Deck 14: Organization Structure

Question 1

Functional departmentalization allows personnel to develop total expertise in researching,manufacturing,and distributing a product line.

Answer 1

False

Question 2

Generally span of control and required subordinate contact should be inversely related.

Answer 2

True

Question 3

Delegation of authority refers specifically to "doing work" and may not include making decisions.

Answer 3

False

Question 4

The organizational plane of an organization refers to a hierarchy of authority from the lowest-level manager to the highest-level manager.

Question 5

In a matrix organization,an employee may report to both a functional department and product department leader.

Question 6

In the organic organization,decision making,control,and goal-setting processes are decentralized and shared at all levels of the organization.

Question 7

One of the many advantages of a matrix organization is that the potential conflict between one's allegiance to their functional manager and their project manager is,by the structure of the matrix itself,eliminated.

Question 8

All jobs contain some degree of the right to make decisions within prescribed limits.

Question 9

More specialized employees generally require less supervision and permit a larger management span of control.

Question 10

Divisional structures often reduce redundancy because each division conducts its own specific research,engineering,marketing,production,and all other functions necessary to do business.

Question 11

When considering span of control,one must account for not only formally assigned subordinates but also those who have access to the manager.

Question 12

In Max Weber described bureaucracy as the negative consequences of large organizations,such as excessive red tape,procedural delays,and general frustration.

Question 13

Organization structure is an abstract concept.

Question 14

Matrix organization facilitates the utilization of highly specialized staff and equipment and may reduce redundancy in comparison to the product and project forms of departmentalization.

Question 15

Dividing work by the natural sequence of the work the organization is termed horizontal specialization.

Question 16

A matrix organization would typically overlay an "offset functional structure" over a traditional functional structure encouraging individual positions to simultaneously work and report to multiple functional areas.

Question 17

Manufacturing organizations are typically structured on a functional basis.

Question 18

The economic advantages of dividing work into specialized jobs are the principal historical reasons for the creation of organizations.

Question 19

The individual who can clearly and concisely communicate with subordinates is able to effectively manage more people than one who can't.

Question 20

The mechanistic model is intended for use in manufacturing settings where the organic model is appropriate for use in services organizations.

Question 21

___________ jobs contain some degree of the right to make decisions within prescribed limits.

A)All
B)Some
C)Only management
D)B and C

Question 22

Organization structure results from managerial decisions about four important attributes of all organizations.These attributes include all of the following except _________.

A)division of labor
B)size of departments
C)ownership structure
D)delegation of authority

Question 23

The term divisional organization refers to the ___________ form of organization structure.

A)customer
B)functional
C)geographic
D)product

Question 24

The ___________ form of organization allows personnel to develop total expertise in researching,manufacturing,and distributing a product line.

A)customer
B)functional
C)geographic
D)product

Question 25

Pegi had 10 employees while Vanya has 15.All else being equal,we can say _________.

A)Vanya has a wider geographic control
B)Vanya has a wider span of control
C)Pegi most likely has more specialized workers reporting to her
D)neither Pegi or Vanya work in manufacturing

Question 26

In a ___________ organization,each product unit can share the specialized resource with other units,rather than duplicating it to provide independent coverage for each.

A)customer based
B)functional
C)matrix
D)product based

Question 27

___________ is the process in which an organization is structurally divided by combining jobs in departments according to some shared characteristic or basis.

A)Structuring
B)Departmentalization
C)Specialization
D)Functionalizing

Question 28

A major disadvantage of the _________ form of departmentalization is that because specialists are working with and encouraging each other in their areas of expertise and interest,organizational goals may be sacrificed in favor of departmental goals.

A)customer
B)functional
C)geographic
D)product

Question 29

In large organizations,___________ arrangements are advantageous because physical separation of activities makes centralized coordination difficult.

A)customer
B)functional
C)geographic
D)product

Question 30

Organization structure results from managerial decisions about four important attributes of all organizations.These attributes include: _________.

A)division of labor
B)bases for departmentalization
C)ownership structure
D)A and B

Question 31

Different organization designs can and often do exist within a single large organization.

Question 32

Which of the following organizational forms typically would have the least redundancy in positions?

A)Customer
B)Functional
C)Geographic
D)Product

Question 33

A decreased span of control may be warranted when the positions being supervised require _________.

A)a high degree of contact
B)a high degree of specialization
C)minimal coordination
D)B and C

Question 34

The contingency design theory states that situational variables must be crafted to fit the organization's preferred organizational model.

Question 35

Span of control should consider _________.

A)the employees reporting to the position
B)all those that have access to the position
C)the organizational rank of the position
D)A and B

Question 36

___________ concerns the extent to which jobs are specialized.

A)Division of labor
B)Departmentalization
C)Span of control
D)A and B

Question 37

The form of division of work where work is divided by the natural sequence of the work the organization does is termed _________.

A)process specialization
B)natural specialization
C)horizontal specialization
D)directional specialization

Question 38

Organic design proponents believe that integration can be achieved through the creation of rules,procedures,plans,and a hierarchical chain of command that places managers in the position of integrators.

Question 39

Service organizations such as banks,insurance firms and airlines,whose customers demand relatively homogeneous services and have little disposition to participate in the delivery of those services can be managed according to mechanistic principles.

Question 40

In Japan,the mechanistic form of doing business is termed keiretsu.

Question 41

Michael describes his organization as characterized by highly specialized jobs,homogeneous departments,narrow spans of control,and relatively centralized authority.Michael's organization reflects a(n)__________ design.

A)mechanistic
B)organic
C)product
D)rigorous

Question 42

Centralized authority may be preferred when _________.

A)training costs to support decentralization are excessive
B)delegation is seen by management as a loss of control
C)decentralization is perceived as creating competition
D)A and B

Question 43

When contemplating organizational design,management is faced with four decisions.Briefly describe these decisions.

Question 44

Wigitech has a high degree of differences between organizational units.This would,using the term of Lawrence and Lorsch,indicate _________.

A)low integration
B)high differentiation
C)high environmental response
D)None of the above

Question 45

Benefits of decentralization include _________.

A)increased autonomy
B)increased competition
C)its impact on professional development
D)All of the above

Question 46

As the number of subordinates increases ___________ the number of interpersonal relationships _________.

A)arithmetically,increase in a similar fashion
B)arithmetically,increase in a exponential fashion
C)arithmetically,increase in a geometric fashion
D)arithmetically,typically decreases

Question 47

Fayol saw bureaucracy as _________.

A)an inefficiency in organizations
B)an oppressive restriction of employee rights
C)a means to ensure fair treatment of employees
D)A and B

Question 48

Fayol's attitudes towards bureaucracy favor the ___________ model of organizational design.

A)bureau
B)competitive
C)mechanistic
D)organic

Question 49

Rob works in an organization that promotes broad job ranges and depth to increase organizational flexibility and the utilization of human capital.Which of the following organizational design models best fits this brief description?

A)Behavioral
B)Team
C)Organic
D)High P

Question 50

James owns a business which provides a service and whose customers demand relatively homogeneous services and have little disposition to participate in the delivery of those services.James's organization may be best suited for management using _________.

A)mechanistic principles
B)organic principles
C)sociotechnical principles
D)B and C

Question 51

Lawrence and Lorsch identify subenvironments as _________.

A)marketing,production,and research
B)integration,differentiation,and environment
C)market,technical-economic,and science
D)financial,government,and people

Question 52

Rob's organization attempts to integrate its business with the world around them by being outward focused.This perspective would be considered within what Lawrence and Lorsch identified as the _______ independent variable.

A)integration
B)environment
C)externals
D)None of the above

Question 53

Mechanistic and organic organizational designs are typically similar in their consideration of _________.

A)goal setting
B)interaction
C)communication
D)None of the above

Question 54

___________ is considered by some as a precursor to ________.

A)Total quality management,sociotechnical systems theory
B)Sociotechnical systems theory,total quality management
C)Total quality management,sociotechnical systems theory
D)Sociotechnical systems theory,total systems theory

Question 55

Jack's organization has implemented rules and procedures to achieve unity of effort across organizational units.Lawrence and Lorsch,may look at this as an element of _________.

A)integration
B)differentiation
C)environment
D)A and B

Question 56

When compared to the organic form,the mechanic form of organizational design tends to be ___________ complex,___________ centralized and ___________ formalized.

A)highly,highly,highly
B)less,highly,highly
C)less,less,highly
D)less,less,less

Question 57

A keiretsu is an example of a ___________ organization.

A)mechanistic
B)organic
C)virtual
D)A and C

Question 58

Sociotechnical systems theory suggests that production processes consist of social and technical dimensions that exert a(n)___________ influence on one another.

A)sequential
B)converse
C)reciprocal
D)exponential

Question 59

Service firms whose customers demand a diverse array of services and are predisposed to participating in the service delivery,such as medical care,legal advice,and higher education,are better able to integrate the activities of highly differentiated activities through ___________ organizations.

A)mechanistic
B)organic
C)sociotechnical
D)"new"

Question 60

Organic organizational designs typically emphasize _________.

A)increasing job range
B)delegation of authority
C)increased formality
D)A and B

Question 61

What is a functional organization,its advantages and disadvantages? Provide examples of when the functional form may be preferred.

Question 62

Do Fayol's principles support the matrix form of organization?

Question 63

Explain and apply Lawrence and Lorsch's concept of differentiation,integration,and environment to your school.

Question 64

Describe what is meant by a divisional organization.What advantages and disadvantages are associated with this form of organization?

Question 65

How would you determine the appropriate level of authority to delegate in a given situation?

Question 66

Would Fayol support a mechanistic and organic organizational form?

Question 67

Describe the origin,meaning and application of sociotechnical systems theory.

Question 68

Is "bureaucracy" bad? Has the term always had its current common meaning?

Question 69

What would be the best organizational form for a department store chain with units throughout the country? What organizational form would you recommend for a producer of custom cardboard packaging serving primarily fast food restaurants,cigarette manufacturing and moving companies?

Question 70

If you were to design an organization based upon Weber's concept of bureaucracy,what would be the key points you would consider? When would you advise the use of such an organization?

Question 71

What is the significance of the term keiretsu?

Question 72

Would a mechanistic or organic organization be better suited for a dynamic environment?

Question 73

Is there an "ideal" span of control? Justify your answer.

Question 74

As an organizational design consultant,when would you recommend the use of the matrix form?