Question 1

Which of the following does Marx and conflict theorists believe is weakened by restricting workers to very small tasks?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Which of the following does Marx and...

Question 2

Which of the following is an example of a negative consequence of bureaucratization?

Accepted Answer

A) the Peter principle states that individuals will be promoted to their level of incompetence within a bureaucratic organization, leading to inefficiency and a lack of qualified leadership.
B) bureaucratization can lead to a concentration of decision-making power in the hands of top-level bureaucrats, diminishing the input and creativity of lower-level employees.
C) bureaucracy can impose rigid rules and regulations that stifle the ability of employees and organizations to adapt to changing circumstances, resulting in a lack of innovation and imagination.
Therefore, negative consequences of bureaucratization can include all of the above.

Question 3

A bureaucracy is a(n)

Accepted Answer

A bureaucracy is a component of a formal organization that uses rules and hierarchical ranking to achieve efficiency. A two-member group (A) or a small group with little intimacy (B) do not fit the definition of a bureaucracy. Finally, an organization based on common interest with voluntary or paid participants (C) is not necessarily a bureaucracy.

Question 4

Which one of the following is a typical ascribed status that influences people's self-images within formal organizations?

Accepted Answer

Gender is a typical ascribed status that influences people's self-images within formal organizations. Ascribed status is a status that an individual is born with or assumes involuntarily. Gender is a typical ascribed status that shapes how individuals perceive themselves and how others perceive them in organizational settings. College education and job title are achieved statuses that individuals acquire through their efforts and accomplishments within formal organizations.

Question 5

Which sociologist emphasized the basic similarity of structure and process found in the otherwise dissimilar enterprises of religion,government,education,and business?

Accepted Answer

Max Weber emphasized the basic similarity of structure and process found in the otherwise dissimilar enterprises of religion, government, education, and business. This concept is known as the "iron cage" of rationality, which describes how modern society is dominated by rationalization and bureaucracy in every aspect of life.

Question 6

The notion that every employee within a hierarchy tends to rise to his or her level of incompetence is referred to as

Accepted Answer

The Peter principle states that every employee within a hierarchy tends to rise to his or her level of incompetence, meaning that employees are promoted until they reach a position in which they are no longer competent or effective. Goal displacement refers to a situation where an organization's original objectives or goals are replaced by new ones, often due to external pressures. Trained incapacity is a term used to describe the negative effects of specialization, which can lead individuals to become unable to think creatively or adapt to new situations. Bureaucracy refers to a system of administration characterized by strict rules, hierarchical authority, and standardized procedures.

Question 7

Goal displacement is

Accepted Answer

The answer of Goal displacement is
...

Question 8

By working at a specific task,people are more likely to become highly skilled and carry out a job with maximum efficiency.This is the rationale for the bureaucratic characteristic of

Accepted Answer

The division of labor allows individuals to specialize in a specific task, leading to increased skill and efficiency in that task. This is a bureaucratic characteristic as it promotes the efficient operation of organizations.

Question 9

Formal organizations may vary in

Accepted Answer

Formal organizations can vary in size, degree of efficiency, and specificity of goals. Therefore, all of these answers are correct.

Question 10

A college is run by a board of trustees,which hires a president,who in turn selects vice presidents,deans,and other administrators.This is an example of the bureaucratic characteristic of

Accepted Answer

The hierarchy of authority is displayed in the structure of the college, with trustees at the top, the president in the middle, and other administrators below.

Question 11

A construct or model that serves as a measuring rod against which specific cases can be evaluated is called a(n)

Accepted Answer

An ideal type is a construct or model that serves as a measuring rod against which specific cases can be evaluated. Coalitions refer to groups of individuals or organizations working together, metaphors are figures of speech used to describe something by comparison, and a questionnaire is a tool for gathering data through a set of pre-determined questions.

Question 12

Special-purpose groups designed and structured in the interests of maximum efficiency are known as

Accepted Answer

Formal organizations are created with specific goals in mind, and they are designed to operate as efficiently as possible to achieve those goals. They have a defined structure, a specific leadership hierarchy, and well-established roles and responsibilities for members. Informal organizations are more loosely structured and often form spontaneously among individuals who share common interests or goals. Coalitions are temporary alliances between groups or individuals who have a shared interest in a particular issue or goal. Primary groups are small, informal groups of people who interact regularly and are characterized by strong emotional ties and a sense of personal connection.

Question 13

A domestic abuse counselor fails to listen to an injured woman because the woman has no valid proof of U.S.citizenship.This is an example of

Accepted Answer

The answer of A domestic abuse counselor fails to listen...

Question 14

The tendency of workers in a bureaucracy to become so specialized that they develop blind spots and fail to notice obvious problems is known as

Accepted Answer

The concept of workers becoming so specialized in their tasks that they develop blind spots and fail to notice obvious problems is known as "trained incapacity." This term was coined by Thorstein Veblen, an American economist and sociologist, and refers to a situation where individuals become so highly skilled in a specific area that they lose the ability to see beyond their specific area of expertise, leading to a failure to notice larger problems or issues within the organization.

Question 15

Which of these comments about a bureaucracy is correct?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Which of these comments about a bureaucracy...

Question 16

Which sociological perspective might observe the division of labor among the staff members in a hospital emergency room and focus on how the allocation of responsibilities affects their social behavior?

Accepted Answer

The interactionist perspective focuses on how individuals interact with one another and how their behavior is shaped by their social environment. Therefore, this perspective would be most likely to observe how the staff members in a hospital emergency room interact with one another based on the division of labor and allocation of responsibilities. The functionalist perspective would focus more on the purpose of the emergency room and how each staff member serves a specific function in achieving that purpose. The conflict perspective would be more concerned with power struggles and inequalities among the staff members. The global perspective would focus on how the emergency room is situated within the larger context of global healthcare systems.

Question 17

A college law enforcement major watches the behavior of television police detectives with great admiration.These detectives could be considered

Accepted Answer

The television police detectives are serving as a reference group for the college law enforcement major, as they are providing a standard for comparison and a source of inspiration for their career goals.

Question 18

In The Communist Manifesto,Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels charged that the capitalist system reduces workers to a mere "appendage of the machine," which leads to extreme

Accepted Answer

The concept of "alienation" is a key idea in Marxist theory. According to Marx and Engels, workers under capitalism are estranged from the products they produce, the process of producing them, their fellow workers, and themselves. This leads to a sense of isolation and powerlessness, as workers are reduced to mere cogs in the machinery of the capitalist system.

Question 19

Which of the following is an example of a formal organization?

Accepted Answer

A formal organization typically refers to a structured and well-defined entity with a specified purpose or goal. The General Motors Corporation is an example of a formal organization, as it is a large corporation with defined roles, hierarchy, and goals. The community college basketball team and the people in a New York City subway car are not formal organizations as they lack a structured hierarchy and specific purpose.

Question 20

The public attention given the failure of various government intelligence-gathering organizations to detect the terrorist attacks of September 11,2001,illustrates which poorly functioning aspect of government bureaucracy?

Accepted Answer

The answer of The public attention given the failure of...

Quiz 5: Social Interaction,social Structure,and Groups