Question 1

LeeAllen Inc., a well-established healthcare centre, starts a new production unit. The company hires 100 new employees for the new unit to meet the customer demand. In the context of the 7 S model of organizational alignment, which of the following is exemplified in this case?

Accepted Answer

Staffing refers to the people in the organization, including hiring, training, and managing employees. In this case, LeeAllen Inc. hired 100 new employees for the new production unit, which falls under the staffing component of the 7 S model.

Question 2

Godwel Inc., an insurance company, wants to assign accountability for particular tasks. It wants to measure the performance of every unit of the company. Which of the following organizational elements will help Godwel accomplish the given task?

Accepted Answer

Structure refers to the arrangement of tasks, responsibilities, and authority within an organization. By establishing a clear organizational structure, Godwel can assign accountability for particular tasks and measure the performance of each unit of the company. Strategy refers to the long-term plans and goals of the company, style refers to the leadership style of management, and skill refers to the capabilities and competencies of employees. While these elements are important for overall success, they are less directly related to the task of measuring performance and assigning accountability.

Question 3

Janice is the sales head at a dairy exporting firm. She spends much of her time interacting with people from various cultural backgrounds. The competitive and risk-taking attitude of Janice is different from those in more conservative work areas. In the context of the 7 S model of organizational alignment, which of the following is being exemplified in this case?

Accepted Answer

Style refers to the leadership style of the organization and how it influences the attitudes and behaviors of employees. Janice's competitive and risk-taking attitude is a reflection of the leadership style within the organization, which is likely more innovative and adventurous compared to more conservative work areas.

Question 4

Which of the following statements is true of shared values?

Accepted Answer

Shared values refer to the priorities and virtues that members of an organization see as important. They are the fundamental beliefs that guide behavior and decision-making within an organization. Shared values help create a common culture and identity among employees and can influence how they think, act, and interact with each other and with external stakeholders.

Question 5

An organization believes that each division of services is a separate business. Each division of the organization includes all the functions needed to run that business. This is an example of a(n)_________.

Accepted Answer

The described organization structure is known as M-form or multidivisional structure, where each division operates as a separate business with its own functional departments.

Question 6

Which of the following statements is true of skills?

Accepted Answer

Skills are defined as the abilities of individuals, groups, or organizations to perform tasks. They are a crucial component in achieving organizational success and can be developed through training, education, and experience. While skills may play a role in recruitment, hiring, training, promotion, and compensation (as mentioned in option C), they are not synonymous with those activities. Option A is incorrect because there is no universally agreed-upon most important S in the 7 S model, and option B is incorrect because it refers to the broader concept of strategic alignment, which encompasses more than just skills.

Question 7

Turner Inc., a manufacturer of athletic shoes, decides to assign responsibility to capture a particular market to its functional manager and product manager, wherein both the managers will equally share the assigned responsibilities. The company believes that both strong functional expertise and nuanced product knowledge play vital roles in creating competitive advantage. Which of the following organizational elements is exemplified in this case?

Accepted Answer

This case exemplifies the organizational element of structure, as it involves the assignment of responsibility to functional and product managers, with the belief that their combined expertise will create a competitive advantage.

Question 8

Gonkie Inc., strives to create shared values by focusing on respect for the individual and extraordinary customer service. It works to create these shared values by sharing stories with its associates and managers that provide examples of the behavior they want to encourage. Which of the following is exemplified in this case?

Accepted Answer

The concept of shared values is closely related to superordinate goals, which are overarching goals that all members of an organization share and work towards. By focusing on respect for the individual and extraordinary customer service, Gonkie Inc. has established superordinate goals that all associates and managers can strive towards. Sharing stories that illustrate these values helps to reinforce their importance and encourages everyone to work towards them.

Question 9

Fortunize Inc., an advertising company, operates in an office space with a more informal setting that is conducive to creative thinking. The employees at Fortunize call each other by their first name or use nicknames. In the context of the 7 S model of organizational alignment, which of the following is exemplified in this case?

Accepted Answer

The informal setting and use of first names and nicknames reflects the company's style, which encompasses the company's culture, values, leadership and communication approach.

Question 10

Neskel Inc., a software company, collaborates in teams and continuously shares and refines critical skills. It fosters an environment that celebrates and leverages diversity. In the context of the 7 S model of organizational alignment, which of the following is exemplified in this case?

Accepted Answer

The case exemplifies the Style element of the 7 S model, as it describes the culture and values of the organization, including its emphasis on teamwork, skill sharing, diversity, and celebration of these aspects.

Question 11

Rafael, the chief executive officer of a chemical firm, believes that concentrating on the hard triangle of the 7 S model will help bring in the necessary organizational alignment in a relatively short period of time. Which of the following statements, if true, would strengthen Rafael's belief?

Accepted Answer

The statement "The elements of strategy, structure, and systems can help an organization to quickly reach the desired level of change within an organization" supports Rafael's belief that focusing on the hard triangle (strategy, structure, and systems) can bring about organizational alignment quickly. Option A, B and D do not necessarily relate to Rafael's belief in the effectiveness of focusing on the hard triangle of the 7 S model.

Question 12

Walter Gary Corp., a multinational consumer electronics firm, set up several branches around the globe to cater to the needs of its global customers and expand its reach. As part of this initiative, it appointed vice presidents of marketing and vice presidents of finance and accounting for every geographical region. In the context of the 7 S model of organizational alignment, this is an example of _________.

Accepted Answer

The appointment of vice presidents for every geographical region pertains to the structural aspect of the 7 S model. The company is establishing a specific system of hierarchical roles and relationships to achieve its goals through its global branches. It does not directly involve strategy, style, or skill.

Question 13

Reyes Corp., an event management firm, permits its employees to dress up for work in shorts, T-shirts, and flip-flops. In the context of the 7 S model of organizational alignment, which of the following is exemplified in this case?

Accepted Answer

The dress code of the employees indicates the company's style or culture, which is one of the elements in the 7 S model. The model includes seven factors that must be aligned for a company to achieve success: strategy, structure, systems, staff, skills, style, and shared values.

Question 14

Green Cruz Inc., a multinational retailer, is hiring employees who possess creative talents and prefer working in a challenging environment. In the context of the 7 S model of organizational alignment, which of the following is exemplified in this case?

Accepted Answer

The 7 S model includes seven elements that should be aligned within an organization: strategy, structure, systems, style, staff, skills, and shared values. In this case, the focus on hiring employees with creative talents and who prefer working in a challenging environment refers to the skills element of the model.

Question 15

In the context of the 7 S model of organizational alignment, which of the following statements is true of staffing?

Accepted Answer

Staffing in the 7 S model refers to the processes of recruitment, hiring, training, promotion, and compensation, which are essential for aligning the organization's human resources with its strategy and goals.

Question 16

In the context of the 7 S model of organizational alignment, which of the following statements is true of structure?

Accepted Answer

Structure in the 7 S model refers to the organization's formal framework, including reporting relationships, roles, responsibilities, and hierarchies. It helps create alignment between goals (strategy), skills (people), and environmental needs (systems). It is also directly linked to processes such as recruitment, hiring, training, promotion, and compensation. However, it is not the ability of an individual to perform tasks (which is a function of skills and abilities, another S in the model). Therefore, option B is the correct answer.

Question 17

ThomasMyers Inc., a global automobile company, aims at developing a strategy to create and sustain a competitive environment. It wants to develop a structure that divides the labor and tasks of the organization. It aims at coordinating and controlling work of the different units within the firm. In the context of the 7 S model of organizational alignment, which of the following best exemplifies ThomasMyers' approach?

Accepted Answer

The 7 S model of organizational alignment includes seven elements: strategy, structure, systems, shared values, style, staff, and skills. The element "structure" refers to the way in which the organization is divided and how tasks are coordinated and controlled. The "hard triangle" is a type of structure in which the organization is divided into three functional areas: engineering, production, and marketing. This structure allows for clear lines of communication and efficient coordination between units, which is aligned with ThomasMyers' aim of creating a competitive environment through the coordination and control of work within the firm.

Question 18

Porben Inc., a specialist educational firm, targets public universities, job fairs, and job portals during its recruitment process. It provides on-the-job training to the new employees of the company. In the context of the 7 S model of organizational alignment, which of the following is exemplified in this case?

Accepted Answer

The case exemplifies Staffing in the 7 S model of organizational alignment as it focuses on the recruitment process and providing on-the-job training to new employees.

Question 19

Which of the following statements is true about strategy?

Accepted Answer

Strategy is considered a crucial component in the 7 S model, which also includes structure, systems, shared values, skills, style, and staff. The model is used for organizational analysis and strategy implementation, emphasizing the importance of strategy in aligning all other elements towards achieving organizational goals.

Question 20

Mark Dinewell Inc., a well-established restaurant chain has vice presidents for different geographic regions and functional managers for each of those regions. Which of the following organizational elements is exemplified in this case?

Accepted Answer

The organizational structure refers to the formal framework that describes how an organization is arranged and its hierarchy. The case describes the existence of vice presidents for different geographic regions and functional managers for each of those regions, indicating a clear example of organizational structure.

Quiz 12: Implementing Strategy