Question 1

According to Hill et al organisation structure is important only to establish reporting relationships and the hierarchy in an organisation.

Accepted Answer

Organisation structure is important not only for establishing reporting relationships and hierarchy but also for defining roles, responsibilities, and the distribution of authority within an organization, facilitating coordination and communication, and aligning the organization's structure with its strategy to achieve goals efficiently.

Question 2

Groups are not identified in an organisation chart.

Accepted Answer

Organisation charts typically identify groups, departments, or teams within an organization, showing their relationships and hierarchies.

Question 3

Only managers are interested in the chain of command. To know and understand about the organisation hierarchy is of no value to employees at lower level, as long as they know their supervisor.

Accepted Answer

Understanding the organization's hierarchy is valuable for employees at all levels, not just managers. It helps employees understand their role within the larger context of the organization, facilitates effective communication, and can aid in career planning and development.

Question 4

Arrangement of individual jobs is usually determined within the scope of the organisation structure.

Accepted Answer

The arrangement of individual jobs is typically determined within the scope of the organization's structure, as the structure defines how tasks are divided, grouped, and coordinated.

Question 5

Organisational designs reflect patterns of specialisation.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Organisational designs reflect patterns of specialisation....

Question 6

The business historian Alfred Chandler, asked the question 'Which comes first, organisational strategy or organisation structure?' The current answer to this question is that organisational strategy comes first.

Accepted Answer

The answer of The business historian Alfred Chandler, asked the...

Question 7

The form of departmentalisation in which workers are grouped together according to the similarity of products, services or markets they work with or in, rather than the type of work they perform, is called the hybrid structure.

Accepted Answer

The form of departmentalization described is known as product departmentalization, not a hybrid structure. Hybrid structures combine elements of more than one type of departmentalization, such as functional, product, geographic, or customer.

Question 8

When both functional and divisional elements are combined at the same management level, the most likely departmentalisation form is the hybrid structure.

Accepted Answer

A hybrid structure combines elements of both functional and divisional structures at the same management level, allowing for specialization within specific functions while also focusing on product lines or geographic areas.

Question 9

Decentralised decision making is likely to be one of the advantages of the matrix structure.

Accepted Answer

In a matrix structure, decision-making is often decentralized because authority and responsibility are shared across the organization, allowing for more flexibility and responsiveness to changes in the environment.

Question 10

Bartol suggests that increasing emphasis on knowledge management and organisational learning has lead to the development of other organisation structural configurations. These configurations include product team structure, the boundaryless organisation and the independent structure.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Bartol suggests that increasing emphasis on knowledge...

Question 11

An organisation which requires the least amount of technological interdependence between its various departments is said to have reciprocal interdependence.

Accepted Answer

Reciprocal interdependence is characterized by a high level of back-and-forth interaction and coordination among departments, not the least amount. The least amount of technological interdependence is found in pooled interdependence.

Question 12

According to Miller's work on matching organisational strategies with appropriate forms of structure, the matrix structure was found to be the best match for market differentiation.

Accepted Answer

Miller's work suggests that a matrix structure is more suited for complex and dynamic environments, but not specifically the best match for market differentiation, which often aligns with more flexible and decentralized structures.

Question 13

An 'organisation structure' is defined as being the _____________ pattern of interactions and coordination designed by management to link the tasks of individuals and groups in achieving organisational goals.

Accepted Answer

An 'organisation structure' is defined as the formal pattern of interactions and coordination because it is deliberately planned and established by management to ensure that the tasks of individuals and groups are aligned towards achieving the organization's goals.

Question 14

Organisation structure consists of four elements. Which of the following is not one of them?

Accepted Answer

The four elements of organizational structure typically include dividing work into individual jobs and assigning them, grouping jobs into departments, and establishing authority levels among management. Developing key standards for performance measurement, while important for organizational success, is not considered one of the core elements of organizational structure.

Question 15

An organisation chart shows:

Accepted Answer

An organisation chart provides a broad outline of an organisation's structure, showing the hierarchy and relationships between different positions.

Question 16

Organisation charts usually show a number of features about an organisation. Which of the following is not usually found in organisation charts?

Accepted Answer

Organisation charts typically depict the formal structure of an organization, including how jobs are grouped, the hierarchy of authority, and official communication channels. They do not usually show informal communication networks, as these are less structured and more fluid than what is represented in an organization chart.

Question 17

It would be most correct to say that the chain of command is the unbroken line of _____________ that ultimately links each individual with the top organisational position.

Accepted Answer

The chain of command refers to the line of authority within an organization, linking each individual to the top position.

Question 18

Departmentalisation is used to:

Accepted Answer

Departmentalisation is the process of dividing an organisation into smaller units, called departments. This is done in order to place individuals into units, name larger units, and combine jobs into units.

Question 19

Functional, divisional and matrix are three common ____________ often used by organisations in developing their organisation structure:

Accepted Answer

Functional, divisional, and matrix are indeed three common patterns of departmentalisation used by organizations to structure their operations. These patterns dictate how tasks are divided, coordinated, and supervised, influencing the way departments are structured and how information flows within the organization.

Question 20

Four commonly used patterns of departmentalisation used by organisations are identified. Which of the following is not one of them?

Accepted Answer

Co-lateral is not a commonly identified pattern of departmentalization used by organizations. The recognized patterns include divisional, matrix, and hybrid among others.

Quiz 9: Strategic Organisation Structure and Design