Question 1

Shoshanna is manager of a customer service firm where she oversees five subordinates. To help her subordinates learn more about the different roles within the company,Shoshanna regularly assigns them tasks that are not part of their normal routine. This is an example of:
A) Responsibility
B) Delegation
C) Authority
D) Chain of command
E) Irrational decision making

Accepted Answer

This is an example of delegation, which is the process of assigning tasks and responsibilities to subordinates. By assigning tasks outside of their normal routine, Shoshanna is giving her subordinates the opportunity to learn more about different roles within the company and develop their skills.

Question 2

Jacob,a customer service representative for AB Retailers,has seven levels of management between himself and the company's CEO. In contrast,his friend Rhonda,a customer service representative for YZ Retailers,has only four levels of management between her and the company CEO. Compared to YZ,Jacob's company has what type of organizational structure?
A) Narrow
B) Wide
C) Flat
D) Tall
E) Identical

Accepted Answer

Jacob's company has a tall organizational structure because it has a relatively large number of levels between lower-level employees and upper-level management. This contrasts with Rhonda's company, which has fewer levels and therefore a flatter organizational structure.

Question 3

Juan is a top manager at I.F.L.,a matrix organization. He oversees both the product and functional chains of command,and is responsible for maintaining a power balance between the two sides of the matrix. Juan is a(n):
A) Political leader
B) Functional leader
C) Divisional leader
D) Matrix leader
E) Top leader

Accepted Answer

The answer of Juan is a top manager at I.F.L.,a...

Question 4

The ____________ delineates the chain of command,indicates departmental tasks and how they fit together,and provides order and logic for the organization.
A) management chart
B) employee directory
C) structural table
D) administrative chart
E) organizational chart

Accepted Answer

An organizational chart delineates the chain of command, indicates departmental tasks and how they fit together, and provides order and logic for the organization. None of the other options provide this information.

Question 5

In times of crisis or risk of company failure,authority should be:
A) Decentralized
B) Centralized at the bottom
C) Centralized at the top
D) Spread through a wide span of management
E) Flat

Accepted Answer

In times of crisis or risk of company failure, centralized authority at the top is the best choice. This allows for quick decision-making and a clear chain of command. Decentralized authority may lead to confusion and delay in making important decisions, while a flat or wide span of management may not have the necessary expertise or authority to make critical decisions. Centralizing authority at the top also ensures that decisions align with the overall strategy and objectives of the company.

Question 6

How does managerial authority flow through the organizational hierarchy?
A) Vertically
B) Sporadically
C) Horizontally
D) In a circular fashion
E) Authority is static - it does not flow

Accepted Answer

Managerial authority typically flows vertically through the organizational hierarchy, from top-level management down to middle management, and then to lower-level employees.

Question 7

Scenario - Javier Gomez
Javier is a veteran manager with Pixel International, Inc. (PII). Recently PII purchased a small business in the printing industry. Javier has been assigned the task of managing this new acquisition and is currently deciding how best to design its structure. Currently, employees are assigned to one of three departments, including sales, production, and legal defense.
-In determining Javier's span of management,he should consider all of the following EXCEPT
A) Is the work performed by subordinates stable and routine?
B) Do subordinates perform similar tasks?
C) Are rules and procedures defining task activities available?
D) Do Javier's personal preferences and style favor a larger or small span?
E) All of these.

Accepted Answer

All of these factors should be considered by Javier when determining his span of management. Personal preferences and style may influence his decision, but he should also consider the stability and similarity of the work being performed, as well as the availability of rules and procedures to guide task activities.

Question 8

Rebecca works for a company that has clearly defined lines of authority. Each employee knows that he or she has authority and responsibility for a distinct set of tasks. Employees are also aware of the company's reporting structure as well as successive management levels all the way to the top. Rebecca's company follows which principle?
A) Specialization principle
B) Unity of command principle
C) Scalar principle
D) Authority principle
E) Responsibility principle

Accepted Answer

The scalar principle states that there should be a clear chain of command with successive levels of management all the way to the top. This is exactly what is described in the scenario with Rebecca's company. The other principles listed (specialization, unity of command, authority, and responsibility) do not fully capture the idea of a clear management structure with multiple levels of authority.

Question 9

Salta Communications is a global telecommunications company that has operations on four continents. The CEO's direct supervisors include VPs for the North American,South American,European,and the Asian divisions. Salta can best be described as using what organizational structure?
A) Network
B) Matrix
C) Functional
D) Divisional
E) Geographic

Accepted Answer

The answer of Salta Communications is a global telecommunications company...

Question 10

Flash Card Inc.recently underwent a significant company-wide change that involved revision of its manufacturing and leadership processes. The result of this was a stronger emphasis on horizontal coordination. This level of change is referred to as:
A) Reorganization
B) Reengineering
C) E-engineering
D) Strategic planning
E) Corporate structuring

Accepted Answer

The change undergone by Flash Card Inc. is referred to as reengineering, which involves significant and fundamental changes to an organization's processes, structure, and culture to achieve a dramatic improvement in performance. The stronger emphasis on horizontal coordination suggests that the change was focused on improving coordination and communication across departments or teams, which is a key component of reengineering. Reorganization, strategic planning, and corporate structuring may involve some changes to processes and structure but not to the extent of reengineering. E-engineering is not a recognized term in organizational change literature.

Question 11

In __________ production,firms produce goods in batches of one or a few products designed to customer specification.
A) service
B) customer-induced
C) continuous process
D) small-batch
E) mass

Accepted Answer

In small-batch production, firms produce goods in batches of one or a few products designed to customer specification.

Question 12

Swift Move Facilities manufacturers two different bicycle models. The company produces a high volume of products using standardized production runs. The company does very little product customization.Swift Move uses what type of technology structure?
A) Service production
B) Mass production
C) Customer-induced production
D) Small-batch production
E) Continuous process production

Accepted Answer

Mass production involves standardized production runs, high volumes of products, and minimal customization, which aligns with Swift Move's production system. The other options (service production, customer-induced production, small-batch production, and continuous process production) are not as applicable to the scenario described.

Question 13

Scenario - Javier Gomez
Javier is a veteran manager with Pixel International, Inc. (PII). Recently PII purchased a small business in the printing industry. Javier has been assigned the task of managing this new acquisition and is currently deciding how best to design its structure. Currently, employees are assigned to one of three departments, including sales, production, and legal defense.
-If Javier organizes with a horizontal matrix structure,some potential advantages that he could anticipate include all of the following,EXCEPT
A) a more efficient use of resources.
B) greater flexibility and adaptability to a changing environment.
C) development of both general and specialist management skills.
D) decreased need for coordination among managers.
E) all of these are potential advantages.

Accepted Answer

The horizontal matrix structure is characterized by a high level of coordination and collaboration among managers. Therefore, there would not be a decreased need for coordination among managers with this approach. All other options are potential advantages of a horizontal matrix structure.

Question 14

Scenario - Javier Gomez
Javier is a veteran manager with Pixel International, Inc. (PII). Recently PII purchased a small business in the printing industry. Javier has been assigned the task of managing this new acquisition and is currently deciding how best to design its structure. Currently, employees are assigned to one of three departments, including sales, production, and legal defense.
-The analysis of whether the new division should be centralized or decentralized should include all of the following EXCEPT
A) the level of change and uncertainty in the environment.
B) fits the firm's strategy.
C) the threat of crisis or the risk of company failure.
D) the structure of competitors and customers.
E) all of these should be included.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Scenario - Javier Gomez
Javier is a veteran...

Question 15

Which of the following structures works best in an uncertain organizational environment?
A) A tight structure
B) A mechanistic structure
C) A horizontal structure
D) A functional structure
E) A vertical structure

Accepted Answer

In an uncertain organizational environment, a horizontal structure works best. This type of structure is characterized by cross-functional teams and collaboration, which allow for a flexible and adaptable approach to changing circumstances. It also promotes communication and information-sharing across the organization, which can improve decision-making in uncertain situations. Tight or mechanistic structures may be too rigid and inflexible to handle uncertainty, while functional or vertical structures may not facilitate quick decision-making or collaboration across departments.

Question 16

_________ refers to the fact that services are perishable and cannot be stored in inventory.
A) Boundarylessness
B) Tangible output
C) Intangible output
D) Flexible operations
E) Centralization

Accepted Answer

Intangibility is the characteristic of services that refers to the fact that they cannot be seen, touched or felt. Moreover, services are intangible because they are not produced and cannot be stored in inventory as they are perishable.

Question 17

In the ________ structure,the organization is viewed as a central hub surrounded by a network of outside specialists which are sometimes spread all over the world.
A) virtual network
B) matrix
C) functional
D) divisional
E) geographic

Accepted Answer

The answer of In the ________ structure,the organization is viewed...

Question 18

Scenario - Javier Gomez
Javier is a veteran manager with Pixel International, Inc. (PII). Recently PII purchased a small business in the printing industry. Javier has been assigned the task of managing this new acquisition and is currently deciding how best to design its structure. Currently, employees are assigned to one of three departments, including sales, production, and legal defense.
-Current departmentalization of Javier's new division can be characterized primarily as
A) vertical functional.
B) divisional.
C) horizontal matrix.
D) team-based.
E) none of these.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Scenario - Javier Gomez
Javier is a veteran...

Question 19

In a ____________ organization,the entire work flow is mechanized in a sophisticated and complex form of production technology.
A) service production
B) mass production
C) customer-induced production
D) small-batch production
E) continuous process production

Accepted Answer

The characteristics described in the question are most indicative of continuous process production. This type of production is designed to produce large quantities of standardized products in a seamless, automated process. The entire workflow is typically handled by machines, with minimal human intervention beyond initial setup and monitoring. This is a highly efficient but complex form of production that is typically used in industries like chemicals, oil and gas, and food processing.

Question 20

Organizations such as Amazon.com,Google,Facebook,and Priceline.com are examples of firms that are based on:
A) Digital technology
B) Tangible output
C) Direct contact with customers
D) Mechanistic technology
E) Products rather than services

Accepted Answer

These organizations are all based on digital technology and rely heavily on it for their business operations and success.

Quiz 7: Designing Adaptive Organizations

Shoshanna is manager of a customer service firm where she oversees five subordinates. To help her subordinates learn more about the different roles within the company,Shoshanna regularly assigns them tasks that are not part of their normal routine. This is an example of:

Juan is a top manager at I.F.L.,a matrix organization. He oversees both the product and functional chains of command,and is responsible for maintaining a power balance between the two sides of the matrix. Juan is a(n) :

The ____________ delineates the chain of command,indicates departmental tasks and how they fit together,and provides order and logic for the organization.

In times of crisis or risk of company failure,authority should be:

How does managerial authority flow through the organizational hierarchy?

Salta Communications is a global telecommunications company that has operations on four continents. The CEO's direct supervisors include VPs for the North American,South American,European,and the Asian divisions. Salta can best be described as using what organizational structure?

Flash Card Inc.recently underwent a significant company-wide change that involved revision of its manufacturing and leadership processes. The result of this was a stronger emphasis on horizontal coordination. This level of change is referred to as:

In __________ production,firms produce goods in batches of one or a few products designed to customer specification.

Swift Move Facilities manufacturers two different bicycle models. The company produces a high volume of products using standardized production runs. The company does very little product customization.Swift Move uses what type of technology structure?

Which of the following structures works best in an uncertain organizational environment?

_________ refers to the fact that services are perishable and cannot be stored in inventory.

In the ________ structure,the organization is viewed as a central hub surrounded by a network of outside specialists which are sometimes spread all over the world.

In a ____________ organization,the entire work flow is mechanized in a sophisticated and complex form of production technology.

Organizations such as Amazon.com,Google,Facebook,and Priceline.com are examples of firms that are based on: