Deck 8: Systems-Based Organizing

Question 1

The aerobics instructor at the local Y would belong to which component of Parsons' model of organizing?

A) Technical subsystem
B) Managerial subsystem
C) Institutional subsystem
D) Distal (general) environment
E) Proximal (task) environment

Answer 1

A

Question 2

The general manager/director of player personnel for the Chicago Cubs would belong to which component of Parsons' model of organizing?

A) Technical subsystem
B) Managerial subsystem
C) Institutional subsystem
D) Distal (general) environment
E) Proximal (task) environment

Answer 2

B

Question 3

The sport information director at your university would belong to which component of Parsons' model of organizing?

A) Technical subsystem
B) Managerial subsystem
C) Institutional subsystem
D) Distal (general) environment
E) Proximal (task) environment

Answer 3

B

Question 4

The golf pro at the local country club would belong to which component of Parsons' model of organizing?

A) Technical subsystem
B) Managerial subsystem
C) Institutional subsystem
D) Distal (general) environment
E) Proximal (task) environment

Question 5

Different teams in the same sport league would belong to which component of Parsons' model of organizing?

A) Technical subsystem
B) Managerial subsystem
C) Institutional subsystem
D) Distal (general) environment
E) Proximal (task) environment

Question 6

The NCAA would belong to which component of Parsons' model of organizing as it relates to a member university?

A) Technical subsystem
B) Managerial subsystem
C) Institutional subsystem
D) Distal (general) environment
E) Proximal (task) environment

Question 7

The state government would belong to which component of Parsons' model of organizing as it relates to a minor league professional sport franchise?

A) Technical subsystem
B) Managerial subsystem
C) Institutional subsystem
D) Distal (general) environment
E) Proximal (task) environment

Question 8

Which of the following is not an element of the Lawrence and Lorsch model?

A) Feedback received from the environment
B) The relative amount of information they have about their environments
C) Promotion of joint responsibilities for common goals
D) Rate at which respective sub-environments change
E) None of the above

Question 9

According to Thompson, which of the following is important in sealing off the technical core from environmental uncertainties?

A) The boundary-spanning units
B) The technostructure
C) The support staff
D) The strategic apex
E) The institutional subsystem

Question 10

All of the following are components of the Parsonian model except:

A) The technical core
B) The managerial subsystem
C) The technical subsystem
D) The authority structure
E) The institutional subsystem

Question 11

Which of the following phrases best describes the "technical core"?

A) A unit that functions best in an unstable environment
B) A unit that secures inputs
C) A unit that produces goods or services
D) A unit that disposes of outputs
E) A unit that coordinates other units

Question 12

Which of the following phrases best describes "authority"?

A) Functions best in an unstable environment
B) Secures inputs
C) Relates to decisions that affect all units
D) Disposes of outputs
E) Coordinates other units

Question 13

Which of the following phrases best describes "interorganizational networks"?

A) Made up of independent organizations
B) Formed to facilitate processes within the organization
C) Permits units to interact with each other
D) Allows for delegation of other processes
E) Formed to outsource certain processes

Question 14

In Parsons' view, an organization does not consist of which of the following hierarchical suborganizations?

A) Managerial
B) Intellectual
C) Technical
D) Institutional
E) None of the above

Question 15

A "boundary-spanning unit" is best described as which of the following?

A) The formulation of an external organizational environment
B) The need for limitations in an organizational environment
C) A required upper and lower level of organizational personnel
D) The process of the internal organization functioning in parallel with the external organization
E) A buffer level for environmental fluctuations

Question 16

Which of the following is a network organization that involves one or more internal units interacting with units external to the organization?

A) Internal
B) External
C) Interorganizational
D) Managerial
E) None of the above

Question 17

In which organizational form are operational units free to take actions as they deem fit, but they are answerable to the larger unit for the actions they take?

A) Flexiform bureaucracy
B) Soft bureaucracy
C) Managerial subsystem
D) Internal network
E) None of the above

Question 18

A systems view of an organization suggests that each department is separate and independent.

Question 19

An open system has many environmental influences that affect the organization.

Question 20

Differentiation is more difficult than integration.

Question 21

The Thompson model is based on the premise that a manufacturing organization is divided into three major subsystems.

Question 22

Thompson would argue that if the boundary-spanning units are to be efficient, they must be able to work in a stable environment.

Question 23

Organizations should simultaneously undertake both differentiation and integration.

Question 24

The Parsonian model suggests that organizations consist of distinct hierarchical sub-organizations.

Question 25

The essence of the "flexiform" model is that the differentiated units are loosely coupled to each other.

Question 26

Internal and external networks operate independently of one another.

Question 27

A university's board of governors is an example of a boundary-spanning unit.

Question 28

Lawrence and Lorsch's (1967) basic premise was that a manufacturing organization is divided into three major subsystems: sales, production, and research and development

Question 29

According to Lawrence and Lorsch, the relative certainty of the environment faced by subsystems creates two specific problems for the organization: (a) ________________ and (b) ________________.

Question 30

The process of structuring units of an organization differently and staffing them with people of varying skills in order to cope with the particular environment and its requirements is called ___________________.

Question 31

While the academic, intramural, and athletic programs of a university are easily segregated, ___________________ them into a meaningful whole in the pursuit of the larger organizational goals is more difficult.

Question 32

In Thompson's model, ___________________ units of an organization have direct contact with the external environment.

Question 33

___________________ refers to the unit that is most directly concerned with the production of goods or services.

Question 34

According to Thompson, organizations seek to isolate their ___________________ from environmental influences by establishing ___________________ to buffer or level environmental fluctuations.

Question 35

In Parsons' view, an organization consists of distinct hierarchical sub-organizations: (a) ________________,(b) ________________, and (c)________________.

Question 36

The ___________________ subsystem is concerned with those activities that are directly associated with the major tasks of the organization.

Question 37

In Parsons' model, the ___________________ subsystem is a higher order system that both administers and serves the technical system.

Question 38

According to Parsons, the function of the ___________________ subsystem is to interact with the wider environment with which the organization must deal.

Question 39

Parson would argue that there must be a clear break in the simple continuity of the ___________________.

Question 40

Both Thompson and Parsons would argue that the ___________________ of an organization must be insulated from environmental disturbances.

Question 41

The idea of loosely coupled systems in the flexiform model stems from the distinction between ________________ and ________________.

Question 42

The customer-employee interface in a ___________________ organization operates in a highly unpredictable environment.

Question 43

The essence of the "flexiform" model is that the ___________________ and the administrative core are loosely coupled with each other.

Question 44

In order to interact effectively with ever-changing environments, organizations have tended to adopt newer forms of structuring that are loosely labeled ____________________________.

Question 45

An ___________________ network involves actors within an organization interacting with each other to solve problems or to innovate new methods and techniques.

Question 46

An ___________________ network involves one or more internal units interacting with units outside the organization.

Question 47

An ___________________ is made up of independent organizations with diverging interests and characteristics, which are connected to each other through reciprocal exchange relations.

Question 48

In the flexiform model, the concept of ___________________ refers to the right of superiors to make decisions that affect all subordinates of the organization.

Question 49

In the flexiform model, ___________________ emerges from the expertise of the professional and the exigencies of the situation faced by the professional.

Question 50

In a __________, operational units are free to take actions as they deem fit, but they are answerable to the larger unit for the actions they take.

Question 51

__________ is a measurement and analytical tool that draws on visual representations and quantified measurements to assess the patterns of relationships that exist within a system.