Deck 3: An In-Depth Structural Framework

Question 1

Greiner's model (in the chapter on an in-depth structural perspective) includes a fifth phase called 'cooperation' and a subsequent revolution/crisis period. This period of crisis has no name but is marked with a question mark. Which of the following claims does not match how this fifth phase and subsequent revolution/crisis are described in the textbook?

A) The increased emphasis on horizontal coordination and teamwork increases the risk of deteriorating psychological health and burnout.
B) The fifth crisis/revolution includes the creation of new programs that support employees and give them room to reflect.
C) Heavy and inefficient vertical coordination leads to distance and lack of trust between business managers and the techno structure.
D) Greiner developed the model in the 1970s and given subsequent development he can be said to have got it right in his description of this crisis.

Answer 1

C

Question 2

Agata is a small, young computer company that has worked creatively and largely adhocraticly since its inception. However, both the number of employees and increased sales have grown. It has found itself in its first 'crisis' characterized by messy and inefficient operations. What should be done to get out of this crisis according to Greiner's model describing organizations' five phases of growth?

A) The crisis is an autonomy crisis and one should decentralize the organization.
B) The crisis is transitory, and you should sit still in the boat, so it dissolves by itself.
C) The crisis is about red-tape bureaucracy and is solved through more cooperation and through spontaneous and action-oriented leadership, team organization and using modern information systems.
D) The crisis is a lack of leadership, and so a strong manager with business knowledge and skills who can be accepted by the founders should be recruited.

Answer 2

D

Question 3

Which of the following dependencies that may exist in operations is NOT a typical dependency according to the model of three types of dependencies (Thompson, 1967), described in the in-depth chapter of the structural framework?

A) Several units produce parts that are part of the same overall product or service.
B) Multiple units share the same resources.
C) What is 'output' from one unit constitutes 'input' in another.
D) A unit's activity must be continuously adapted to what another unit does and vice versa.

Answer 3

B

Question 4

When analysing an organization with the structural framework, it is possible to enlist the help of, among other things, Thompson's three types of dependencies. Which of the activities below can it be said is most characterized by sequential dependencies?

A) The assembly line of a car factory.
B) An emergency brain surgery.
C) A telecommunications operator's payment and technical customer support units.
D) An activity organized according to the so-called agile project model.

Question 5

A well-established model for analysing the environment of organizations is the so-called PESTEL model. Which of the following is NOT a dimension in the PESTEL model:

A) Policy
B) Economy
C) State
D) Technology

Question 6

A model in 'Lean' (Modig and Åhlström, 2013) describes four 'operational states'. The state of 'efficient ocean' is characterized by high-flow efficiency but low-resource efficiency. Which of Mintzberg's structural types/configurations is this state most reminiscent of?

A) A mix between machine and professional bureaucracy.
B) A kind of scaled-up simple structure and to some extent adhocracy.
C) A scaled-down machine bureaucracy.
D) A divisionalized structure.

Question 7

According to Williamson's version of transaction cost theory, markets are more effective than hierarchies (≈ organizations) if:

A) There are few actors who offer the same or similar products or services.
B) There is little knowledge of the parties about other parties and their offers.
C) There are few actors who also offer different products and services.
D) There are many actors who offer the same or similar products or services.

Question 8

According to Williamson's transaction cost theory, hierarchies (≈ organizations) are more effective than markets if:

A) There are few actors who offer the same or similar item or service.
B) There is great knowledge of the parties about other parties and their offers.
C) There is great knowledge of the parties about other parties but not about their offers.
D) There are many actors who offer the same or similar item or service.

Question 9

Which model/theory emphasizes the importance of long-term collaborations within and between organizations as a way of organizing effectively?

A) Transaction cost theory.
B) The profession bureaucracy.
C) The stage model.
D) The network model.

Question 10

From a structural framework perspective, projects can be organized according to a number of different models. The so-called stage model is one of the more established of these models. Which of the following claims does NOT describe (one aspect of) this model:

A) The stage model differs from the waterfall model by the former not embracing a planned process with clearly secluded phases.
B) The stage model is a more realistic and practical variant of the generic rational decision model compared to the waterfall model.
C) The stage model is different from the so-called agile project model, among other things, due to the fact that according to the former it is important to plan the project work.
D) The stage model can be seen as a variant of the waterfall model.