departmentalization.
B)formalization.
C)work specialization.
D)span of control.
E)task structure.

Question 6

Raghib just started working for a new organization, and he asked the person training him "To whom do I go if I have a problem?" Raghib wants to understand the company's

A)peer pressure.
B)organizational structure.
C)chain of command.
D)departmentalization.
E)centralization.

Question 7

Which of the following questions relates to work specialization?

A)To what degree are tasks subdivided into separate jobs?
B)On what basis will jobs be grouped together?
C)To whom do individuals and groups report?
D)How many individuals can a manager efficiently and effectively direct?
E)Where does decision-making authority lie?

Question 8

The degree to which rules and regulations are used to direct employees and managers in their work is termed

A)chain of command.
B)formalization.
C)span of control.
D)departmentalization.
E)division of labour.

Question 9

How job tasks are formally divided, grouped and coordinated is termed

A)organizational structure.
B)organizational behaviour.
C)formalization.
D)span of control.
E)work specialization.

Question 10

Estee Lauder has a separate department for Clinique, Origins, and MAC such that each is operated as a separate company. This is known as departmentalization by

A)osmosis.
B)product.
C)function.
D)process.
E)service.

Question 11

Daniella is frustrated after working for her new company for a few weeks. It is clear to her that, unlike her past employer, upper management makes the decisions affecting her work. This is an example of

A)specialization.
B)chain of command.
C)authority.
D)centralization.
E)decentralization.

Question 12

After a recent reorganization, Steve's boss is wondering whether he has too many people reporting to him. His boss is concerned about his

A)delegation.
B)span of control.
C)command and control.
D)motivation.
E)decentralization.

Question 13

Ted works for an aluminum tubing manufacturer that has separate departments for casting, press, tubing, inspecting, and shipping. This is known as departmentalization by

A)osmosis.
B)product.
C)function.
D)process.
E)service.

Question 14

A manufacturing manager who organizes the plant by separating engineering, accounting, manufacturing, personnel, and purchasing into departments is practicing which type of departmentalization?

A)customer
B)product
C)functional
D)geographic
E)process

Question 15

You suggest that one of the questions to be answered is "On what basis should jobs be grouped together?" The answer to this question is provided by

A)departmentalization.
B)work specialization.
C)centralization.
D)formalization.
E)decentralization.

Question 16

Evidence indicates that work specialization contributes to higher employee productivity at the price of

A)reduced job coordination.
B)increased job complexity.
C)increased job satisfaction.
D)reduced job satisfaction.
E)reduced creativity.

Question 17

What sort of departmentalization sees companies create separate work groups based on different types of goods?

A)product
B)process
C)geographic
D)functional
E)customer

Question 18

Terri is upset because tasks that previously were part of her job are now subdivided into separate jobs as a result of recent reorganization. This is an example of

A)work specialization.
B)departmentalization.
C)infrastructure.
D)chain of command.
E)decentralization.

Question 19

Now that Terri's tasks have been divided up to create separate jobs, the next step that her organization took was to group these jobs together so that common tasks could be coordinated. This is an example of

A)infrastructure.
B)decentralization.
C)centralization.
D)departmentalization.
E)chain of command.

Question 20

Donna works in sales for an office supplies firm that has separate retail, wholesale, and government departments. This is known as departmentalization by

A)geography.
B)service.
C)process.
D)customer.
E)function.

Question 21

When decision-making authority is concentrated in a single point, the organization is structured using

A)delegation.
B)formalization.
C)complexity.
D)centralization.
E)span of control.

Question 22

Employee discretion is inversely related to

A)complexity.
B)standardization.
C)centralization.
D)technology.
E)decentralization.

Question 23

In an organization that has high centralization

A)the corporate headquarters is located centrally to branch offices.
B)all top level officials are located within the same geographic area.
C)top managers make all the decisions-lower-level managers merely carry out directions.
D)decision discretion is widely dispersed throughout the organization.
E)problems can be quickly and efficiently solved.

Question 24

The unbroken line of authority that extends from the top of the organization to the lowest echelon and clarifies who reports to whom is termed

A)chain of command.
B)authority.
C)power.
D)unity of command.
E)power and authority structure.

Question 25

If a job is highly formalized, it would NOT include

A)clearly defined procedures on work processes.
B)an explicit job description.
C)high employee job discretion.
D)a large number of organizational rules.
E)consistent and uniform output.

Question 26

If you have a narrow span of control, you have what type of organization?

A)multi-level
B)short
C)tall
D)matrix
E)wide

Question 27

Which of the following is a drawback of a small span of control?

A)It reduces effectiveness.
B)It is more efficient.
C)It is expensive.
D)It empowers employees.
E)It encourages employee autonomy.

Question 28

The degree to which decision making is distributed to lower-level employees is termed

A)centralization.
B)decentralization.
C)departmentalization.
D)work specialization.
E)task specialization.

Question 29

The best definition for centralization is

A)Decision discretion is pushed down to lower-level employees.
B)Decision making is concentrated at a single point in the organization.
C)Decision making depends on the situation.
D)Decision making is done in each department and then sent to the president for the final decision.
E)Decision making is largely concentrated within teams.

Question 30

You are organizing into West Coast, Prairie/Northern, Ontario, Quebec, and Atlantic regions. This is termed

A)process departmentalization.
B)customer departmentalization.
C)geographic departmentalization.
D)functional departmentalization.
E)technical departmentalization.

Question 31

In a highly formalized organization, job behaviours are relatively

A)programmed.
B)nonprogrammed.
C)discretionary.
D)non-existent.
E)flexible.

Question 32

The more that lower-level personnel provide input or are actually given the discretion to make decisions, the more ________ there is.

A)centralization
B)decentralization
C)work specialization
D)departmentalization
E)functional specialization

Question 33

Where there is high formalization, there is (are)

A)explicit job descriptions.
B)few rules and regulations.
C)a variety of tasks in progress.
D)few personnel policies.
E)job flexibility and freedom.

Question 34

You have decided that since you are a novice at departmentalization, you will go with the most popular method. You will probably choose which type of departmentalization?

A)function
B)product
C)process
D)customer
E)task

Question 35

You find that there seem to be a common set of problems among certain types of buyers of your product. To help resolve this problem, you should choose

A)function departmentalization.
B)product departmentalization.
C)process departmentalization.
D)customer departmentalization.
E)geographic departmentalization.

Question 36

Which type of departmentalization results in increased accountability for merchandise performance?

A)geographic
B)customer
C)process
D)product
E)market

Question 37

An office supply firm that has three departments to service retail, wholesale, and government customers is practicing which type of departmentalization?

A)functional
B)customer
C)process
D)geographic
E)product

Question 38

Which of the following refers to the number of subordinates a manager can efficiently and effectively direct?

A)span of control
B)unity of command
C)chain of command
D)organizational chart
E)structure of command

Question 39

Sun Petroleum Products departmentalizes by fuels, lubricants, and waxes and chemicals. This is an example of departmentalization by

A)functions.
B)process.
C)customer.
D)product.
E)job design.

Question 40

When a manager assigns some of their authority to another person to carry out specific duties, allowing that employee to make some decisions, the process is called

A)chain of command.
B)span of control.
C)permissive environment.
D)discretionary powers.
E)delegation.

Question 41

Wazi feels very comfortable working for an organization that has a clear chain of command, a lot of departmentalization , and a narrow span of control, as this suits his personality. This is an example of what kind of structure?

A)mechanistic
B)flat
C)organic
D)transitional
E)hybrid

Question 42

Kim thinks that she is going to love working for her new company, as it is very informal with a lot of cross-functional teams with members from different departments. This is an example of what kind of structure?

A)mechanistic
B)flat
C)organic
D)transitional
E)hybrid

Question 43

If there are low formalization, a comprehensive information network and many participants in decision making, one would expect

A)a bureaucracy.
B)a mechanistic structure.
C)an organic structure.
D)a stable structure.
E)a typical government organization.

Question 44

The characteristic underlying all bureaucracies is

A)flexibility.
B)standardization.
C)dual lines of authority.
D)decentralization.
E)low efficiencies.

Question 45

An organic structure is typically characterized by

A)high complexity.
B)low formalization.
C)a limited information network.
D)little participation by lower-level members in decision making.
E)no cross-functional teams.

Question 46

What is a major difference between a mechanistic model and an organic model?

A)One involves new products and services.
B)One has high formalization.
C)They vary greatly in organizational size.
D)One is for technological firms.
E)One is characteristic of the service industry.

Question 47

Which of the following structures is characterized by extensive departmentalization, high formalization, a limited information network, as well as centralization?

A)mechanistic model
B)organic model
C)technology model
D)job structure model
E)job satisfaction model

Question 48

________ is characterized by a comprehensive information network and many participants in decision making.

A)A bureaucracy
B)A mechanistic structure
C)A stable structure
D)An organic structure
E)A boundaryless organization

Question 49

An organizational design that combines functional and product departmentalization is known as

A)matrix.
B)organic.
C)mechanistic.
D)hybrid.
E)bureaucratic.

Question 50

Which of the following is characterized by a low degree of departmentalization, wide spans of control, authority centralized in a single person, and little formalization?

A)bureaucracy
B)matrix organization
C)simple structure
D)team structure
E)mechanistic structure

Question 51

Which of the following is inconsistent with the organic model?

A)cross-functional teams
B)rigid departmentalization
C)cross-hierarchical teams
D)free flow of information
E)high participation in decision making

Question 52

An organizational structure characterized by highly routine operating tasks, very formalized rules and regulations, narrow span of control, and centralized authority is known as a

A)simple structure.
B)team structure.
C)bureaucracy.
D)matrix.
E)virtual structure.

Question 53

The matrix structure combines the

A)functional and simple structures.
B)functional and product structures.
C)simple and product structures.
D)organic and mechanistic structures.
E)bureaucracy and mechanistic structures.

Question 54

Which of the following is consistent with a simple structure?

A)high centralization
B)high horizontal differentiation
C)high formalization
D)high departmentalization
E)high vertical differentiation

Question 55

Which of the following is uncharacteristic of a mechanistic structure?

A)extensive departmentalization
B)high formalization
C)limited information network
D)flexibility
E)little participation

Question 56

A structure that is flat, uses cross-functional teams, and has low formalization is known as

A)informal.
B)unstructured.
C)organic.
D)mechanistic.
E)amorphous.

Question 57

Luigi works for an advertising agency and the organizational structure is such that he has two bosses; his direct boss is the manager of the department he is assigned to and his other boss is the manager responsible for the new product that is his main focus. This is an example of what kind of structure?

A)organic
B)simple
C)matrix
D)bureaucratic
E)hybrid

Question 58

Kara works for a company that has a flat organizational structure; authority is centralized in a single person who has a wide span of control and authority. This is an example of what kind of structure?

A)organic
B)simple
C)matrix
D)bureaucratic
E)hybrid

Question 59

The structure that creates dual lines of authority and combines functional and product departmentalization is the

A)simple structure.
B)bureaucracy.
C)matrix structure.
D)virtual organization.
E)organic structure.

Question 60

Simple structures are characterized by

A)shared authority.
B)narrow spans of control.
C)lots of formalization.
D)low degrees of departmentalization.
E)diverse accountability.

Question 61

The structure that is used in hospitals, universities and entertainment companies is the

A)matrix structure.
B)simple structure.
C)bureaucracy.
D)team structure.
E)modular structure.

Question 62

If you wanted to outsource many of the functions that are currently performed within your organization, which organizational structure would make the most sense?

A)matrix organization
B)virtual organization
C)team structure
D)organic structure
E)simple organization

Question 63

Changes in corporate strategy precede and lead to

A)changes in the environment.
B)better communication.
C)increased productivity.
D)changes in an organization's structure.
E)satisfying management's demands.

Question 64

Don can't believe how progressive his new company is. It tries to eliminate the chain of command, have limitless spans of control, and it replaces departments with empowered teams. This is known as what type of organization?

A)virtual
B)hybrid
C)matrix
D)mechanistic
E)boundaryless

Question 65

Your new organization is looking to network with a variety of independent companies so that you can share skills, costs and access to other markets. The most appropriate structure is probably the

A)matrix organization.
B)virtual organization.
C)team structure.
D)matrix structure.
E)modular organization.

Question 66

A structure of evolving networks of independent companies linked together to share skills and costs is called

A)virtual organization.
B)team.
C)boundaryless.
D)feminine organization.
E)modular.

Question 67

An organization that seeks to eliminate the chain of command, have limitless spans of control and replace departments with empowered teams is the

A)virtual organization.
B)boundaryless organization.
C)matrix organization.
D)team structure.
E)simple structure.

Question 68

You describe the virtues of standardization. The structure that you are most likely describing is the

A)matrix structure.
B)simple structure.
C)bureaucracy.
D)team structure.
E)modular structure.

Question 69

Todd works for a manufacturer that outsources all of its production to another organization for cost reasons. This is an example of what kind of organization?

A)team-based
B)hybrid
C)matrices
D)virtual
E)boundaryless

Question 70

Which term refers to how an organization transfers its inputs to outputs?

A)technology
B)structure
C)strategy
D)environment
E)innovation

Question 71

Lea's company pursues a strategy of cost minimization, but it has not been succeeding. Its structure is quite loose, informal, and decentralized. A better organizational structure for it might be

A)organic.
B)matrix.
C)mechanistic.
D)imitation.
E)simple.

Question 72

You wish to outsource many of the functions that are usually performed internally. You have chosen to operate your business as a

A)matrix organization.
B)virtual organization.
C)team structure.
D)matrix structure.
E)simple organization.

Question 73

Emilio's company is very innovative and seeks to defeat its competition by introducing a steady stream of new products. The best organizational structure for this company would likely be

A)organic.
B)matrix.
C)mechanistic.
D)imitation.
E)simple.

Question 74

An organization's environment represents

A)the organizational culture.
B)anything outside the organization itself.
C)the accounting system.
D)everything both inside and outside the organization.
E)a relatively certain future.

Question 75

You have just described a structure that is flat, has little formalization and is fast, flexible, and inexpensive to maintain. This is the

A)matrix structure.
B)simple structure.
C)bureaucracy.
D)team structure.
E)job enhancement structure.

Question 76

Which of the following problems is most likely to occur in a matrix structure?

A)decreased response to environmental change
B)decreased employee motivation
C)loss of economies of scale
D)employees receiving conflicting directives
E)decreased coordination efforts

Question 77

You have eliminated horizontal, vertical, and external barriers. You are operating as a

A)matrix organization.
B)virtual organization.
C)team structure.
D)boundaryless organization.
E)decentralized organization.

Question 78

Which strategy emphasizes the introduction of major new products and services?

A)innovation
B)cost-minimization
C)imitation
D)organic
E)mechanistic

Question 79

A small core organization that outsources major business functions is known as a(n)________ organization.

A)matrix
B)virtual
C)organic
D)bureaucratic
E)mechanistic

Question 80

Which organization is opposite to the typical bureaucracy that has many vertical levels of management and where ownership of the means of production is an example of control?

A)virtual
B)team
C)boundaryless
D)matrix
E)matrices