Exam 8: Structuring Organizations for Todays Challenges

The more standardized the work,the wider the span of control.

Cross-functional teams defy the trend towards customer-driven organizations.

Kate holds a middle management position with a large corporation.She prefers to involve her subordinates in decision-making.She also favors allowing workers a fair amount of flexibility in how they do their jobs.Kitty's approach to management exemplifies the principles first popularized by Max Weber.

Management at Hottie Potatee,a nationwide potato bar chain,believes that its customers value a predictable and consistent level of service and quality.When customers stop at one of its potato bar chain restaurants anywhere in the United States,they should know what to expect in terms of menu,price and quality.In order to maintain this consistency,Hottie Potatee adopted an)______ structure.

Empowerment works only when employees are given the proper training and resources to respond.

Which of the following describes the activity of a firm that assigns specific functions,such as accounting or legal work,to other organizations rather than performing these functions themselves?

Rise 'n Shine Bakeries is a nationwide bakery that has plants located throughout the United States.Top management at Rise 'n Shine believes that customers in different regions have different tastes.It also recognizes that its bakeries face more intense competition in some regions than in others.Therefore,Rise 'n Shine's top management gives local managers the freedom to offer different types of breads and desserts,and to decide on a reasonable pricing strategy for its products.Rise 'n Shine typifies a decentralized organization.

As a manager of a retail-clothing store,Lance favors detailed job descriptions,formal rules and regulations,detailed records,and standardized procedures.He also believes that staffing and promotion decisions should be based strictly on the qualifications of the people under consideration.Lance's attitudes suggest that he is strongly influenced by the ideas of:

In firms with centralized authority,each business unit is treated as if it is a completely separate and independent organization.

Inverted organizations empower employees by adding multiple layers of management and long lines of communication.

Organization theorists emerged during the era of mass production,meaning:

Transparency describes the relationship between a firm and its stockholders.

A matrix organization produces an environment that discourages cooperation and teamwork.

The informal organization of a business can help generate creative solutions and inspires teamwork and camaraderie.

The process of setting up individual departments to do specialized tasks is called job specialization.

Bureaucratic organizations are not very responsive to customers.

In today's competitive environment,cost containment is extremely important to survival.Which of the following increases efficiency in the production and distribution of goods?

Organizations with positive images for performing exceptional service to customers are usually friendly places to work,as well.

Which of the following is considered to be a disadvantage of functional departmentalization?

JayLo Corporation has experienced rapid growth during its five years of existence.While still relatively small,JayLo is now big enough that Jennifer,the firm's CEO,has decided to organize the firm into functional departments.Jennifer can likely expect which of the following to occur?