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

Ford Motor Co.has separate divisions for passenger cars,for large trucks,and for farm products.Ford is an example of an organization with

This question contains two parts;be sure to answer both.After John's father died,John inherited his successful tire business,Thrifty Tire.John wants to make sure the company's culture,which his father had built for over 40 years,does not get lost but instead remains embedded in the organization.First,summarize 4 of the 12 ways that a particular culture can become embedded in an organization.Then explain how John might use each technique to keep Thrifty Tire's corporate culture strong,with an emphasis on employee development,a family-like atmosphere,and a dedication to offering the best service and the lowest prices. A particular culture can become embedded in an organization in many ways,12 of which are described in the textbook.Changing organizational culture is essentially a teaching process-that is,a process in which members instruct each other about the organization's preferred values,beliefs,expectations,and behaviors.The process is accomplished by using one or more of the following 12 mechanisms: formal statements;slogans and sayings;rites and rituals;stories,legends,and myths;leader reactions to crises;role modeling,training,and coaching;physical design;rewards,titles,promotions,and bonuses;organizational goals and performance criteria;measurable and controllable activities;organizational structure;and organizational systems and procedures.

The AFL-CIO is an example of a for-profit organization,and the March of Dimes is an example of a nonprofit organization.

An organizational structure is a set of shared,taken-for-granted implicit assumptions that a group holds and that determines how it perceives,thinks about,and reacts to its environments.

Which of the following is an accurate conclusion based on a recent meta-analysis of more than 38,000 organizational units and 616,000 individuals?

Sally,Greg,Juan,and Amar are working on a project for a customer that is aimed at cutting the client's electrical costs.The four members of this workgroup are located throughout the Midwest,and they are utilizing the phone,e-mail,and collaborative computing to complete this project.This workgroup is an example of a

Alana,the children's department manager at Shoe Mart,has eight employees in her department,also known as her _________.All of eight of these employees report directly to her.

A formal chain of command,the standardization of rules and procedures,and the use of cross-functional teams and computer networks so that there is frequent communication and coordination of the parts are the means for achieving

Tech Geeks,a sole proprietorship that uses contract labor,has all of its authority centralized in a single person (the owner),a flat hierarchy,few rules,and low work specialization.Tech Geeks is an organization with a

A company with a market culture has a strong internal focus,and it concentrates on developing the business and marketing plans,as well as helping employees market their product(s).

This question has two parts;be sure to answer both.

Symbols,stories,heroes,and rites and rituals are ways in which ____ is (are)most often transmitted to employees.

This question has two parts;be sure to answer both.First,describe the four common elements of organizations proposed by Edgar Schein.Next,imagine that you work for a nonprofit animal-rescue organization,Animalia,Inc.Describe how each of the four elements relates to that organization's activities and operations.Animalia has several full-time employees,plus many volunteers (including veterinarians)who rescue and care for hurt and abandoned animals.

Summarize a divisional structure,explaining product divisions,customer divisions,geographic divisions,and matrix structures.Give an example of each,and draw an organization chart that depicts each.(For the Matrix structure,use Ford or another car company as your example. ) In a divisional structure,people with diverse occupational specialties are put together in formal groups by similar products or services,customers or clients,or geographic regions. Product divisions group activities around similar products or services.Example: The media giant Time Warner has different divisions for magazines,movies,recordings,cable television,and so on.The Warner Bros.part of the empire alone has divisions spanning movies and television,a broadcast network,retail stores,theaters,amusement parks,and music. Customer divisions tend to group activities around common customers or clients.Example: Ford Motor Co.has separate divisions for passenger-car dealers,for large trucking customers,and for farm products customers. Geographic divisions group activities around defined regional locations.Example: This arrangement is frequently used by government agencies.The Federal Reserve Bank,for instance,has 12 separate districts around the United States.The Internal Revenue Service also has several districts. In a matrix structure,an organization combines functional and divisional chains of command in a grid so that there are two command structures,vertical and horizontal.The functional structure usually doesn't change.It is the organization's normal departments or divisions,such as finance,marketing,production,and R&

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

With ______,important decisions are made by middle-level and supervisory-level managers.

Online retailer Amazon relies heavily on a hierarchy culture to manage its vast and complex shipping processes.___________ are part of Amazon's hierarchy culture.

Juan,the owner of Quality Catering,is driven by competition.He is very focused on meeting deadlines and quality,and on delivering the results that customers want.He pushes his managers to continually exceed their productivity goals,and he stresses that profits take precedence over employee development and satisfaction.Juan feels "there is not enough time for training." However,his employees are regularly rewarded for their success in meeting company goals.Quality Catering has a(n)____ culture.

Tom's Hardware has a simple organizational structure.There are no levels of middle management,because all employees report to the owner,Tom,or to his assistant managers.Tom's Hardware has a thin organizational structure.

_____ is the process of assigning managerial authority and responsibility to lower-level managers and employees.