Question 1

Which of the following is one of Weber's bureaucratic principles?
A) A tall organization should use a decentralized organizational structure and narrow span of control.
B) In order to decrease environmental complexity, an organization should centralize its operations.
C) Organizational roles are held on the basis of technical competence.
D) Employees should be allowed to participate in decision-making.

Accepted Answer

According to Weber's bureaucratic principles, organizational roles should be held on the basis of technical competence. This means that employees should be hired and promoted based on their qualifications and skills, rather than on factors such as personal connections or favoritism. This principle helps to ensure that the most qualified individuals are in positions of authority and responsibility, which can improve the effectiveness and efficiency of the organization.

Question 2

As the hierarchy of an organization becomes taller, ________.
A) the number of managers decreases drastically
B) the process of coordination gets simplified
C) the complexity of the organization's specific environment increases
D) managers begin to spend more and more time monitoring and supervising their subordinates

Accepted Answer

As an organization's hierarchy becomes taller, it implies an increase in the number of management levels. This structure necessitates more time spent by managers on monitoring and supervising their subordinates, as the chain of command is longer and communication may become more complex.

Question 3

Which of the following is the most direct effect of decentralization?
A) the time required to make decisions increases
B) the flexibility of the organization decreases
C) the specific environment of the organization gets stabilized
D) the monitoring burden on top managers is reduced

Accepted Answer

Decentralization involves delegating decision-making authority to lower-level employees or departments. This means that top managers do not have to closely monitor and approve every decision, thus reducing their monitoring burden. Choices A, B, and C are not direct effects of decentralization.

Question 4

Weber's bureaucratic model is based on ________ authority.
A) traditional
B) elected
C) rational-legal
D) charismatic

Accepted Answer

Weber's bureaucratic model is based on rational-legal authority, which is rooted in the belief in the legality of rules and the right of those elevated to authority under such rules to issue commands. This type of authority is based on formal, impersonal rules and relies on the legitimacy of formally enacted rules and procedures. It is distinct from traditional authority, which is based on the traditional customs and practices of a society, and charismatic authority, which is based on the personal appeal and charisma of an individual. Elected authority is not directly related to Weber's bureaucratic model.

Question 5

With reference to Weber's principles of bureaucratic structure, which of the following terms refers to the authority a person possesses because of his or her position in an organization?
A) rational-legal authority
B) transactional authority
C) charismatic authority
D) transformational authority

Accepted Answer

Rational-legal authority refers to authority based on an individual's position in an organization, as opposed to personal characteristics or relationships. It is based on rules, regulations, and legal authority.

Question 6

Which of the following is most likely to be the effect of standardization?
A) The actions of the employees become predictable.
B) Managers span of control decreases.
C) The number of levels in the hierarchy increases.
D) The need for division of labor decreases.

Accepted Answer

Standardization involves establishing uniform procedures or practices for employees to follow. As a result, their actions become more predictable and consistent, which can improve efficiency and quality control. The other options are not directly related to the effect of standardization.

Question 7

Which of the following terms refers to a form of organizational structure in which people can be held accountable for their actions because they are required to act in accordance with well-specified and agreed-upon rules and standard operating procedures?
A) an organic organization
B) a bureaucracy
C) a matrix organization
D) an autocracy

Accepted Answer

A bureaucracy is a form of organizational structure characterized by a clear hierarchy of authority, well-specified job roles, and standardized operating procedures. This structure helps ensure accountability for individual actions because everyone is required to follow the established rules and procedures.

Question 8

________, a German sociologist, developed bureaucratic organizing principles that underlie effective organizational structure.
A) Frederick Herzberg
B) Abraham Maslow
C) Max Weber
D) Daniel Bell

Accepted Answer

Max Weber developed bureaucratic organizing principles such as division of labor, hierarchical structure, rules and procedures, impersonal relationships, and career advancement based on merit.

Question 9

Joe, an accountant, works for Jack and Judy. Jack told Joe to use the straight-line method for calculating depreciation, and Judy told Joe to use the double-declining-balance method to compute depreciation. Joe is experiencing a role ________.
A) divergence
B) ambiguity
C) conflict
D) contravention

Accepted Answer

Joe is experiencing a conflict because he has been given two different instructions on how to calculate depreciation by his two supervisors which are in contradiction with each other.

Question 10

Which of the following statements is true according to Weber's principles of bureaucratic structure?
A) Classroom training should be given to all the employees to improve their theoretical knowledge.
B) In a stable environment, an organization should use a centralized organizational structure with narrow spans of control.
C) A role's task responsibility and decision-making authority should be clearly specified.
D) A 360 degrees appraisal should be conducted for all the employees at least twice a year.

Accepted Answer

According to Weber's principles of bureaucratic structure, it is essential to clearly specify a role's task responsibility and decision-making authority to avoid conflicts and ensure efficient functioning of the organization. Classroom training (option A) and 360 degrees appraisal (option D) are not specifically mentioned by Weber as essential principles of bureaucratic structure. Option B is only applicable in a stable environment, and Weber's principles apply to organizations in general.

Question 11

When there are limits on the usefulness of direct, personal supervision by managers, organizations have to find other ways to control their activities. In such a situations, which of the following, typically, is the first step taken by the organizations?
A) decreasing the level of standardization
B) increasing the level of horizontal differentiation
C) increasing the division of labor
D) increasing the span of control

Accepted Answer

The answer of When there are limits on the usefulness...

Question 12

According to Weber's principles of bureaucratic structure, the authority a person possesses results from ________.
A) the person's social status
B) the position of the person in the organization
C) the educational qualification of the person
D) the person's charisma

Accepted Answer

Weber's principles of bureaucratic structure emphasize that authority arises from the position of the individual within the organization's hierarchical structure. Therefore, the best choice would be B. Social status, educational qualification, or personal charisma are irrelevant in this context.

Question 13

When authority is ________, the authority to make significant decisions is delegated to people throughout the hierarchy, not concentrated at the top.
A) standardized
B) formalized
C) decentralized
D) differentiated

Accepted Answer

Decentralized authority means that decision-making power is distributed throughout the organization, rather than being concentrated at the top. This can lead to greater empowerment and autonomy for employees throughout the organization, as well as more rapid decision-making and responsiveness to changing circumstances. Standardized and formalized systems tend to reinforce centralized authority, while differentiation generally refers to structural differences between departments or functional areas of an organization and is not directly related to authority distribution.

Question 14

Which of the following functions will most likely have the tallest hierarchy?
A) Manufacturing
B) Sales
C) R&D
D) Accounting

Accepted Answer

Manufacturing typically involves a wide range of roles from entry-level positions to top management, necessitating a tall hierarchy to manage and oversee the various production processes effectively.

Question 15

Usually, Sales has a relatively ________ hierarchy because supervisors use ________.
A) flat; centralization
B) flat; standardization
C) tall; centralization
D) tall; standardization

Accepted Answer

Sales typically has a flat hierarchy because it allows for more flexibility and quicker decision-making, which is supported by standardization in processes and procedures to ensure consistency.

Question 16

Role ________ occurs when two or more people have different views of what another person should do, and as a result, make opposing demands on the person.
A) conflict
B) divergence
C) contravention
D) ambiguity

Accepted Answer

Conflict occurs when there are opposing demands on a person, which is the case in the given scenario where two or more people have different views on what another person should do. Divergence refers to a split or separation, which does not accurately describe the situation. Contravention refers to a violation or breaking of a rule or law, which is not mentioned in the scenario. Ambiguity refers to uncertainty or vagueness, which does not fit the scenario either.

Question 17

Standardization ________.
A) enables a manager to increase his or her span of control
B) makes it necessary to increase the number of levels in the hierarchy
C) increases the need for direct supervision
D) can be used only in a highly centralized organization

Accepted Answer

Standardization helps managers to create clear sets of procedures and rules that can be easily followed by employees. This results in reduced variation in output and increased efficiency, which allows managers to increase their span of control, or the number of employees they can effectively manage. This does not necessarily require an increase in the number of levels in the hierarchy or direct supervision, and can be applied in both centralized and decentralized organizations.

Question 18

Role ________ occurs when a person's tasks or authority are not clearly defined and the person becomes afraid to act on or take authority for anything.
A) conflict
B) ambiguity
C) struggle
D) divergence

Accepted Answer

Role ambiguity is the situation where the job responsibilities, acceptable behavior or even boundaries between the job and personal life are unclear, leading to confusion, indecisiveness, and inability to take the initiative or responsibility.

Question 19

Which of the following factors is most likely to increase vertical differentiation within an organization because it leads to the creation of many subunit hierarchies within the organization?
A) increasing level of formalization
B) increasing employee empowerment
C) increasing horizontal differentiation
D) increasing upward communication but decreasing downward communication

Accepted Answer

Increasing horizontal differentiation, which involves the division of labor into unique organizational tasks or functions, naturally leads to the creation of more subunit hierarchies as organizations become more complex. This complexity necessitates additional layers of management to oversee the specialized units, thereby increasing vertical differentiation.

Question 20

Which of the following actions most likely enables even a relatively tall structure to be more flexible in its responses to changes in the external environment?
A) promoting downward communication and discouraging upward communication
B) increasing the specialization and division of labor
C) increasing vertical differentiation
D) decentralizing authority

Accepted Answer

Decentralizing authority allows for decision-making to occur at lower levels of the organization, which empowers individuals and teams to respond more quickly and effectively to changes in the external environment. This can allow for greater flexibility and adaptability, even in relatively tall structures.

Quiz 5: Designing Organizational Structure: Authority and Control

Which of the following is one of Weber's bureaucratic principles?

As the hierarchy of an organization becomes taller, ________.

Which of the following is the most direct effect of decentralization?

Weber's bureaucratic model is based on ________ authority.

With reference to Weber's principles of bureaucratic structure, which of the following terms refers to the authority a person possesses because of his or her position in an organization?

Which of the following is most likely to be the effect of standardization?

Which of the following terms refers to a form of organizational structure in which people can be held accountable for their actions because they are required to act in accordance with well-specified and agreed-upon rules and standard operating procedures?

________, a German sociologist, developed bureaucratic organizing principles that underlie effective organizational structure.

Joe, an accountant, works for Jack and Judy. Jack told Joe to use the straight-line method for calculating depreciation, and Judy told Joe to use the double-declining-balance method to compute depreciation. Joe is experiencing a role ________.

Which of the following statements is true according to Weber's principles of bureaucratic structure?

When there are limits on the usefulness of direct, personal supervision by managers, organizations have to find other ways to control their activities. In such a situations, which of the following, typically, is the first step taken by the organizations?

According to Weber's principles of bureaucratic structure, the authority a person possesses results from ________.

When authority is ________, the authority to make significant decisions is delegated to people throughout the hierarchy, not concentrated at the top.

Which of the following functions will most likely have the tallest hierarchy?

Usually, Sales has a relatively hierarchy because supervisors use .

Role ________ occurs when two or more people have different views of what another person should do, and as a result, make opposing demands on the person.

Standardization ________.

Role ________ occurs when a person's tasks or authority are not clearly defined and the person becomes afraid to act on or take authority for anything.

Which of the following factors is most likely to increase vertical differentiation within an organization because it leads to the creation of many subunit hierarchies within the organization?

Which of the following actions most likely enables even a relatively tall structure to be more flexible in its responses to changes in the external environment?