Question 1

Outputs of an organization include employees, raw materials and other physical resources, information, and financial resources.

Accepted Answer

Outputs of an organization typically include products, services, and results, not inputs like employees, raw materials, or resources.

Question 2

The stakeholder approach integrates diverse organizational activities by looking at various organizational stakeholders and what they want from the organization.

Accepted Answer

The stakeholder approach considers the needs, interests, and expectations of various stakeholders (e.g., employees, customers, suppliers, shareholders, communities) in decision-making and organizational activities. It helps to ensure that the organization is aligned with the interests of its stakeholders and fosters a more inclusive and sustainable approach to business.

Question 3

Common structural variables studied as dimensions of organizations are goals, culture, and environment.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Common structural variables studied as dimensions of...

Question 4

The classical perspective of organizational design sought to make organizations run like learning organizations in a turbulent environment.

Accepted Answer

The classical perspective of organizational design sought to make organizations run efficiently and smoothly in a stable environment, not necessarily like learning organizations in a turbulent environment.

Question 5

The eleven contextual and structural dimensions are NOT dependent on each other.

Accepted Answer

The eleven contextual and structural dimensions are interrelated and often influence each other in organizational settings.

Question 6

Scientific management focused on primarily the technical core, whereas administrative principles focused on the design and functioning of the organization as a whole.

Accepted Answer

Scientific management, also known as Taylorism, focused on improving efficiency in the technical aspects of production, such as the division of labor and time and motion studies. Administrative principles, on the other hand, focused on the organization as a whole, including aspects such as hierarchy, division of labor, and coordination between departments.

Question 7

In the transformation process, "output" deals with financial resources.

Accepted Answer

Output refers to the goods or services produced by the transformation process, not financial resources. Financial resources fall under the category of input or resources.

Question 8

For much of the 20th century, organizations operated in a world that was relatively stable, but today the environment can be characterized as turbulent.

Accepted Answer

The statement is true. The rapid pace of technological change, globalization, and the unpredictability of markets and competition have made the environment much more turbulent for organizations in the 21st century.

Question 9

A key element of an organization is a building or set of policies and procedures, not the people and their relationships.

Accepted Answer

While policies and procedures are important, it is ultimately the people within an organization and their relationships that determine its success or failure.

Question 10

The amount of written documentation in the organization is called formalization.

Accepted Answer

Formalization refers to the degree to which written policies, rules, procedures, and communication are used in an organization.

Question 11

An organization's culture is usually contained in the written policy manual.

Accepted Answer

An organization's culture is not solely contained in a written policy manual. It is also influenced by the behavior and attitudes of its employees, as well as its history and values.

Question 12

Scientific management focused on the total organization and grew from the insights of practitioners.

Accepted Answer

Scientific management was introduced by Frederick Winslow Taylor in the late 19th century and was based on his own experiences and experiments. It focused on improving efficiency and productivity by optimizing the work processes and reducing wasted effort. It did not involve insights from other practitioners or a holistic approach to the organization.

Question 13

The underlying set of key values, beliefs, understandings, and norms shared by employees is referred to as an organization's culture.

Accepted Answer

This is a true statement. An organization's culture refers to the shared set of values, beliefs, norms, and understandings that guide the behavior of its employees. It is an important aspect of organizational behavior and can impact many different facets of the organization's functioning, including employee productivity and satisfaction, organizational performance, and the ability to attract and retain top talent.

Question 14

Contingency means that one thing depends on other things, and for organizations to be effective, there must be a "goodness of fit" between their structure and the conditions of their external environment.

Accepted Answer

Contingency theory states that an organization's structure and management practices must be aligned with the conditions of their external environment for them to be effective. This means that there must be a "goodness of fit" between the organization and its environment, with the structure and practices changing as needed to adapt to changing conditions.

Question 15

The structural dimensions of organization design are formalization, specialization, culture, environment, hierarchy of authority, professionalism, and goals and strategy.

Accepted Answer

The structural dimensions of organization design typically include formalization, specialization, hierarchy of authority, centralization, and professionalism, but culture, environment, and goals and strategy are considered contextual dimensions, not structural.

Question 16

Usually, an organization can easily satisfy the demands of all of its stakeholders simultaneously.

Accepted Answer

It is rare for an organization to satisfy the demands of all of its stakeholders simultaneously as the interests and demands of different stakeholders may conflict. Balancing the interests of different stakeholders becomes essential for the sustainable growth and success of an organization.

Question 17

Organizations today have rigid boundaries separating them from other organizations.

Accepted Answer

Organizations today often have flexible boundaries and frequently collaborate and form partnerships with other organizations to achieve shared objectives. This trend toward increased collaboration and inter-organizational cooperation is often referred to as "boundary spanning."

Question 18

Research has shown that the assessment of multiple stakeholder groups is an accurate reflection of organizational effectiveness, especially with respect to organizational adaptability.

Accepted Answer

Research has indeed shown that the assessment of multiple stakeholder groups, such as customers, employees, shareholders, and community members, provides a more comprehensive and accurate evaluation of organizational effectiveness. This is particularly true when it comes to organizational adaptability, which entails the ability to respond to changing circumstances and effectively navigate complex, dynamic environments. By gathering input from different stakeholder groups, organizations can gain a deeper understanding of their strengths and weaknesses, identify areas for improvement, and develop strategies to enhance their overall effectiveness and resilience.

Question 19

Because of the Hawthorne Studies, a revolution in worker treatment took place and laid the groundwork for subsequent work examining treatment of workers, leadership, motivation, and human resource management.

Accepted Answer

The Hawthorne Studies were instrumental in changing the way workers were treated and paved the way for further research into management practices and human resource management.

Question 20

Efficiency refers to the amount of resources used to achieve the organization's goals, whereas effectiveness refers to the degree to which an organization achieves its goals.

Accepted Answer

This statement accurately defines the difference between efficiency and effectiveness.

Quiz 1: Organizations and Organizational Theory