Question 1

Who is said to have coined the term bureaucracy?

Accepted Answer

Vincent de Gournay, a French economist and administrator in the 18th century, is credited with coining the term "bureaucracy."

Question 2

What is the term for the physical dispersal of operating units with only limited delegation of decision-making authority?

Accepted Answer

Deconcentration involves a physical dispersal of operating units, but decision-making authority remains centralized. Decentralization would involve a dispersal of both physical locations and decision-making authority. Contingency refers to a situation that may occur, while span of control refers to the number of subordinates that a manager can effectively supervise.

Question 3

The acronym POSDCORB refers to the various tasks associated with the job of a manager or executive in an organization.What are they?

Accepted Answer

POSDCORB stands for Planning, Organizing, Staffing, Directing, Coordinating, Reporting, and Budgeting. This acronym is commonly used to describe the responsibilities of managers and executives in an organization. The tasks outlined in POSDCORB are essential for ensuring that a business or organization runs smoothly and efficiently. Planning involves setting goals and objectives, while organizing involves arranging resources to meet those goals. Staffing involves recruiting and training employees, while directing involves guiding and supervising them. Coordinating involves ensuring that different departments work together effectively, while reporting involves communicating progress and results. Finally, budgeting involves managing financial resources and ensuring that expenses are within the organization's means.

Question 4

What is the name of the organizational theory that is most associated with Frederick W.Taylor?

Accepted Answer

Frederick W. Taylor is most commonly associated with scientific management, which is a theory of management that focuses on improving worker efficiency through scientific methods and standardized processes. Taylor is often referred to as the father of scientific management.

Question 5

The Civil Service Commission (CSS) was established in 1908 to act as a guardian of the patronage principle.

Accepted Answer

It was created to protect the merit principle.

Question 6

Who criticized the idea of organizing by purpose, process, people, and place?

Accepted Answer

Herbert Simon criticized the idea of organizing by purpose, process, people, and place, arguing that these dimensions are interdependent and cannot be neatly separated from one another. He advocated for a more holistic approach to organizing that takes into account the complex relationships between these dimensions.

Question 7

Which of the following best describes the bureaucratic principle that states that there should be only one leader and one plan for organizing activities to accomplish an objective?

Accepted Answer

Unity of direction is the bureaucratic principle that states that there should be only one leader and one plan for organizing activities to accomplish an objective. This ensures that all activities and efforts are aligned and integrated towards a common goal, and helps avoid conflicting or contradictory objectives and plans.

Question 8

The Canadian federal government eventually moved toward the Weberian concept of bureaucracy.

Accepted Answer

The Canadian federal government, under Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau, implemented significant bureaucratic reforms inspired by the Weberian model in the late 1960s and early 1970s. These reforms aimed to increase the efficiency and impartiality of the civil service, strengthen accountability, and professionalize public administration. The Public Service Employment Act, introduced in 1967, established a merit-based system of appointment and promotion, while the creation of the Treasury Board Secretariat centralized financial management and control across departments. Overall, these changes helped to modernize and improve the functioning of the Canadian bureaucracy.

Question 9

Job classifications are still part of the human resource management regime governing public service.

Accepted Answer

Job classifications are still used to organize and categorize public service positions, which helps to establish pay scales, qualifications, and other employment conditions. This system is a key aspect of human resource management in the public sector.

Question 10

Frederick Taylor's main contribution to organization theory was his emphasis on the scientific approach to work management.

Accepted Answer

Frederick Taylor is widely known as the founder of scientific management, which emphasizes the use of scientific methods to improve work processes and productivity in organizations. His approach was based on observations and experiments to determine the most efficient ways of performing tasks, breaking them down into smaller components, and creating standardized procedures and training programs to train workers in the most efficient methods. His theories and practices have greatly influenced the field of organization theory and management.

Question 11

Which of these terms translates literally to "rule by desks or offices"?

Accepted Answer

The term "bureaucracy" translates literally to "rule by desks or offices".

Question 12

Which of the following is NOT an ideal type of bureaucracy as outlined by Max Weber?

Accepted Answer

Max Weber did not consider office management based on arbitrary decisions to be an ideal type of bureaucracy. Instead, he emphasized the importance of rules and procedures based on a rational-legal authority. The other choices, full-time employment, system of hierarchical authority, and use of written files, are all key components of Weber's ideal type of bureaucracy.

Question 13

Which of the following is NOT an aspect of Fayol's Principle of Management?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Which of the following is NOT an...

Question 14

Which characteristic of span of control is more significant at the lower levels of the organization than the upper levels?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Which characteristic of span of control is...

Question 15

Who introduced the concept of "trained incapacity" to highlight flaws associated with the bureaucratic structure?

Accepted Answer

Robert K. Merton introduced the concept of "trained incapacity" to highlight flaws associated with the bureaucratic structure.

Question 16

Which of the following theorists is NOT a neo-classical theorist?

Accepted Answer

Frederick Taylor is associated with classical management theory, specifically scientific management, rather than neo-classical theory. Neo-classical theory focuses on human relations and organizational behavior, which is different from Taylor's focus on efficiency and productivity through scientific management principles.

Question 17

According to Max Weber, which type of authority is legitimated by rules and regulations obeyed by both the ruled and the rulers?

Accepted Answer

Rational-legal authority is legitimated by the belief in the legality of the rules and regulations. This type of authority is based on legal and rational procedures, and it is typically found in modern states and bureaucracies. Both the ruled and the rulers acknowledge the validity of these rules and regulations, and they obey them accordingly. Charismatic authority is legitimated by the personal charisma and authority of the leader or the ruler, while traditional authority is legitimated by long-standing traditions and customs. Formal authority is a more general term that refers to the authority that is granted by a formal role or position (e.g., a manager has formal authority over their subordinates).

Question 18

According to Luther Gulick and Lyndall Urwick, what does the concept of span of control in an organization refer to?

Accepted Answer

According to Luther Gulick and Lyndall Urwick, the concept of span of control in an organization refers to the number of subordinates who report to one supervisor. It is also known as the span of management or span of supervision.

Question 19

One of the main criticisms of Weber's work was that he spent too much time on the human side of organizations and not enough on the structural aspects of bureaucracy.

Accepted Answer

Weber's work is known for the structural aspects of bureaucracy rather than the human side of organizations.

Question 20

What are Public Health Nurses an example of?

Accepted Answer

The answer of What are Public Health Nurses an example...

Quiz 3: Public Administration and Organization Theory: The Structural Foundation