Question 1

The use of routine technology is

Accepted Answer

Routine technology is best suited for organizations that encounter limited new or unexpected situations because it relies on established procedures and predictable environments.

Question 2

Each day a computer engineer is faced with unexpected or unique problems that require him to take initiative and identify creative solutions not fully addressed in existing procedures. This environment could be characterized as having

Accepted Answer

A flexible organizational structure allows for adaptability and creativity, which is necessary for handling unexpected or unique problems that are not covered by existing procedures.

Question 3

Judy's manager asked her to take the lead on learning a new software program. He empowered her to engage the necessary team members and develop a proposal on how it could be leveraged. This is an example of

Accepted Answer

Job enrichment involves giving employees more responsibility and autonomy in their roles, which is what Judy's manager did by empowering her to lead the project and develop a proposal.

Question 4

Jennie started working as a hostess at a local restaurant one month ago. She feels like she is doing a good job but would like to know what her manager thinks about her performance. What job characteristic is Jennie's role lacking?

Accepted Answer

Feedback is the information that Jennie needs to know how she is doing in her role.

Question 5

An example of task significance would be

Accepted Answer

Task significance refers to the degree to which a job has a substantial impact on the lives or work of other people, whether in the immediate organization or in the external environment. Option A describes a worker feeling her job is meaningful because it enhances the efficiency of the entire team, which aligns with the concept of task significance.

Question 6

________ is the extent to which a job requires that a worker perform the necessary activities to complete a job, from the beginning to the end of production.

Accepted Answer

Task identity is the extent to which a job requires that a worker perform the necessary activities to complete a job, from the beginning to the end of production.

Question 7

The goal of the job design process is to

Accepted Answer

The goal of the job design process is to create an efficient division of labor among employees.

Question 8

Deborah works for a telecommunications company, and she prides herself on the fact that her job duties help keep the emergency service phone line operating, which ultimately saves lives. Deborah's sentiment reflects

Accepted Answer

Task significance refers to the degree to which a job has a substantial impact on the lives or work of other people, whether in the immediate organization or in the external environment. Deborah's pride in her job's contribution to saving lives reflects this concept.

Question 9

Enrique noticed that Corey, an automotive technician at his repair shop, seemed bored to be repeatedly performing oil changes, so Enrique gave him the additional duty of repairing tires. This is an example of

Accepted Answer

Job enlargement involves adding more tasks to a job to increase variety and reduce monotony, which is what Enrique did by assigning Corey additional duties.

Question 10

Employees at a hedge fund company are all highly skilled and demonstrate strong professional values. What would be the best structure for this company?

Accepted Answer

A decentralized organization would be best as it allows skilled employees to utilize their expertise and professional values effectively, fostering innovation and quick decision-making.

Question 11

To increase the degree of responsibility workers have over their jobs, managers should

Accepted Answer

Allowing workers to monitor and measure their own performance increases their responsibility by giving them autonomy and accountability over their work outcomes.

Question 12

The reasoning behind the concept of job enrichment is that

Accepted Answer

Job enrichment focuses on increasing workers' responsibility and autonomy, which can lead to greater job satisfaction and involvement.

Question 13

Teagan works at a local manufacturing company. Recently, the company decided to reassign some of her responsibilities to a new employee. What impact may this have on the company if Teagan finds her responsibilities too simple?

Accepted Answer

If Teagan finds her responsibilities too simple, it may lead to reduced efficiency as she may become disengaged or bored, affecting her productivity and overall contribution to the company.

Question 14

The greater the level of uncertainty in an organization's environment,

Accepted Answer

Organizations facing high uncertainty often need complex strategies and technologies to adapt and respond effectively to changing conditions.

Question 15

José works for a company where he is given the freedom to decide how best to carry out the tasks assigned to him. It can be said that José's job has high

Accepted Answer

José's job has high autonomy because he has the freedom to decide how to carry out his tasks. Autonomy refers to the level of independence and discretion given to an employee in their work.

Question 16

________ is the process by which managers decide how to divide tasks into a specific division of labor.

Accepted Answer

Job design is the process by which managers decide how to divide tasks into specific jobs, creating a division of labor within an organization.

Question 17

Task ________ is the degree to which programmed solutions are available to people or functions to solve the problems they encounter.

Accepted Answer

Analyzability refers to the degree to which programmed solutions are available to solve problems, indicating how routine or non-routine the tasks are.

Question 18

According to Hackman and Oldham's job characteristics model, what type of employee would most likely be satisfied and perform at a high level?

Accepted Answer

Hackman and Oldham's model suggests that employees who have autonomy and responsibility for their work outcomes are more likely to be satisfied and perform well, as they experience a sense of ownership and meaningfulness in their work.

Question 19

________ is the degree to which a position requires a worker to use a wide range of knowledge and abilities.

Accepted Answer

Skill variety refers to the degree to which a job requires a worker to use a wide range of skills and abilities.

Question 20

________ is increasing the number of different tasks in a given job by changing the division of labor.

Accepted Answer

Job enlargement involves increasing the number of different tasks in a job to reduce monotony and increase variety, thereby changing the division of labor.

Quiz 10: Managing Organizational Structure and Culture