Question 1

Universities have separate departments of mathematics,psychology,music,etc.Which of the characteristics of open systems does this best exemplify?

Accepted Answer

The departmentalization of universities represents specialization, as each department focuses on a specific subject area.

Question 2

With the ________ approach managers are permissive and avoid conflict with their subordinates.

Accepted Answer

The soft approach to management is characterized by permissive behavior and avoidance of conflict with subordinates. Managers using this approach are often seen as easy-going and may prioritize maintaining good relationships with their employees over enforcing rules or pushing for maximum productivity.

Question 3

In some colleges most classes are lectures,whereas in other colleges most classes are seminars.Both approaches serve to educate students.Which of the characteristics of open systems does this best exemplify?

Accepted Answer

Equifinality is a principle that in open systems, the same or similar outcomes can be achieved through different means or paths. The statement illustrates this by showing that both lectures and seminars can effectively educate students, despite being different methods.

Question 4

The idea that social and technological systems should be designed to fit as well as possible and that machines should be easy to use is known as

Accepted Answer

The idea that social and technological systems should be designed to fit as well as possible and that machines should be easy to use is known as joint optimization.

Question 5

Public universities must get money from the government,non-profit charities,and students if they are to avoid going broke and closing.Which of the characteristics of open systems does this best exemplify?

Accepted Answer

Escape entropy refers to an open system's need to continually acquire resources from its environment to avoid decline and maintain operations, which aligns with the statement about universities needing funding from various sources to avoid going broke and closing.

Question 6

New Millennium Enterprises has implemented a new organizational policy that requires departmental secretaries to perform minor servicing on the departmental copiers.What organizational theory does the new CEO ascribe to?

Accepted Answer

Sociotechnical systems theory emphasizes the interaction between people and technology in workplaces. The policy of having secretaries perform minor servicing on copiers reflects an approach that integrates human skills and technical systems, aligning with sociotechnical systems theory principles.

Question 7

The hard approach to management is likely to be adopted by managers who apply this theory:

Accepted Answer

The hard approach to management is characterized by a Theory X management style, which assumes that employees are inherently lazy and need external motivation and punishment to work effectively. Bureaucracy theory emphasizes rules and standardization, but it doesn't necessarily require a hard approach to management. Theory Y assumes that employees are self-motivated and enjoy work, while Theory Z emphasizes collaboration and consensus-building among employees and management.

Question 8

Universities and colleges teach students how to analyze literature.Which of the characteristics of open systems does this best exemplify?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Universities and colleges teach students how to...

Question 9

Photocopying machines frequently break down.In some organizations such breakdowns are always handled by staff from the photocopy center.Which organizational theory would argue that the secretaries who use the machines should be responsible for fixing all but major problems?

Accepted Answer

Sociotechnical systems theory emphasizes the interaction between people and technology in workplaces. It suggests that for optimal performance and satisfaction, work systems should be designed to integrate the technical and social needs of the organization. Therefore, it would argue that secretaries, as the primary users of photocopy machines, should be responsible for fixing all but major problems, as this integrates the use and maintenance of technology with the users' roles, enhancing efficiency and responsiveness to issues.

Question 10

Universities try to maintain a constant enrollment by basing their number of acceptances on the number of students who graduate or drop out.Which of the characteristics of open systems does this best exemplify?

Accepted Answer

This best exemplifies the characteristic of homeostasis, which refers to a system's ability to maintain stability and balance through feedback mechanisms. In this case, the university is trying to maintain a constant enrollment by adjusting its number of acceptances based on the number of students who graduate or drop out.

Question 11

The Department Chairperson must assign classes to faculty members and graduate students.Ideally,graduate students are not supposed to teach classes at the same time they are taking classes.Which of the characteristics of open systems does this best exemplify?

Accepted Answer

This best exemplifies the characteristic of "coordination and integration" because the Department Chairperson must coordinate and integrate the schedules of faculty members and graduate students to avoid conflicts where graduate students would be teaching and taking classes at the same time.

Question 12

Which organizational theory assumes that effective organizations are based on long-term employment?

Accepted Answer

Theory Z assumes that effective organizations are based on long-term employment, as well as a strong sense of community and family within the organization. It was developed by William Ouchi in response to the success of Japanese businesses, which emphasized employee loyalty and involvement in decision-making. A and B are related to management styles and attitudes towards employees, while C is related to the belief that employees are self-motivated and enjoy work.

Question 13

A lot of college classes meet 2 or 3 times a week at the same time and place.Which of the characteristics of open systems does this best exemplify?

Accepted Answer

The fact that college classes meet at the same time and place multiple times a week is an example of a cycle of events within an open system. The set schedule of meetings is a repeated event within the larger system of the college course, indicating a cyclical pattern.

Question 14

Universities graduate educated students.Which of the characteristics of open systems does this best exemplify?

Accepted Answer

Graduating educated students is an example of outputting a product, which is a characteristic of open systems. Open systems take in information and resources from their environment, transform them, and output products or waste.

Question 15

Ginger is motivated to help her organization improve because she expects to work for it for the rest of my life,and wants to be part of a top-notch organization.This is the logic of which organizational theory?

Accepted Answer

This is the logic of Theory Z, which emphasizes long-term employment, employee commitment, and improving the quality of the organization.

Question 16

Universities and colleges accept and enroll students.Which of the characteristics of open systems does this best exemplify?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Universities and colleges accept and enroll students.Which...

Question 17

Stephen read in a business magazine that all the major companies use computers,so he bought a bunch of computers and told his employees to use them without arranging for any training.This is a direct violation of the principles of

Accepted Answer

Stephen's action of buying computers and expecting employees to use them without arranging for any training is a violation of the principles of sociotechnical systems theory, which emphasizes the interaction between people and technology in the workplace. The theory emphasizes the need for proper training and support for employees when introducing new technology to ensure it is used effectively and efficiently.

Question 18

Which organizational theory stresses the importance of designing machines and work procedures that are consistent with employee abilities and preferences?

Accepted Answer

Sociotechnical systems theory emphasizes the importance of matching technology and work processes to the capabilities and preferences of employees to improve performance and job satisfaction. This theory recognizes that both technology and social factors are important for organizational effectiveness, and that the design of work systems should reflect this understanding. Theory Z emphasizes employee participation and involvement in decision-making, open systems theory emphasizes the interaction between an organization and its environment, and bureaucracy emphasizes formal rules and procedures for organizing work.

Question 19

State universities keep track of the number of high school graduates so they can anticipate enrollment demands.Which of the characteristics of open systems does this best exemplify?

Accepted Answer

Keeping track of the number of high school graduates is an example of inputting information into the system to help it anticipate future demands.

Question 20

Which theory is based on ideas from the natural sciences?

Accepted Answer

Open systems theory is based on ideas from the natural sciences, particularly biology and physics. It views organizations as complex adaptive systems that interact with their environment and constantly exchange inputs and outputs. The theory draws on concepts such as energy, entropy, feedback loops, and homeostasis to explain how organizations survive, grow, and change over time. The other choices are not based primarily on natural science ideas, but rather on management or social science perspectives.

Quiz 14: Organizational Development and Theory