Deck 7: Bureaucracy and Formal Organizations

Question 1

The predecessor to the modern union was the guild, which prevented non-guild members from working at a particular craft.

Answer 1

True

Question 2

The "iron law" of oligarchy cannot exist in organizations dedicated to democratic principles.

Answer 2

False

Question 3

Corporate culture contains "hidden" values that create self-fulfilling stereotypes that can positively or negatively affect an individual's corporate career.

Answer 3

True

Question 4

A classic example of goal displacement is the shift in NATO's mission from protecting Europe from a Soviet invasion to being a rapid deployment force to fight terrorism.

Question 5

Cyberslacking is easily justified by employees due to the amount of work they often do at home.

Question 6

According to Karl Marx, capitalism was responsible for breaking the bonds of tradition.

Question 7

The idea that efficiency and practical results should dominate human affairs is referred to as "rationality."

Question 8

Based on Weber's "ideal type," the perfect bureaucracy is one that has the most extensive hierarchical structure.

Question 9

Diversity in the workplace is based almost exclusively on skin color and race.

Question 10

As more women have become managers, they are experiencing more power in creating policies such as medical reform laws that require lactation room for mother returning to work after maternity leave.

Question 11

According to Marx, alienation refers to a worker's loss of ownership of the product of his or her labor.

Question 12

Although many large corporations promote diversity and engage in highly visible multicultural activities, the underlying goal of such programs remains to increase profits.

Question 13

A division of labor, written rules, and impersonality are some of the key features common to bureaucracies.

Question 14

Weber discovered that countries dominated by the Roman Catholic faith were more likely to rely on the traditional orientation to life and less likely to embrace capitalism as an economic system.

Question 15

Secondary groups have been a dominant part of society since the earliest times people joined together to share a culture and territory.

Question 16

The common thread that runs through voluntary associations is their low-cost membership.

Question 17

Bureaucracies tend to perpetuate their existence, even after their initial purpose has been fulfilled, through a process called bureaucratic ritualism.

Question 18

The "iron law" of oligarchy is a term coined by sociologist Robert Michels to describe the tendency of formal organizations to be dominated by a small, self-perpetuating elite.

Question 19

When members of an organization are promoted for their accomplishments until they reach their level of incompetence, this is referred to as the Peter principle.

Question 20

It is not unusual for a bureaucracy to lose efficiency because of a lack of communication between units or the presence of an incompetent supervisor.

Question 21

The university's administration has increased class size without receiving input from the faculty or considering that some courses need to have low enrollments. In view of this, what is the most probable reaction the professors will take to this latest administrative decision?

A) The faculty will call a wildcat strike to protest the insensitivity of the administration.
B) The faculty will stage a "blue flu" and call in sick on the first day of class.
C) More faculty members will feel they have lost ownership of their classes and are just "employees."
D) More faculty members will apply to be administrators to ensure this type of action will not be repeated.

Question 22

Which distinguishing feature of Calvinism contributed to the rise of capitalism?

A) the belief that money is the root of all evil
B) the belief that man was naturally sinful
C) the belief that heaven was a myth and there was no hereafter
D) the belief that people were destined before birth for either heaven or hell

Question 23

Tom works as an agent for a large insurance company. At his work station, he has taped pictures of his wife and granddaughter and of last year's Caribbean vacation. Sociologists would see these pictures as an attempt by Tom to ________.

A) resist alienation
B) bond with his supervisor, who is also a grandparent
C) promote his "all-American" status to his colleagues
D) simply decorate his office

Question 24

In which two societies would someone find relationships based on history that is diffuse and long-term?

A) agricultural and industrial societies
B) horticultural and agricultural societies
C) horticultural and postindustrial societies
D) industrial and postindustrial societies

Question 25

In which two societies are people evaluated based on "the bottom line"?

A) the horticultural and pastoral societies
B) the pastoral and agricultural societies
C) the industrial and postindustrial societies
D) the agricultural and industrial societies

Question 26

Which sociologist is given credit for coining the concept of the "McDonaldization of Society"?

A) Jeffrey Reiman
B) Douglas Massey
C) Howard Winet
D) George Ritzer

Question 27

Patti Sue is having difficulty adjusting to George, the new office supervisor. George is quite a "bean counter" and has shown a great deal of insensitivity toward everyone in the office. In view of this, what is the most likely course of action Patti Sue and the other office workers will take?

A) They will probably resign from their positions in protest.
B) The entire office staff will call in sick tomorrow.
C) Patti Sue will contact a lawyer to discuss a class action lawsuit.
D) All the affected office workers will develop a greater sense of social solidarity.

Question 28

The Ku Klux Klan, March of Dimes, and Boy Scouts of America all have specific objectives that guide their operations. Even though their respective activities and membership rosters indicate significant differences, all three would share the classification of being ________.

A) aggregates of traditional societies
B) social institutions
C) formal organizations
D) ideal bureaucracies

Question 29

The early theorist who proposed that religious beliefs are the key to whether or not a society embraces capitalism was ________.

A) Karl Marx
B) Herbert Spencer
C) Max Weber
D) Emile Durkheim

Question 30

What is the major emphasis of the traditional orientation to life?

A) The past is the best guide for what should be done in the present.
B) Decisions should be made based on what is the most efficient solution.
C) The means justify the ends.
D) Work relationships should be governed by contractual agreements.

Question 31

One of the first theorists to argue that the adoption of capitalism is responsible for the decline of traditional orientations to social life was ________.

A) Max Weber
B) Karl Marx
C) Emile Durkheim
D) Georg Simmel

Question 32

Most sociologists would embrace which theorist's explanation for the development of rationality as the guiding force in modern society?

A) Marx's view on capitalism
B) Weber's view on Protestantism
C) Neither Marx's view nor Weber's view
D) Both views are equally shared by sociologists.

Question 33

Based on Weber's research, which religious denomination was slow in accepting capitalism and dedicated to the acceptance of tradition?

A) Roman Catholicism
B) Fundamentalist Christian
C) Protestant
D) Jehovah's Witness

Question 34

Hank lives in a society that believes in the acceptance of rules, efficiency, and practical results. Frank lives in a society that believes in customs and close personal relationships. Which society is more likely to be industrialized?

A) The society based on customs and relationships will be industrialized.
B) Both societies will have the same degree of industrialization.
C) The society that believes in rules, efficiency, and practical results will be industrialized.
D) Neither society will be industrialized.

Question 35

Which of the following communities would be most aligned with the rational approach to life?

A) a twentieth-century tribal village in the Amazon River Basin
B) a sixteenth-century community of peasants in Sherwood Forest
C) a nineteenth-century steel mill town in Pennsylvania
D) a fourteenth-century feudal village in France

Question 36

A model that is a composite of the most efficient and highest-rated characteristics of many specific examples is called a(n) ________.

A) perfect world
B) comparative society
C) alpha model
D) ideal type

Question 37

In the bureaucratic structure of a medium-sized university, approximately where would one find the instructor for this course, provided that he or she is not the chair of the sociology department?

A) at or near the top of the chart
B) in the upper third of the chart
C) in the middle of the chart
D) at or near the bottom of the chart

Question 38

Samantha works for an organization that is hierarchical and has a division of labor, written rules, communications and records, one in which the administration treats workers impersonally. Based on these characteristics, we can conclude that Samantha works for a(n) ________.

A) nonprofit organization
B) voluntary association
C) bureaucracy
D) oligarchy

Question 39

An approach to life in which there is an emphasis on rules, efficiency, and practical results is ________.

A) traditional orientation
B) rationality
C) utilitarianism
D) empiricism

Question 40

What is the widespread acceptance of using rules, efficiency, and practical results to determine human affairs and the building of social organizations around this concept?

A) the Peter Principle
B) urbanization
C) the rationalization of society
D) Northcote's Law

Question 41

Which of the following is the best example of worker empowerment?

A) The union president has called a wildcat strike because of unsafe working conditions.
B) A small work team in the design department has decided to fire one of the members of its department.
C) The CEO has just opened a corporate-run daycare center for the employees to use free of charge.
D) The workers' union has just negotiated the most lucrative contract in the company's history.

Question 42

Sam, an aspiring and talented young attorney, has been promoted every year since he joined the law firm of Howard, Howard, and Fine. Unfortunately, Sam feels he cannot handle the responsibilities of his latest promotion. In an effort to keep his newly acquired job title, Sam has begun to take credit for the work done by the employees he supervises. Sam's behavior is an example of ________.

A) the iron law of oligarchy
B) the Ouchi theorem
C) bureaucratic ritualism
D) the Peter principle

Question 43

In the past most workers were while men, today in the U.S. __________ % of workers are women and __________ % are racial/ethnic minorities.

A) 50, 35
B) 35, 42
C) 42, 25
D) 47, 31

Question 44

The domination of organizations by a small, self-perpetuating elite is called ________.

A) the Thomas theorem
B) the Protestant ethic
C) the iron law of oligarchy
D) the spirit of capitalism

Question 45

Max Weber's prediction that ________ would come to dominate social life has withstood the test of time more than any other prediction in sociology.

A) enterprises
B) corporations
C) bureaucracies
D) religions

Question 46

It is believed by some sociologists that attempts to humanize the workplace are simply ways to manipulate workers into cooperating in their own exploitation. This belief is most aligned with the ________ perspective.

A) functionalist
B) symbolic interactionist
C) conflict
D) structuralist

Question 47

Using the number of consultants specializing in quality circles as the measurement, how has the use of quality circles in U.S. companies changed since 1983?

A) The use of quality circles has increased significantly.
B) The use of quality circles has remained about the same.
C) The use of quality circles rose until the mid-1990s, then leveled off.
D) The use of quality circles has decreased significantly.

Question 48

The Boy Scouts, the Veterans of Foreign Wars, most civic organizations, and many groups that people join because of mutual interest are all examples of ________.

A) voluntary associations
B) bureaucratic alienation
C) bureaucracies
D) informal organizations

Question 49

One of the latest fads to build corporate teamwork and solidarity is the "cook-off." Which statement best summarizes this activity?

A) Workers meet at a neutral site to "blow off steam" and tell the CEO everything they feel is wrong about the organization.
B) Men and women engage in reverse sensitivity training in which the men become the object of harassment by the women.
C) Employees call in with the "blue flu" in retaliation for what they perceive as unfair labor practices by management.
D) Teams of workers prepare culinary dishes to be judged by professional chefs.

Question 50

When the former Soviet Union collapsed, NATO forces were no longer needed to protect Europe from a communist invasion. Rather than disband NATO, it was turned into a "rapid response force" to fight terrorism. Sociologists would call this shift in focus an example of ________.

A) the Thomas theorem
B) goal displacement
C) the Peter principle
D) bureaucratic ritualism

Question 51

By a narrow margin, Dr. Moreau was elected chair of the largest academic department at Faber College. She appointed faculty members who support her views to the most influential and important committees in the department. This group of loyal colleagues, on which Dr. Moreau is relying to advance her policies, is an example of a(n) ________.

A) consortium
B) inner circle
C) primary group
D) out-group

Question 52

In her study of 47 corporations, what was the relationship that Rosabeth Moss Kanter discovered between the flexibility of a corporation and corporate profit?

A) Kanter discovered a null relationship existed between the two variables.
B) Kanter discovered that the relationship was direct, showing that greater flexibility increases profits.
C) Kanter discovered a spurious relationship existed between the two variables.
D) Kanter discovered that the relationship was indirect, indicating flexibility created duplication and waste.

Question 53

__________ refers to preconceived ideas of what someone is like that lead to the person's behaving in ways that match the stereotype.

A) The Peter principle
B) Humanizing
C) Emotional integration
D) Self-fulfilling stereotype

Question 54

As voluntary organizations, what do the College Young Democrats, Kiwanis Club, Uptown Stamp Collectors' Club, and National Rifle Association all have in common?

A) They are all primary groups.
B) They all offer people an identity.
C) They all bring people into the political mainstream.
D) They all generate social change.

Question 55

It is becoming more common for corporations to provide daycare facilities as a fringe benefit for their employees. What has evaluative research found regarding the costs and benefits of these facilities?

A) Daycare facilities are ineffective because they are used by only a few employees.
B) Because of the large number of employees using them, daycare facilities are too expensive to operate.
C) Operating on-site daycare reduces employee absenteeism, improves production, and increases staff morale.
D) The results of the research are inconclusive.

Question 56

Nick was a promising caseworker for an agency. After earning several lower-level promotions, he was appointed to a supervisory position. Supervisory work did not mix well with Nick's abilities and he fell into a professional rut. This is an example of the ________.

A) Kanter syndrome
B) Weber effect
C) Peter principle
D) Ouchi theorem

Question 57

Bob works at an automobile factory that organizes its workers into small groups that meet regularly to discuss ways to increase production and efficiency. Individual workers are often singled out and recognized for their contributions to the organization. These are examples of attempts to ________.

A) increase profits by downsizing
B) alienate the "deadbeats" in the corporation
C) increase the number of employees
D) humanize the work setting to develop employee potential

Question 58

Organizing a workplace in such a way that it develops rather than impedes human potential is known as ________.

A) restructuring a workplace
B) empowering workers
C) humanizing a work setting
D) instilling employee loyalty

Question 59

The Internet has become a major means by which many millions of people connect to others. As we find ourselves more and more connected by social networking, what does your author predict this new form of social organization will replace?

A) primary groups
B) bureaucracies
C) voluntary associations
D) corporations

Question 60

A common thread that runs through all voluntary associations is ________.

A) the size of the group
B) the purpose of the association
C) mutual interest among members
D) an effort to maintain social order

Question 61

Most major companies sponsor "diversity training" lectures and workshops for their employees. What is the ultimate purpose of these efforts?

A) to stimulate an understanding of cultural differences
B) to professionally develop staff
C) to increase company profits and competitiveness
D) to emphasize the qualities that will lead to a worker's success

Question 62

As diversity in the workplace continues to increase, more than half of U.S. workers include which three groups?

A) older adults, minorities, and women
B) minorities, immigrants, and women
C) immigrants, the Amish, and older adults
D) working class, homosexuals, and young adults

Question 63

Why do bureaucracies practice goal displacement?

Question 64

What is an "ideal type" of bureaucracy, based on Weber's interpretation of the term?

Question 65

What is the Peter principle?

Question 66

In order to withstand fierce global competition, corporations must practice ________ and stay ________ in order to survive.

A) efficiency; nimble
B) accountability; organized
C) takeovers; competitive
D) downsizing; practical

Question 67

How do workers resist alienation?

Question 68

What are the five characteristics of bureaucracies as identified by Weber?

Question 69

Shirley works for the Freeman Shoe Factory. Shirley and ten of her co-workers meet biweekly with their supervisor to discuss ways to improve the work setting and the company's products. This group is an example of a(n) ________.

A) quality circle
B) primary group
C) subdivision of the bureaucracy
D) assessment committee

Question 70

What are the three societies that would be most appropriately classified as nontraditional societies?

Question 71

What are formal organizations?

Question 72

What did George Ritzer mean when he coined the phrase the "McDonaldization of society"?

Question 73

Investigators who use specialized software to recover every note employees have written and every website they have visited are known as ________.

A) web investigators
B) hackers
C) computer specialists
D) cybersleuths

Question 74

Using computers at work to download music, play computer games, trade stocks, and make purchases on eBay are examples of a growing corporate problem called ________.

A) cyberfraud
B) computer profiling
C) computer monopoly
D) cyberslacking

Question 75

As it pertains to salvation, what was the philosophical view held by Calvinists?

Question 76

What are the four types of societies that would be most appropriately classified as traditional societies?

Question 77

Why does your author believe that a new form of social organization will soon replace the dominance of the burearcray?

Question 78

What are the dysfunctions of bureaucracies?

Question 79

In the global economic shakeout, companies that survive, whether thriving or hanging by their fingernails, will be ________.

A) bureaucracies
B) entrepreneurs
C) giant corporations
D) oligopolies

Question 80

Based on the research of Rosabeth Moss Kanter, what is meant by the term "hidden" corporate culture?

A) the values and beliefs of the corporation that shape employees' attitudes
B) the tendency to promote individuals to their level of incompetence
C) an organization's tendency to shift goals to perpetuate its existence
D) the placement of minorities in highly visible but powerless positions