Question 1

What is the principal historical reason for the creation of organizations?

Accepted Answer

The answer of What is the principal historical reason for...

Question 2

What are the most distinct differences between the organic and the mechanistic organizational models?

Accepted Answer

The answer of What are the most distinct differences between...

Question 3

Work in e-commerce,consulting,marketing,and job searching seems best suited for _______________ organizations.
A) virtual
B) mechanistic
C) geographic
D) organic

Accepted Answer

Virtual organizations are best suited for e-commerce, consulting, marketing, and job searching as they operate through telecommunication technologies that allow for remote work and collaborations. These industries heavily rely on technology and online platforms, making virtual organizations the most suitable option. Mechanistic organizations have rigid structures and procedures that may not be flexible enough for these industries. Geographic organizations operate in specific locations, which may not be the best option for organizations that operate on a global scale. Finally, organic organizations have a flat and flexible structure, but they lack the specialization and efficiency required for these industries.

Question 4

The _______ the specialization of labor,the _________ the complexity.
A) greater; greater
B) greater; less
C) less; greater
D) None of the above; the two constructs are not related.

Accepted Answer

As the specialization of labor increases, individuals become more focused on a narrow set of tasks and develop expertise in those areas, which can lead to greater efficiency and productivity. However, this also often increases the complexity of the overall system or organization, as more specialized roles must interact and coordinate with each other to achieve a common goal.

Question 5

Wide spans of control ___________ one-on-one supervision.
A) necessitate
B) discourage
C) promote
D) None of the above, there is no established relation between the two.

Accepted Answer

Wide spans of control typically involve a manager overseeing a large number of subordinates, which inherently limits the amount of direct, one-on-one supervision each subordinate can receive. This structure tends to encourage more autonomy among team members rather than close supervision.

Question 6

The greater the use of ________ departments the _________ the centralization.
A) customer; greater
B) functional; greater
C) functional; less
D) geographic; greater

Accepted Answer

The answer of The greater the use of ________ departments...

Question 7

The dimension of _______________ refers to the extent to which expectations regarding the means and ends of work are specified,written,and enforced.
A) formalization
B) centralization
C) complexity
D) mechanism

Accepted Answer

Formalization refers to the level of written rules, procedures, and policies in an organization. This includes how tasks are performed, expectations for behavior, and the level of standardization in the organization. The more formalized an organization is, the more specific and enforced expectations regarding work means and ends are.

Question 8

Are the right to "extract obedience" and the "right to make decisions" associated with a particular type or class of job?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Are the right to "extract obedience" and...

Question 9

Departments in Japanese firms are most often based on _______________.
A) products
B) customers
C) function
D) location

Accepted Answer

Japanese firms typically organize their departments based on function, such as finance, marketing, or production, rather than by product, customer, or location. This allows for greater specialization and efficiency within each department, and also promotes a strong sense of teamwork and cooperation among employees.

Question 10

The typical Japanese manufacturing job has _______________ the typical Western manufacturing job.
A) more range than
B) less range than
C) the same range as
D) There is no range in manufacturing jobs.

Accepted Answer

The typical Japanese manufacturing job has less range than the typical Western manufacturing job. Japanese manufacturing jobs are often characterized by a focus on specialization, where workers are expected to master a narrow range of tasks to a high degree of proficiency. In contrast, Western manufacturing jobs often require workers to have a broader range of skills and be able to perform multiple tasks.

Question 11

Thrivent Financial implemented a form of employee compensation termed ______________ to encourage employees to adopt a new work system.
A) pay for knowledge
B) pay for productivity
C) incentive pay
D) gainsharing

Accepted Answer

Pay for knowledge is a compensation strategy where employees are rewarded for acquiring new skills or knowledge, which aligns with encouraging employees to adopt a new work system.

Question 12

The concept of virtual organizations originated in or at:
A) NASA
B) Major universities
C) Microsoft
D) Japan

Accepted Answer

The answer of The concept of virtual organizations originated in...

Question 13

The Federal Express structure,with regional presidents and their "armies," is modeled after a system made popular by the:
A) Romans
B) Greeks
C) Roman Catholic Church
D) United States Postal Service

Accepted Answer

The Federal Express structure, with regional presidents and their "armies," is modeled after the Roman military system, which was known for its efficiency, organization, and hierarchical structure.

Question 14

Which of the following statements about boundaryless organizations is false?
A) Chains of command are eliminated
B) Spans of control are unlimited
C) Rigid departments are replaced with empowered teams
D) Participative decision making is eliminated

Accepted Answer

Participative decision making is actually encouraged in boundaryless organizations as there is typically a greater emphasis on collaboration and teamwork.

Question 15

It has become standard practice to use the term _________ differentiation to refer to the number of different units at the same level and _______ differentiation to refer to the number of levels in the organization.
A) horizontal; vertical
B) vertical; horizontal
C) horizontal; status
D) job; rank

Accepted Answer

Horizontal differentiation refers to the number of different units at the same level, while vertical differentiation refers to the number of levels in the organization. Therefore, option A correctly identifies the two types of differentiation and their respective definitions. Option B reverses the correct definitions of horizontal and vertical differentiation, while options C and D use different terms that are not commonly used to refer to differentiation within an organization.

Question 16

Why may decentralization lead to duplication of effort?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Why may decentralization lead to duplication of...

Question 17

The greater the use of the _______________ basis,the greater the complexity.
A) geographic
B) customer
C) product
D) All of the choices are correct.

Accepted Answer

The use of geographic, customer, and product bases for segmentation or organizational structuring can increase complexity, as each basis requires tailored strategies and approaches to effectively manage and address the unique needs and challenges associated with them.

Question 18

With _____________,the same organizational structure and operating policies and procedures that exist in the existing domestic organization are used when setting up a foreign subsidiary.
A) replication
B) projection
C) duplication
D) nationalizing

Accepted Answer

Replication refers to the process of copying the same organizational structure and operating policies and procedures of the existing domestic organization when setting up a foreign subsidiary. This approach minimizes the need for customization and adaptation to the local market, and ensures consistency across different locations. Hence, the best choice is A) Replication.

Question 19

Why may a manager believe that delegating authority will lead to lower levels of effectiveness?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Why may a manager believe that delegating...

Question 20

The concept of organizational complexity refers to:
A) The number of distinctly different job titles
B) Occupational groupings
C) The number of distinctly different units or departments
D) All of the choices are correct.

Accepted Answer

Organizational complexity encompasses the number of different job titles, occupational groupings, and distinct units or departments within an organization, indicating the variety and differentiation of roles and structures.

Quiz 16: Organizational Structure and Design

What is the principal historical reason for the creation of organizations?

What are the most distinct differences between the organic and the mechanistic organizational models?

Work in e-commerce,consulting,marketing,and job searching seems best suited for _______________ organizations.

The _ the specialization of labor,the ___ the complexity.

Wide spans of control ___________ one-on-one supervision.

The greater the use of departments the _ the centralization.

The dimension of _______________ refers to the extent to which expectations regarding the means and ends of work are specified,written,and enforced.

Are the right to "extract obedience" and the "right to make decisions" associated with a particular type or class of job?

Departments in Japanese firms are most often based on _______________.

The typical Japanese manufacturing job has _______________ the typical Western manufacturing job.

Thrivent Financial implemented a form of employee compensation termed ______________ to encourage employees to adopt a new work system.

The concept of virtual organizations originated in or at:

The Federal Express structure,with regional presidents and their "armies," is modeled after a system made popular by the:

Which of the following statements about boundaryless organizations is false?

It has become standard practice to use the term ___ differentiation to refer to the number of different units at the same level and _ differentiation to refer to the number of levels in the organization.

Why may decentralization lead to duplication of effort?

The greater the use of the _______________ basis,the greater the complexity.

With _____________,the same organizational structure and operating policies and procedures that exist in the existing domestic organization are used when setting up a foreign subsidiary.

Why may a manager believe that delegating authority will lead to lower levels of effectiveness?

The concept of organizational complexity refers to: