Question 1

Define authority. List the four dimensions by which it has traditionally been characterized in organizations.

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Question 2

Identify an organization that you know of and explain how and why its approach to organizational design tends to fit better with either the traditional (structure)or contemporary (process)approaches to organizational design. Be sure to state whether your organizational example more closely fits the model of mechanistic or organic organizational design.

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Question 3

The importance of standardization is a common reason to decentralize authority.

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Decentralization of authority means delegating decision-making power to the lower levels in the organization. The importance of standardization usually leads to centralization, as standard processes and procedures need to be uniformly applied throughout the organization. Therefore, the statement in the question is false.

Question 4

Identify the five traditional approaches to organizational structure. Which one is the best for use by a company? Explain your answer.

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Question 5

Describe what is meant by organizational structure and organizational process. How are these concepts related to each other? How are they different from each other?

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Question 6

There is one common disadvantage associated with geographic,product,and customer departmentalization. What is it? Explain how the functional and matrix forms avoid this disadvantage.

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Question 7

What are the primary disadvantages of job specialization? How can job redesign be used to overcome these disadvantages?

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Question 8

How do the mechanistic and organic approaches to organization design differ? Under what circumstances is each appropriate for use by a company?

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Question 9

Explain what is meant by the term departmentalization. List the five traditional approaches to departmentalization.

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Question 10

List and briefly describe the two approaches that companies can use to redesign internal processes.

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Question 11

Explain what is meant by authority. How can authority be centralized? How can it be decentralized? Describe the circumstances under which centralization versus decentralization would be more desirable. If you were a manager in a large company,what particular challenge might you expect to face with regard to the use of decentralization?

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Question 12

Organizations should always seek to decentralize their operations.

Accepted Answer

Decentralization of operations can lead to several benefits such as increased efficiency, flexibility, and decision-making speed. It also enables better utilization of resources and reduces dependence on a single command center, which makes the organization more resilient to external shocks. However, there could be some situations where centralized operations are preferred, such as in cases where coordination and standardization are critical, or where economies of scale can be achieved through centralized processes. Therefore, while decentralization may not be suitable for all organizations, it is generally considered a desirable objective for many.

Question 13

What is job specialization? Briefly explain its advantages and disadvantages.

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Question 14

List and briefly identify each of the five traditional departmental structures. Explain which one tends to be the most difficult to manage effectively.

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Question 15

What is a modular organization? Briefly identify the advantages and disadvantages associated with this organizational form.

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Question 16

What is an intra-organizational process? Identify the techniques that are being used by companies today to change these processes. Evaluate the probable level of risk to a company in using each of these approaches.

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Question 17

Describe the virtual organization. Explain how the virtual organization could theoretically prove to be a more formidable competitor than any of the other types of organizations in a highly complex,dynamic business environment.

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Question 18

Define standardization. How is this concept relevant to the degree of organizational centralization?

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Quiz 8: Designing Adaptive Organizations