Exam 9: Organization Size, Life Cycle, and Decline

Which of the following is the use of rules, policies, hierarchy of authority, written documentation, standardization, and other bureaucratic mechanisms to standardize behavior and assess performance?

As organizations become larger, a smaller percentage of technical and professional support staff is recommended.

Communicating more, not less, providing assistance to displaced workers, and help the survivors thrive are three ways for organizations to deal with downsizing.

A primary reason identified for the organizational design success of United Parcel Service was:

Clan control is generally used by companies that are small and informal or have a strong culture.

Describe Weber's three types of authority that explains the creation and control of larger organizations.

During the ____ stage, the organization begins to develop clear goals and direction.

Tyler Jones is the CEO of a medium-sized manufacturer of bedding and blankets. Tyler insists on making all decisions as to styles that are manufactured, the type of material that will be used in each, the sources from whom the company will purchase yard goods, thread, and buttons, and the shippers the company will use. Which of the following terms describes this company?

The life cycle phenomenon is a powerful concept used for understanding problems facing organizations and how managers can respond in a positive way to move an organization to the next stage.

There are an estimated ____ small businesses in the United States.

More than one type of authority may exist in organizations, but ____ authority is the most widely used form to govern internal work activities and decision making, particularly in large organizations.

Small companies are standardized, often mechanistically run, and complex.

Market control is most frequently used in the control of functional departments.

All of the following are factors that cause organizational decline except:

A form of organization called ____ has emerged that is made up completely of professionals.

Describe the life cycle of a specific organization that has gone through at least three stages of the organizational life cycle. In your answer explain the crisis this organization is now facing, and how you would recommend that it overcome its crisis.

What type of top management style does a bureaucratic organization in the formalization stage possess?

As organizations increase in size, the net effect for direct workers is that they decline as a percentage of total employees.

Increased training can substitute for bureaucratic rules and procedures.

In a large company going through the organizational life cycle, the replacement of top management may occur in its elaboration stage as it struggles to revitalize.