Question 1

Which of the following is NOT true about communities of practice?
A) Dictating goals can disintegrate them.
B) Throwing money at them can be wasteful.
C) Managers can create them
D) Most companies have them.

Accepted Answer

Communities of practice are formed by individuals who share a concern, a set of problems, or a passion about a topic, and who deepen their knowledge and expertise in this area by interacting on an ongoing basis. While managers can support and facilitate the development of communities of practice, they cannot create them through top-down directives, as these communities are inherently organic and driven by the interests and engagement of their members.

Question 2

A marketing department is staffed solely with marketing professionals.This is an example of what structure?
A) functional
B) divisional
C) bureaucratic
D) pre-bureaucratic

Accepted Answer

A functional structure is based on specialized functions and staffed solely by professionals with expertise in that function. In this case, the marketing department is staffed solely by marketing professionals, which aligns with a functional structure.

Question 3

What is it called when managers from different units informally work together to coordinate or to identify and solve shared problems?
A) direct contact
B) indirect contact
C) function contact
D) divisional contact

Accepted Answer

Direct contact refers to the informal collaboration between managers from different units to coordinate activities or solve common problems, bypassing formal structures and procedures.

Question 4

What is the term for an organization that contracts out almost all of its functions except for the company name and managing the coordination among the contractors?
A) network organization
B) global organization
C) virtual organization
D) automated organization

Accepted Answer

A virtual organization is an organization that contracts out almost all of its functions except for the company name and managing the coordination among the contractors. The contractors may be geographically dispersed and work together via electronic communication.

Question 5

Successful managers cultivate communities of practice doing which of the following?
A) identifying and bringing the right people together
B) building trust
C) providing an appropriate infrastructure
D) all of these

Accepted Answer

Successful managers cultivate communities of practice by identifying and bringing the right people together, building trust, and providing an appropriate infrastructure. All three factors are important in creating an environment where community members can share knowledge, learn from each other, and collaborate effectively. Without any one of these factors, the community may not thrive and may not be able to achieve its goals. Therefore, the best choice is D, all of these.

Question 6

Because networks are organized around specific products or projects,payments are arranged based on the final product,so that if the product doesn't make it,no firm makes a profit.What term refers to this system?
A) joint payoffs
B) restricted access
C) virtual organizations
D) lattice structure

Accepted Answer

Joint payoffs refer to a system where payments are organized based on the final product or project outcome. It means that no individual firm can profit unless the product is successful. This system is common in networks and alliances, where multiple firms come together to achieve a common goal.

Question 7

What is it called when a manager or team member is held formally accountable for communicating and coordinating with other groups?
A) direct contact
B) liaison role
C) functional team leadership
D) committee role

Accepted Answer

The term for a manager or team member who is held formally accountable for communicating and coordinating with other groups is known as a liaison role. The liaison serves as a bridge between different teams or departments and ensures that everyone is working together towards the same goals. Direct contact, functional team leadership, and committee roles may also involve coordination with other groups, but they do not necessarily imply formal accountability for this responsibility.

Question 8

What term refers to groups of people whose shared expertise and interest in a joint enterprise informally binds them together?
A) communities of practice
B) support groups
C) work groups
D) work teams

Accepted Answer

The term "communities of practice" refers to groups of people who share a common interest or expertise and informally come together to share knowledge and learn from one another. These communities are not necessarily focused on completing a specific task or project, but rather on a joint enterprise or area of interest. Support groups are typically focused on providing emotional or practical assistance to individuals who are dealing with a specific issue or challenge. Work groups and work teams are more formal structures within organizations that are focused on accomplishing specific goals or tasks.

Question 9

Matrix structures are best suited to _________ activities in ___________ environments.
A) simple, certain
B) complex, uncertain
C) complex, certain
D) simple, uncertain

Accepted Answer

Matrix structures are designed to handle complex and uncertain environments where there are multiple projects, products or services to manage. This structure allows for flexibility, collaboration and knowledge transfer between employees, departments, and teams. Simple and certain environments would not require the complexity and coordination of a matrix structure, while simple and uncertain environments may not have the resources or need for such a structure.

Question 10

Which type of structure is best for simple tasks and entrepreneurial organizations,allowing the founder to control the organization's decisions and growth?
A) prebureaucratic
B) bureaucratic
C) functional
D) division

Accepted Answer

Prebureaucratic structures are the most suitable for simple tasks and entrepreneurial organizations as they are characterized by a centralized authority and a small hierarchy. This structure allows the founder to have complete control over the organization's decisions and growth. It is also flexible and adaptable to changes, which is essential for entrepreneurial organizations in their early stages. Bureaucratic structures, on the other hand, are best suited for larger, more complex organizations with a set of defined rules and regulations. Functional and division structures are suitable for medium to large organizations that need to be divided into smaller departments for efficient functioning.

Question 11

Which of the following is NOT true about communities of practice?
A) They must be recognized by executive leadership.
B) They rarely show up on organizational charts.
C) They can use the company Intranet to cultivate a sense of community.
D) They share knowledge and experience openly and creatively.

Accepted Answer

While executive leadership support can certainly help a community of practice thrive, it is not a requirement for them to exist or be successful.

Question 12

What term refers to permanent task forces created to address specific problems or recurring needs?
A) leadership teams
B) cross-functional teams
C) direct contact teams
D) communities of practice

Accepted Answer

Cross-functional teams are formed with members from different departments or areas of expertise, specifically to address specific problems or recurring needs within an organization.

Question 13

Which of the following is a virtual organization?
A) Avon
B) Whole Foods
C) H&M
D) Sigma

Accepted Answer

Sigma is a virtual organization as it primarily relies on technology and online communication to operate instead of physical offices or stores. Avon, Whole Foods, and H&M all have physical locations and are thus not virtual organizations.

Question 14

Which of the following is NOT a common type of division structure?
A) product structure
B) geographic structure
C) market structure
D) cost structure

Accepted Answer

Product, geographic, and market structures are all common types of division structures used in organizations. Cost structure, however, is not a common type of division structure. Cost structure typically relates to the way in which a company incurs costs, such as fixed costs, variable costs, direct costs, and indirect costs. While cost structure is an important consideration for businesses, it is not typically considered as a type of division structure.

Question 15

Companies are increasingly ________________ communities of practice.
A) destroying
B) promoting
C) discouraging
D) ignoring

Accepted Answer

Companies are realizing the importance of communities of practice to foster knowledge sharing and collaboration among employees. Therefore, they are promoting the creation of such communities within the organization.

Question 16

Functional structures tend to work well for organizations in ________ environments selling _________ products or services because of the increased economies of scale.
A) changing, a few
B) changing, many
C) stable, a few
D) stable, many

Accepted Answer

Functional structures are most effective in stable environments where the organization offers a limited range of products or services, benefiting from economies of scale in production and efficiency in operations.

Question 17

What term refers to a temporary committee formed to address a specific project or problem?
A) task force
B) cross-team
C) division
D) bureaucracy

Accepted Answer

A task force is a specific type of committee that is formed to address a particular problem or project. It is temporary in nature, and typically has a specific goal or objective in mind. Task forces are often formed when a particular issue is deemed to be important or urgent, and when a more formal committee structure may be either too slow or too cumbersome to respond in a timely manner.

Question 18

Which of the following is true about communities of practice?
A) They always meet in person.
B) They always meet regularly.
C) They can span multiple companies
D) all of these

Accepted Answer

Communities of practice can indeed span multiple companies, allowing for the sharing of knowledge and best practices across organizational boundaries. They do not necessarily have to meet in person or on a regular schedule; these aspects can vary widely depending on the community's goals, resources, and members' preferences.

Question 19

Which of the following is NOT a good tip for managers who want to create the conditions that enable communities of practice to flourish?
A) Start big.
B) Start with a clear area of business need.
C) Recruit management involvement.
D) Respect and build on informal employee initiatives already underway.

Accepted Answer

Starting too big can be overwhelming and difficult to manage. It is generally better to start with a smaller group or area of focus and gradually expand as the community grows and becomes more established.

Question 20

Network organizations are best for functions that _________________.
A) require frequent exchanges
B) suffer from supply uncertainty
C) require customization
D) none of these

Accepted Answer

The answer of Network organizations are best for functions that...

Quiz 14: Organizational Structure and Design

Which of the following is NOT true about communities of practice?

A marketing department is staffed solely with marketing professionals.This is an example of what structure?

What is it called when managers from different units informally work together to coordinate or to identify and solve shared problems?

What is the term for an organization that contracts out almost all of its functions except for the company name and managing the coordination among the contractors?

Successful managers cultivate communities of practice doing which of the following?

Because networks are organized around specific products or projects,payments are arranged based on the final product,so that if the product doesn't make it,no firm makes a profit.What term refers to this system?

What is it called when a manager or team member is held formally accountable for communicating and coordinating with other groups?

What term refers to groups of people whose shared expertise and interest in a joint enterprise informally binds them together?

Matrix structures are best suited to _ activities in ___ environments.

Which type of structure is best for simple tasks and entrepreneurial organizations,allowing the founder to control the organization's decisions and growth?

Which of the following is NOT true about communities of practice?

What term refers to permanent task forces created to address specific problems or recurring needs?

Which of the following is a virtual organization?

Which of the following is NOT a common type of division structure?

Companies are increasingly ________________ communities of practice.

Functional structures tend to work well for organizations in environments selling _ products or services because of the increased economies of scale.

What term refers to a temporary committee formed to address a specific project or problem?

Which of the following is true about communities of practice?

Which of the following is NOT a good tip for managers who want to create the conditions that enable communities of practice to flourish?

Network organizations are best for functions that _________________.