Deck 1: Organizations and Organization Theory

Question 1

_____ refers to economic development that generates wealth and meets the needs of the current generation while saving the environment so future generations can meet their needs as well.

A)Centralization
B)Formalization
C)Contingency
D)Sustainability

Answer 1

D
Explanation:Many companies are embracing the philosophy of sustainability,which refers to economic development that generates wealth and meets the needs of the current generation while saving the environment so future generations can meet their needs as well.

Question 2

_____ pertains to the amount of written documentation in an organization.

A)Centralization
B)Specialization
C)Decentralization
D)Formalization

Answer 2

D
Explanation:Formalization pertains to the amount of written documentation in an organization.Documentation includes procedures,job descriptions,regulations,and policy manuals.

Question 3

Which of the following is a difference between for-profit businesses and nonprofit organizations?

A)Financial resources for for-profit businesses come from government appropriations, grants, and donations, while nonprofit organizations are funded by the sale of products or services to customers.
B)In for-profit businesses, managers focus on improving an organization's products and services to increase sales revenues, while in nonprofit organizations, however, services are typically provided to nonpaying clients.
C)For-profit businesses are committed to servicing clients with limited funds, while nonprofit organizations have access to unlimited funds to service clients.
D)In for-profit businesses, services are typically provided to nonpaying clients, while in nonprofit organizations, services are typically provided to paying clients.

Answer 3

B
Explanation:In for-profit businesses,managers focus on improving an organization's products and services to increase sales revenues.In nonprofits,however,services are typically provided to nonpaying clients,and a major problem for many organizations is securing a steady stream of funds to continue operating.

Question 4

_____ is the degree to which an organization achieves its goals.

A)Effectiveness
B)Contingency
C)Sustainability
D)Efficiency

Question 5

_____ refers to technologies,skills,and processes for searching and examining massive sets of data to uncover hidden patterns and correlations.

A)Scientific management
B)Social business
C)A social media program
D)Big data analytics

Question 6

Pendant Inc.,a retail chain based in England,has implemented an energy-efficient trucking fleet.It is increasing its use of green materials in buildings,and aims to dispose all the waste of the company by 2025.Which of the following measures is Pendant Inc.focusing its efforts on?

A)Going green
B)Scientific management
C)Contingency
D)Centralization

Question 7

A(n)_____ design means that an organization is much looser,free-flowing,and adaptive.

A)organic
B)specialized
C)vertical
D)mechanistic

Question 8

_____ complexity is the number of levels in the hierarchy of an organization.

A)Spatial
B)Vertical
C)Lateral
D)Horizontal

Question 9

_____ describes who reports to whom and the span of control for each manager.

A)Organizational technology
B)Scientific management
C)Hierarchy of authority
D)Administrative principles

Question 10

_____ primarily focus on the design and functioning of an organization as a whole.

A)Structural dimensions
B)Administrative principles
C)Contingency factors
D)Functional dimensions

Question 11

_____ is the degree to which organizational tasks are subdivided into separate jobs.

A)Centralization
B)Specialization
C)Decentralization
D)Formalization

Question 12

_____ encompass larger elements that influence structural dimensions,including an organization's size,technology,environment,culture,and goals.

A)Functional dimensions
B)Administrative principles
C)Contingency factors
D)Structural dimensions

Question 13

Organization design:

A)encompasses larger elements that influence structural dimensions, including the organization's size, technology, environment, culture, and goals.
B)gives us the tools to evaluate and understand how and why some organizations grow and succeed while others do not.
C)obtains inputs from the external environment, adds value through a transformation process, and discharges products and services back to the environment.
D)provides labels to describe the internal characteristics of an organization.

Question 14

_____ refers to the amount of resources used to achieve an organization's goals.

A)Effectiveness
B)Contingency
C)Sustainability
D)Efficiency

Question 15

_____ refers to the number of distinct departments or activities within an organization.

A)Complexity
B)Specialization
C)Decentralization
D)Formalization

Question 16

_____ provide labels to describe the internal characteristics of an organization.

A)Functional dimensions
B)Administrative principles
C)Contingency factors
D)Structural dimensions

Question 17

_____ refers to the tools,techniques,and actions used to transform inputs into outputs.

A)Organization design
B)Organizational performance
C)Organizational technology
D)Organizational behavior

Question 18

_____ emphasize designing and managing organizations on an impersonal,rational basis through such elements as clearly defined authority and responsibility,formal recordkeeping,and uniform application of standard rules.

A)Structural dimensions
B)Administrative principles
C)Contingency factors
D)Bureaucratic organizations

Question 19

_____ complexity is the degree to which an organization's departments and personnel are dispersed geographically.

A)Spatial
B)Vertical
C)Lateral
D)Horizontal

Question 20

Which of the following is true of contingency factors?

A)They describe the organizational setting that influences and shapes the structural dimensions.
B)They create a basis for measuring and comparing organizations.
C)They provide labels to describe the internal characteristics of an organization.
D)They describe who reports to whom and the span of control for each manager.

Question 21

At Infosoft Solutions,employees are encouraged to take care of their problems by working with one another and with customers,using their discretion to make decisions.From this information,it can be understood that Infosoft Solutions is a _____ organization.

A)decentralized
B)centralized
C)mechanistic
D)bureaucratic

Question 22

An organization is a building or a set of policies and procedures.

Question 23

Social media programs decrease efficiency and productivity and facilitate slower operations.

Question 24

An organization obtains inputs from the external environment,adds value through a transformation process,and discharges products and services back to the environment.

Question 25

Which of the following types of communication is emphasized by mechanistic organizations?

A)Lateral communication
B)Spatial communication
C)Horizontal communication
D)Vertical communication

Question 26

_____ is the micro approach to organizations because it focuses on the individuals within organizations as the relevant units of analysis.

A)Organizational behavior
B)Organization design
C)Organization theory
D)Organizational culture

Question 27

Which of the following contingency factors will influence whether an organization is more effective with a primarily organic design?

A)Manufacturing technology
B)Stable environment
C)Adaptive culture
D)Efficiency strategy

Question 28

A _____ has discretion and responsibility,allowing a person to use his or her judgment and ability to achieve an outcome or meet a goal.

A)task
B)role
C)structure
D)system

Question 29

Which of the following types of communication is emphasized by organic organizations?

A)Lateral communication
B)Spatial communication
C)Horizontal communication
D)Vertical communication

Question 30

Organizations are social entities that are only linked to the internal environment.

Question 31

A _____ is a narrowly defined piece of work assigned to a person.

A)task
B)role
C)job
D)designation

Question 32

An organization exists when people interact with one another to perform essential functions that help attain goals.

Question 33

Social media can build stronger,more authentic relationships between managers and employees.

Question 34

Subzero Enterprises is a publishing company based in the United States of America.The company has 70 employees.Information flows in all directions within and across departments and hierarchical levels.The rules and regulations at Subzero Enterprises are flexibly applied.Subzero Enterprises follows a(n)_____ design.

A)vertical
B)specialized
C)organic
D)mechanistic

Question 35

Which of the following is a difference between organization design and organizational behavior?

A)Organization design focuses on individuals within organizations, while organizational behavior analyzes the whole organization as a unit.
B)Organization design is concerned with cognitive and emotional differences among people within organizations, while organizational behavior is concerned with the differences in structure and behavior at the organization level of analysis.
C)Organization design is concerned with lower management, while organizational behavior is concerned with top- and middle-management.
D)Organization design might be considered the sociology of organizations, while organizational behavior is the psychology of organizations.

Question 36

Which of the following contingency factors will influence whether an organization is more effective with a primarily mechanistic organization design?

A)Service technology
B)Large size
C)Adaptive culture
D)Innovation strategy

Question 37

Outsourcing firms in low-wage countries can often do work for 50 to 60 percent more than companies based in the United States.

Question 38

Big data analytics can only be employed by online companies.

Question 39

The growing global interdependence means that the environment for companies has become less complex and competitive.

Question 40

Managers in nonprofits direct most of their activities toward earning money for the company and its owners.

Question 41

Differentiate between for-profit businesses and nonprofit firms.

Question 42

Managers in nonprofit organizations market their services to attract not only clients (customers)but also volunteers and donors.

Question 43

In businesses,managers focus on improving the organization's products and services to increase sales revenues.

Question 44

If specialization is low,each employee performs only a narrow range of tasks.

Question 45

Organization design is directly relevant to top- and middle-management concerns and partly relevant to lower management.

Question 46

Briefly discuss the contingency factors of an organization.

Question 47

Vertical complexity is the number of departments or occupational specialties existing horizontally across an organization.

Question 48

With decentralization,decision-making authority is pushed up to higher organizational levels.

Question 49

Large universities tend to be low on formalization

Question 50

What is scientific management? How is it used?

Question 51

What is a social business? Discuss in detail the advantages of social media programs.

Question 52

When spans of control are narrow,the hierarchy tends to be tall.

Question 53

When decision making is kept at the top level,an organization is decentralized.

Question 54

Organizational behavior is concerned with people aggregated into departments and organizations and with the differences in structure and behavior at the organization level of analysis.

Question 55

Financial resources for government and charity nonprofits typically come from the sale of products or services to customers rather than from government appropriations,grants,and donations.

Question 56

Scientific management focuses primarily on design and functioning of an organization as a whole.

Question 57

Managers in nonprofits direct much of their effort toward generating some kind of social impact.

Question 58

Top management is concerned with major departments,such as marketing or research,and must decide how the department relates to the rest of an organization.

Question 59

In an organic organization,there is greater emphasis on vertical communication.

Question 60

Discuss in detail the stakeholder approach.

Question 61

What is a mechanistic design?

Question 62

Describe the levels of analysis of an organization.

Question 63

What is organization theory and design?

Question 64

Discuss how communication takes place in mechanistic and organic organizations.

Question 65

Differentiate between specialized tasks and empowered roles.