Question 1

Reginald Harvey works in the public relations office of a company that manufactures pharmaceuticals.Harvey does not produce, sell, or distribute the products his company makes.He is in a _____ position.
A)functional
B)staff
C)line
D)centralized
E)decentralized

Accepted Answer

Staff positions are those that provide support, advice, and expertise to the line positions but do not have direct authority over the production or primary business operations. Since Reginald Harvey works in public relations, he supports the company's operations without being directly involved in producing, selling, or distributing its products, which aligns with the characteristics of a staff position.

Question 2

An organic organization has:
A)a relatively high degree of job specialization
B)centralized decision making
C)narrow spans of control
D)a long chain of command
E)loose departmentalization

Accepted Answer

An organic organization typically features loose departmentalization, which allows for more flexibility and adaptability. This contrasts with a more mechanistic organization, which would have characteristics like high job specialization, centralized decision making, narrow spans of control, and a long chain of command.

Question 3

A company with few managerial levels and a short chain of command usually has a wide span of control.This is called a _____ organizational structure.
A)matrix
B)tall
C)flat
D)narrow
E)mechanistic

Accepted Answer

A flat organizational structure is characterized by few managerial levels and a short chain of command, leading to a wide span of control. This structure allows for more direct communication and faster decision-making.

Question 4

Typical staff positions are found in _____ departments.
A)production and legal
B)legal and human resources
C)human resources and marketing
D)production and marketing
E)public relations and production

Accepted Answer

Typical staff positions, which provide support and specialized skills to assist line departments, are commonly found in departments like legal and human resources. These departments do not directly contribute to the primary product or service but support those who do.

Question 5

Rosa Llewelyn works in the human resources department of a company that manufactures packaging machines.She handles payroll and insurance.Llewelyn is in a(n) _____ position.
A)line
B)matrix
C)functional
D)staff
E)advisory

Accepted Answer

Rosa Llewelyn's role in handling payroll and insurance is a support function, which is characteristic of a staff position. Staff positions provide assistance and advice to line positions and are not directly involved in the core operations of the business.

Question 6

Military organizations, like the Pentagon, typically have a(n) _____ organization.
A)staff
B)matrix
C)mechanistic
D)line
E)organic

Accepted Answer

Military organizations like the Pentagon typically have a mechanistic organization, characterized by a rigid hierarchy, centralized decision-making, and a clear chain of command.

Question 7

Decentralization is usually desirable in a company when:
A)the firm is very large
B)the firm is operating in a dynamic environment
C)employees are willing to take responsibility
D)the firm is geographically dispersed
E)any or all of the above conditions occur

Accepted Answer

Decentralization is often beneficial in scenarios where a company is large, operates in a dynamic environment, has employees willing to take responsibility, or is geographically dispersed. These conditions favor the delegation of decision-making to lower levels to enhance responsiveness, flexibility, and employee motivation.

Question 8

A company with a wide span of control and short chain of command is a _____ organization.A company with a narrow span of control and long chain of command is a _____ organization.
A)networked; flat
B)matrix; narrow
C)networked; tall
D)flat; tall
E)matrix; tall

Accepted Answer

A company with a wide span of control and short chain of command is described as a flat organization because it has fewer hierarchical levels, allowing for more direct communication between employees and management. Conversely, a company with a narrow span of control and a long chain of command is described as a tall organization, characterized by many hierarchical levels and a more complex structure.

Question 9

A company with a narrow span of control, which tends to have many managerial levels and a long chain of command, is said to have a ______ organizational structure.
A)networked
B)tall
C)flat
D)wide
E)matrix

Accepted Answer

A tall organizational structure is characterized by a narrow span of control, meaning each manager oversees a small number of subordinates, leading to many levels of management and a long chain of command.

Question 10

_____ is the practice of giving only limited authority and decision-making to lower-level managers.
A)Centralization
B)Functionalization
C)Decentralization
D)Accountability
E)Subordinated

Accepted Answer

Centralization refers to the practice where decision-making authority is concentrated at the top levels of management, with lower-level managers having limited authority.

Question 11

Decentralization is usually desirable in a company when:
A)the company is operating in a pure competition
B)the company is geographically concentrated
C)the organization has fewer than 30 employees
D)the firm is operating in a dynamic environment
E)employees refuse to accept any accountability

Accepted Answer

Decentralization is often desirable in a dynamic environment because it allows for quicker decision-making and adaptability to changes, as local managers can respond to local conditions without waiting for approval from a central authority.

Question 12

A mechanistic organization has:
A)low job specialization
B)few levels of management
C)centralized decision making
D)a short chain of command
E)a relatively low degree of job specialization

Accepted Answer

A mechanistic organization is characterized by centralized decision making, where decisions are made by a few individuals at the top of the hierarchy.

Question 13

In a _____ organization, lower-level personnel are not given a chance to develop their decision-making and leadership skills.
A)centralized
B)functionally organized
C)decentralized
D)hierarchical
E)subordinated

Accepted Answer

In a centralized organization, decision-making authority is concentrated at the top levels, limiting opportunities for lower-level personnel to develop decision-making and leadership skills.

Question 14

A(n) _____ organization is characterized by a relatively high degree of job specialization, rigid departmentalization, many layers of management, narrow spans of control, centralized decision making, and a long chain of command.
A)mechanistic
B)hierarchical
C)line
D)organic
E)staff

Accepted Answer

The answer of A(n) _____ organization is characterized by a...

Question 15

Leonora Whatley is the head of the marketing research department for a cosmetics manufacturer.Whatley delegates as much authority as possible to her fourteen subordinates although she still retains ultimate responsibility.Whatley manages a _____ department.
A)centralized
B)functionally organized
C)decentralized
D)hierarchical
E)subordinated

Accepted Answer

Whatley's management style, where she delegates as much authority as possible to her subordinates while retaining ultimate responsibility, is indicative of a decentralized department. In a decentralized structure, decision-making authority is distributed among various levels within the organization, allowing for more autonomy at lower levels.

Question 16

A(n) _____ organization is characterized by a relatively low degree of job specialization, loose departmentalization, few levels of management, wide spans of control, decentralized decision making, and a short chain of command.
A)mechanistic
B)hierarchical
C)line
D)organic
E)staff

Accepted Answer

An organic organization is characterized by flexibility, decentralized decision making, and a lack of rigid structures, which aligns with the description given.

Question 17

Typical line positions are found in _____ departments.
A)production and marketing
B)human resources and legal
C)legal and marketing
D)public relations and marketing
E)human resources and public relations

Accepted Answer

The answer of Typical line positions are found in _____...

Question 18

Kirk McCoy is district sales manager for the Jimmy Dean division of Sara Lee Corp.He has six sales managers that report to him.McCoy makes most of the decisions for his people and demands that they check with him on any changes in pricing, sales scheduling and routing, and sales presentation material.McCoy operates a ______ department.
A)centralized
B)hierarchical
C)decentralized
D)subordinated
E)functional

Accepted Answer

McCoy's approach of making most decisions and requiring his sales managers to check with him on various aspects of their work indicates a centralized department, where decision-making is concentrated at the top level.

Question 19

______ is the practice of giving a great deal of authority and decision-making freedom to lower-level managers.
A)Centralization
B)Decentralization
C)Autonomy
D)Functionalization
E)Subordination

Accepted Answer

Decentralization is the practice where the decision-making authority is distributed among lower-level managers rather than being concentrated at the top level of the organization. This approach allows for more flexibility and quicker decision-making at the local or departmental level.

Question 20

_____ personnel have direct authority about product decisions; ______ personnel give expert advice in specialized areas.
A)Top; lower
B)Staff; functional
C)Functional; staff
D)Line; staff
E)Staff; line

Accepted Answer

Line personnel have direct authority over decisions in their areas, including product decisions. Staff personnel, on the other hand, provide expert advice and support services to line personnel but do not have direct authority over the main operations.

Quiz 7: Designing Organizational Structures

Reginald Harvey works in the public relations office of a company that manufactures pharmaceuticals.Harvey does not produce, sell, or distribute the products his company makes.He is in a _____ position.

An organic organization has:

A company with few managerial levels and a short chain of command usually has a wide span of control.This is called a _____ organizational structure.

Typical staff positions are found in _____ departments.

Rosa Llewelyn works in the human resources department of a company that manufactures packaging machines.She handles payroll and insurance.Llewelyn is in a(n) _____ position.

Military organizations, like the Pentagon, typically have a(n) _____ organization.

Decentralization is usually desirable in a company when:

A company with a wide span of control and short chain of command is a _ organization.A company with a narrow span of control and long chain of command is a _ organization.

A company with a narrow span of control, which tends to have many managerial levels and a long chain of command, is said to have a ______ organizational structure.

_____ is the practice of giving only limited authority and decision-making to lower-level managers.

Decentralization is usually desirable in a company when:

A mechanistic organization has:

In a _____ organization, lower-level personnel are not given a chance to develop their decision-making and leadership skills.

A(n) _____ organization is characterized by a relatively high degree of job specialization, rigid departmentalization, many layers of management, narrow spans of control, centralized decision making, and a long chain of command.

Leonora Whatley is the head of the marketing research department for a cosmetics manufacturer.Whatley delegates as much authority as possible to her fourteen subordinates although she still retains ultimate responsibility.Whatley manages a _____ department.

A(n) _____ organization is characterized by a relatively low degree of job specialization, loose departmentalization, few levels of management, wide spans of control, decentralized decision making, and a short chain of command.

Typical line positions are found in _____ departments.

______ is the practice of giving a great deal of authority and decision-making freedom to lower-level managers.

_ personnel have direct authority about product decisions; __ personnel give expert advice in specialized areas.