Exam 8: Organizational Culture, Structure, and Design: Building Blocks of the Organization

The Safety Committee, a temporary team at Quantum Mechanics, was established to make the factory floor a safer place. Members of the committee still work in their departments full-time, but they meet twice a month for a few hours as a committee. The Safety Committee is an example of a ________ within an organization.

Sandra, George, Jose, and Antwan are working on a project for a customer that is aimed at cutting the client's utility costs. The four members of this workgroup are located throughout the Southeast, and they are utilizing the phone, e-mail, and collaborative computing to complete this project. This workgroup is an example of a

Phones R Us, a global phone company, frequently needs to respond quickly to fast-changing consumer tastes with its smartphones. Therefore, Phones R Us has fewer rules and procedures than most organizations, and networks of employees are encouraged to cooperate and respond quickly to unexpected tasks and changes in technology. Phones R Us is utilizing a(n) ________ structure.

Distinguish between a mechanistic organization and an organic organization. Think about a company you have worked with (or currently work with). Is it more mechanistic or more organic? Give three reasons for your response.

In a ________ culture, employees are expected to work hard, react fast, and deliver quality work on time.

Tyree, a graphic designer with Lincoln Advertising, enjoys working for the company because of the flexibility of its management and its culture, which encourages risk taking, innovation, and creativity. Tyree gets quick answers from his boss, allowing him and Lincoln Advertising to quickly respond to changes in the marketplace. Lincoln Advertising is an example of an adhocracy culture.

Organizational culture appears in four layers: clan, adhocracy, market, and hierarchy.