Question 1

A task that is subdivided into many separate jobs is considered to have ________.
A) a high degree of departmentalization
B) a low degree of decentralization
C) a high degree of work specialization
D) a wider span of control
E) a high degree of formalization

Accepted Answer

Work specialization is the degree to which tasks in an organization are divided into separate jobs. If a task is subdivided into many separate jobs, then it has a high degree of work specialization. A high degree of work specialization can help to increase efficiency and productivity, but may also result in lower job satisfaction and limited employee flexibility.

Question 2

Your trainees are given a case study concerning a local manufacturing firm called Acme Products. In assessing Acme's organizational structure, your trainees notice that all of the company's decisions are made by top management, with little or no input from lower-level personnel. The trainees most likely identify Acme as a(n) ________ organization.
A) highly decentralized
B) highly formalized
C) highly departmentalized
D) highly centralized
E) informally structured

Accepted Answer

In a highly centralized organization, all decisions are made by top management, with little or no input from lower-level personnel. This is what the trainees have observed in Acme Products. Highly decentralized organizations, on the other hand, delegate decision-making to lower-level employees, while highly formalized organizations have strict rules and procedures that everyone must follow. Highly departmentalized organizations have a lot of separate departments, while informally structured organizations lack clear and formal organization structures.

Question 3

Which of the following statements is true regarding work specialization?
A) Work specialization indicates to what degree there will be rules and formalization regulations to direct employees and managers.
B) Work specialization decreases the time spent in changing tasks.
C) Work specialization increases the cost of finding and training workers to do specific and repetitive tasks.
D) Work specialization provides an unending source of increased productivity.
E) Work specialization hinders efficient use of employee skills.

Accepted Answer

Work specialization, also known as division of labor, allows employees to become highly skilled at performing specific tasks, which reduces the time spent in changing tasks and increases efficiency.

Question 4

The Acme Products case study notes that the senior management at Acme is concerned because the company takes so long to bring new products to the market. Which of the following approaches would your trainees identify as the most likely solution to resolve this problem?
A) reducing the use of cross-functional work teams
B) decentralization of the decision-making process
C) decreased work specialization
D) decreased formalization of policies and procedures
E) reduced diversity within the company's work force

Accepted Answer

Decentralization of the decision-making process can speed up the time it takes to bring new products to market by allowing decisions to be made more quickly and closer to the relevant operations.

Question 5

Some of the departments in Procter & Gamble are Tide, Pampers, Charmin, and Pringles. This is an example of departmentalization by ________.
A) function
B) process
C) geography
D) product
E) interest

Accepted Answer

The departments are based on specific products, so the departmentalization is by product.

Question 6

________ is addressed by asking the question, "On what basis are jobs grouped together?"
A) Departmentalization
B) Work specialization
C) Centralization and decentralization
D) Formalization
E) Span of control

Accepted Answer

Departmentalization refers to the grouping of jobs or activities within an organization based on some common basis or criterion, such as function, product, customer, or geography. Therefore, the question "On what basis are jobs grouped together?" is directly related to departmentalization. Work specialization refers to the degree to which tasks are divided into separate jobs, while centralization and decentralization refer to the distribution of decision-making authority within an organization. Formalization refers to the extent to which rules, procedures, and job descriptions are standardized, while span of control relates to the number of subordinates a manager can effectively supervise.

Question 7

Aeronautics Inc., a parts supplier, has departments for government aircraft and contracts, large commercial aircraft clients, and small personal aircraft clients. This is an example of ________ departmentalization.
A) product
B) function
C) geography
D) customer
E) service

Accepted Answer

The departmentalization is based on the type of customer, making it customer departmentalization.

Question 8

The basis by which jobs are grouped is called ________.
A) formalization
B) departmentalization
C) chain of command
D) span of control
E) centralization

Accepted Answer

Departmentalization is the process of grouping similar jobs or activities together in a logical and meaningful way. It can be based on various factors such as function, product, customer, geography, etc.

Question 9

Which of the following is not one of the seven key elements of organizational structure?
A) chain of command
B) departmentalization
C) work specialization
D) span of control
E) location of authority

Accepted Answer

The seven key elements of organizational structure are chain of command, departmentalization, work specialization, span of control, centralization/decentralization of authority, formalization, and boundary spanning. "Location of authority" is not one of the key elements mentioned.

Question 10

Which one of the following is not one of the primary ways to group jobs?
A) skill
B) customer
C) function
D) product
E) service

Accepted Answer

The answer of Which one of the following is not...

Question 11

AgriProducers provides services related to the testing of soil and crops. It also provides advice to its customers for improving the productivity of the soil and the quality of the crops. It has customers all over the United States. The crops and soil are different in the various large areas of the nation, such as the west coast and the Midwest. Which type of departmentalization would be best for AgriProducers?
A) functional
B) process
C) product
D) geographic
E) temporal

Accepted Answer

Geographic departmentalization would be best for AgriProducers as the crops and soil vary in different large areas of the nation. This type of departmentalization allows the company to create teams that are specialized in specific geographical regions, providing the most effective advice and services to its customers throughout the country.

Question 12

The principle of ________ helps preserve the concept of an unbroken line of authority.
A) span of control
B) chain of command
C) cross-functionality
D) centralization
E) unity of command

Accepted Answer

The chain of command is a principle that helps preserve the concept of an unbroken line of authority. It establishes a clear hierarchy within an organization, with each level of management reporting to the next higher level. This ensures that all employees know who they are responsible to and who they can go to for guidance and support.

Question 13

Consultants Exceptional (CE) has hired you to develop training materials for their consultants. Your first assignment is to develop a training program that helps their consultants to analyze and understand the organizational structure of the company that they are assisting. You believe that in order to adequately evaluate and understand a client company, consultants need to understand the basic organizational structure of the company. Consultants are then able to recommend actions and changes based on the company's structure. One of the questions you tell the trainees to ask is, "To what degree are tasks subdivided into separate jobs?" This question addresses the issue of ________.
A) formalization
B) work specialization
C) span of control
D) chain of command
E) matrix restructuring

Accepted Answer

The question "To what degree are tasks subdivided into separate jobs?" addresses the issue of work specialization, which refers to the degree to which tasks are divided into separate jobs. Formalization refers to the degree to which rules and procedures govern the behavior of employees, span of control refers to the number of subordinates that a manager can effectively manage, chain of command refers to the line of authority running from top to bottom of the organization, and matrix restructuring refers to a type of organizational structure that combines functional and product-based divisions. None of these options fit the given question as well as work specialization.

Question 14

The right inherent in a managerial position to give orders and expect orders to be obeyed is termed ________.
A) chain of command
B) authority
C) span of control
D) unity of command
E) leadership

Accepted Answer

Authority refers to the right inherent in a managerial position to give orders and expect orders to be obeyed. Chain of command refers to the formal line of authority within an organization. Span of control refers to the number of subordinates who report directly to a manager. Unity of command refers to the principle that each employee should report to only one manager. Leadership is the ability to motivate and guide others.

Question 15

Chain of command is a key element of an organization's structure. Which of the following key questions is addressed by this element?
A) How many individuals can a manager efficiently and effectively direct?
B) To whom do individuals and groups report?
C) On what basis will jobs be grouped together?
D) To what degree are activities subdivided into separate jobs?
E) To what degree will there be rules and regulations to direct employees and managers?

Accepted Answer

The chain of command addresses the question of "to whom do individuals and groups report?" It outlines the hierarchy of authority within an organization and defines who reports to whom. This helps to establish clear lines of communication and accountability.

Question 16

A manufacturing manager organizes a plant into engineering, accounting, manufacturing, personnel, and supply specialists departments. This division of an organization into groups according to work functions is an example of ________.
A) social clustering
B) bureaucracy
C) specialization
D) centralization
E) departmentalization

Accepted Answer

The division of an organization into departments based on work functions is known as departmentalization. In this scenario, the plant has been divided into different departments, such as engineering, accounting, manufacturing, personnel, and supply specialists departments. The purpose of departmentalization is to ensure that employees with similar skills and expertise are grouped together, which can lead to greater efficiency and productivity.

Question 17

Span of control is a key element of an organization's structure. Which of the following key questions is addressed by this element?
A) On what basis will jobs be grouped together?
B) To whom do individuals and groups report?
C) To what degree will there be rules and regulations to direct employees and managers?
D) How many individuals can a manager efficiently and effectively direct?
E) To what degree are activities subdivided into separate jobs?

Accepted Answer

Span of control refers to the number of subordinates that a manager can efficiently and effectively direct. It determines the level of hierarchy in an organization and impacts communication, decision-making, and employee empowerment. Therefore, option D is the correct answer.

Question 18

The unity-of-command principle states that ________.
A) managers should limit their oversight to a maximum of 12 employees
B) managers should oversee 1-4 employees on average
C) an individual should be directly responsible to only one supervisor
D) managers should provide direction to their employees in a unified fashion
E) employees should report directly to two supervisors to maintain task balance

Accepted Answer

The unity-of-command principle states that an individual should be directly responsible to only one supervisor. This helps to avoid confusion and conflicts in direction and priorities.

Question 19

A ________ is consistent with recent efforts by companies to reduce costs, cut overhead, speed up decision making, increase flexibility, get closer to customers, and empower employees.
A) wider span of control
B) high degree of formalization
C) longer chain of command
D) lack of work specialization
E) high degree of centralization

Accepted Answer

A wider span of control, which means fewer layers of management and more direct supervision, is consistent with recent efforts by companies to reduce costs, cut overhead, speed up decision making, increase flexibility, get closer to customers, and empower employees. This approach allows for more efficient use of resources, faster communication, and greater delegation of authority, which can lead to increased productivity and responsiveness.

Question 20

A ________ allows management to make the most efficient use of its employees' skills and even successfully improve them through repetition.
A) low degree of centralization
B) high degree of formalization
C) wider span of control
D) low degree of departmentalization
E) high degree of work specialization

Accepted Answer

Work specialization, also known as division of labor, involves breaking down tasks into smaller, more specialized tasks which can be performed more efficiently and quickly. This allows management to make the most efficient use of employees' skills and even improve them through repetition. However, too much work specialization can lead to boredom and dissatisfaction among employees.

Quiz 15: Foundations of Organization Structure

A task that is subdivided into many separate jobs is considered to have ________.

Which of the following statements is true regarding work specialization?

The Acme Products case study notes that the senior management at Acme is concerned because the company takes so long to bring new products to the market. Which of the following approaches would your trainees identify as the most likely solution to resolve this problem?

Some of the departments in Procter & Gamble are Tide, Pampers, Charmin, and Pringles. This is an example of departmentalization by ________.

________ is addressed by asking the question, "On what basis are jobs grouped together?"

Aeronautics Inc., a parts supplier, has departments for government aircraft and contracts, large commercial aircraft clients, and small personal aircraft clients. This is an example of ________ departmentalization.

The basis by which jobs are grouped is called ________.

Which of the following is not one of the seven key elements of organizational structure?

Which one of the following is not one of the primary ways to group jobs?

The principle of ________ helps preserve the concept of an unbroken line of authority.

The right inherent in a managerial position to give orders and expect orders to be obeyed is termed ________.

Chain of command is a key element of an organization's structure. Which of the following key questions is addressed by this element?

A manufacturing manager organizes a plant into engineering, accounting, manufacturing, personnel, and supply specialists departments. This division of an organization into groups according to work functions is an example of ________.

Span of control is a key element of an organization's structure. Which of the following key questions is addressed by this element?

The unity-of-command principle states that ________.

A ________ is consistent with recent efforts by companies to reduce costs, cut overhead, speed up decision making, increase flexibility, get closer to customers, and empower employees.

A ________ allows management to make the most efficient use of its employees' skills and even successfully improve them through repetition.