Exam 15: Foundations of Organization Structure

Mike Morrell is a production supervisor in Porco Rosso, an aircraft manufacturing firm. After evaluating Mike's managerial capabilities, some members of the senior management feel that average productivity would improve if more workers were assigned to him. However, some managers are skeptical about Mike's ability to handle more workers. -Which of the following statements, if true, would weaken the argument favoring increased span of control?

Organizations do not always stay with the basis of departmentalization they first adopt, as is the case with Microsoft, explain.

The organization's structure will determine what relationships form, the formality of those relationships, and many work outcomes.

A bureaucracy is characterized by decentralized authority and wider spans of control.

There is much research to suggest that people tend to select employers randomly.

You have learned about the traditional and new design options for organizational structures. You have decided that one of the designs developed during the last decade or two is probably the most appropriate for your newly formed organization. -You have recently started your business with a small capital investment. Your business needs a very high degree of flexibility so that you can quickly respond to environmental changes and you are also interested in minimizing costs. Which of the following types of organizations is best suitable for your business?

The chain of command is an unbroken line of authority that extends from the top of the organization to the lowest echelon and clarifies who reports to whom.

Mike Morrell is a production supervisor in Porco Rosso, an aircraft manufacturing firm. After evaluating Mike's managerial capabilities, some members of the senior management feel that average productivity would improve if more workers were assigned to him. However, some managers are skeptical about Mike's ability to handle more workers. -A narrow span of control ________.

Institutions are cultural factors that act as guidelines for appropriate behavior for organizational structure.

The functional structure groups employees by their similar specialties, roles, or tasks.

Mike Morrell is a production supervisor in Porco Rosso, an aircraft manufacturing firm. After evaluating Mike's managerial capabilities, some members of the senior management feel that average productivity would improve if more workers were assigned to him. However, some managers are skeptical about Mike's ability to handle more workers. -The ________ refers to the number of subordinates that a manager directs.

Which of the following statements is true regarding a bureaucracy?

Work specialization contributes to higher employee productivity, but at the price of ________.

Harald is opening a manufacturing plant with a mechanistic and centralized structure. Employees from which of the following countries will be least comfortable with this type of a structure?

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

Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of a matrix structure.

You are interested in explaining the different types of organizational designs to students of basic management. These students need to know the advantages and disadvantages of each structure as well as the structure's characteristics. -Which one of the following problems is most likely to occur in a matrix structure?

The term used to describe the degree to which tasks in an organization are subdivided into separate jobs is called ________.

________ refers to the degree to which jobs within the organization are standardized.

A(n) ________ strategy emphasizes the introduction of major new products and services.