Deck 7: Organization, Teamwork, and Communication

Question 1

An organization's structure determines how well it makes decisions and responds to problems, and influences employees' attitudes toward their work.

Answer 1

True

Question 2

A wide span of management works best when the level of interaction between superiors and subordinates is low.

Answer 2

True

Question 3

Joylene is interviewing to work at a dentist's office. During the interview process, the hiring manager had her come in and talk to some of the employees about the office's culture. Everything she learned related to the office's culture EXCEPT

A) the office has a business casual dress code.
B) her job will consist of answering phones, checking patients in and out, and filing patient information.
C) some of the employees formed an office bowling league.
D) the doctors often chip in to buy the rest of the office lunch on Fridays.
E) the employees pride themselves on maintaining a clean, comfortable, and positive environment for their patients.

Answer 3

her job will consist of answering phones, checking patients in and out, and filing patient information.

Question 4

Christy works for a magazine publishing company. When pressed to meet a deadline, every employee is expected to work together to get the job done, even if it means working overtime. This commitment to teamwork is part of the company's

A) culture.
B) ethics.
C) structure.
D) hierarchy.
E) goals.

Question 5

Which item is least associated with an organization's culture?

A) its shared beliefs
B) its rules
C) its philosophy
D) its structure
E) its traditions

Question 6

An organizational structure is

A) only applicable to formal organizations.
B) the arrangement or relationship of positions within an organization.
C) usually not seen in government and nonprofit organizations.
D) based on the company's shared beliefs and values.
E) fixed, even if the company grows in size.

Question 7

The managers of Trendy, a large department store, decide to have a sale. The store manager works with the advertising department to make the public aware of the sale, with department managers to schedule enough salespeople to handle the increased customer traffic, and with merchandise buyers to ensure that enough merchandise is available to meet expected consumer demand. What does this scenario say about organizational structure?

A) An organizational structure develops when managers get people to work together to achieve the firm's objectives.
B) Having an organizational structure results in duplication of work effort.
C) A store, like Trendy, doesn't need an organizational structure to have a sale.
D) Developing appropriate organizational structures is easy for managers.
E) Having an organizational structure is more trouble than it's worth.

Question 8

Marvin started a small restaurant business. At first, he did everything himself, buying the ingredients, preparing and serving the food, creating the menu and setting the prices, and handling the finances of the restaurant. As his business grows, Marvin may have to do all of the following EXCEPT

A) hire servers.
B) designate someone to manage the restaurant.
C) keep doing everything himself.
D) leave the restaurant to meet with suppliers.
E) hire someone to maintain the accounting, payroll, and tax functions.

Question 9

What does an organizational chart display?

A) shared values
B) shared beliefs
C) plant layouts
D) assembly lines
E) chain of command

Question 10

Grayson owns a local smoothie store. His business started small, but over the years, word of mouth has spread, bringing more people in to try his delicious homemade smoothies. Since business is booming, Grayson decides to expand his business and open three additional stores in surrounding towns. What does growth like this require in terms of structure?

A) Growth requires flexibility, and thus, no structure.
B) Growth requires adopting a universal structure that works for all businesses.
C) Growth requires letting employees determine what the structure should be.
D) Growth requires developing a formal structure to function efficiently.
E) Growth requires developing a rigid structure that never undergoes changes.

Question 11

Kris manages a frozen pizza company. In order to earn profits, she must determine what activities are required to achieve the company's objectives. All of the following are activities this company would need to do EXCEPT

A) talk to competitors to make sure their recipe is unique.
B) purchase ingredients from suppliers.
C) prepare and bake the dough and place the other ingredients on the dough.
D) package and label the frozen pizza.
E) ship the frozen pizza to grocery stores around the country.

Question 12

Motor Parts, a large auto parts store, did an experiment to see whether it was faster to have one person work on each car repair or have a team of people work together on a repair. It found that each employee, working independently, could do three to five auto repairs per day. However, when one person removed the old part, another person prepared the new part, and a third person installed the new part, they were able to complete up to twenty repairs per day. This scenario demonstrates that

A) specialization doesn't dramatically increase the output.
B) working independently is more rewarding than working together.
C) specialization requires a company to have fewer skilled workers.
D) people can perform more efficiently if they master just one task rather than all tasks.
E) people should master all tasks even if they will only perform one task.

Question 13

What is an advantage of job specialization?

A) It allows workers to specialize in a variety of skills.
B) It makes training employees easier.
C) It eliminates dissatisfaction and boredom among employees.
D) It completely eliminates the need for departmentalization within an organization.
E) It requires employees to perform more than one task within a firm.

Question 14

Sam owns a large manufacturing company that supplies food and beverages to grocery stores. His company uses more than one departmentalization plan to enhance productivity. Most likely, his company would have all of the following departments EXCEPT a ________ department.

A) fire
B) frozen foods
C) beverage
D) legal
E) human resources

Question 15

Judy works at a small printing company that groups jobs by functional activities. Her company has departments focused on sales, marketing, finance, printing, legal, and human resources. What is most likely true of the departments in Judy's company?

A) Since each department focuses on its own tasks, little coordination is needed between the company's departments.
B) Organizing departments this way simplifies decision making.
C) Organizing departments this way allows the company to get closer to its customers.
D) Organizing departments this way allows the company to address the unique requirements of each type of customer.
E) Each functional department is managed by an expert in the work done by the department.

Question 16

Pierce Products has a computer electronics division, telecommunications equipment division, and kitchen appliances division. Pierce Products uses ________ departmentalization to structure its organization.

A) product
B) geographical
C) functional
D) customer
E) process

Question 17

Ski and Surf, a large distributor of skiing and diving equipment in the United States, is organized into four business units: (1) Mountain States Ski, (2) West Coast Surf, (3) South Central States, and (4) Central States. What two types of departmentalization are illustrated in this example?

A) product and customer
B) product and geographical
C) customer and geographical
D) functional and customer
E) geographical and functional

Question 18

Alarm Solutions Inc., a large theft protection company, has different representatives to assist business clients and individual clients. This is an example of ________ departmentalization.

A) process
B) product
C) geographical
D) functional
E) customer

Question 19

Comfort Food Reimagined is a new restaurant that prepares childhood favorites in new ways to appeal to adults. The restaurant's owner has empowered Bill, an employee, to create a new advertising campaign to attract customers. What does Bill need to carry out this assignment?

A) the authority to make decisions about the advertising materials and costs
B) access to competitors' advertising materials
C) the approval of the owner for every decision
D) the approval of the owner for every request for materials
E) input from other employees for every decision

Question 20

Soumya, the president of a higher-education publishing firm, delegates responsibility for all editorial activities to Sarah, the executive editor. Sarah accepts this responsibility and has the authority to obtain all relevant information, make decisions about what to publish, and delegate any and all activities to her subordinates. Sarah delegates all the editorial activities to the managing editors of each academic discipline. In turn, these managers assign specific projects to their development editors. Who is ultimately accountable to Soumya for all the editorial activities?

A) Soumya
B) the managing editors
C) Sarah
D) the development editors
E) the managing editors and development editors

Question 21

Kent is a salesman at a large water products distributor where all the decisions are made by the top levels of management. However, his managers give him the responsibility to carry out his daily and routine sales activities. What type of organization does Kevin work for?

A) centralized
B) decentralized
C) competitive
D) flat
E) restricted

Question 22

Caleb is a manager at a small diner in a tourist town. There are many competing restaurants in the area, so the restaurant owners depend on Caleb and his employees to pay attention to what customers order most often to determine what the daily and weekly specials should be. Caleb has the authority to make changes to the menu and offer promotions to attract more customers. What type of organization does Caleb manage?

A) overcentralized
B) centralized
C) decentralized
D) hierarchical
E) unorganized

Question 23

An advantage of decentralization is that it

A) does not require low-level managers to be highly skilled in decision making.
B) is highly effective when risky decisions have to be made.
C) may increase the organization's productivity.
D) increases the levels of management within an organization.
E) results in a tall organizational structure.

Question 24

In a(n) ________ organization, the decision-making authority is delegated as far down the chain of command as possible.

A) bureaucratic
B) centralized
C) balanced
D) overcentralized
E) decentralized

Question 25

Decentralization works best in companies

A) that do not want to delegate decision-making to lower levels.
B) that have little to no competition.
C) that do not need to react quickly to changes in the business environment.
D) that want all decisions made at the top level of management
E) that operate in complex, unpredictable environments.

Question 26

A narrow span of management would typically be found in?

A) firms with decentralized authority.
B) organizations with highly competent employees.
C) organizations that have very few problems.
D) firms with centralized authority.
E) firms with a set of specific operating procedures.

Question 27

Nicole is a manager of an online clothing store. She has five employees who work remotely in their homes in Minneapolis, Milwaukee, Chicago, Detroit, and Cleveland. In addition to managing her employees and having a phone meeting with each of them weekly, Nicole also orders merchandise, manages the inventory, coordinates shipping to customers, and manages the company's advertising and finances. What type of span of management does this scenario describe?

A) narrow
B) wide
C) broad
D) specialized
E) centralized

Question 28

Franco is a manager at a large electronics store, where his main responsibility is managing 25 employees. His employees are highly competent, so he doesn't need to interact with them frequently and few problems arise. His company has a set of specific operating procedures that govern his activities and the activities of his employees. What type of span of management does this scenario describe?

A) narrow
B) wide
C) centralized
D) decentralized
E) tall

Question 29

The more layers in an organization,

A) the lower its administrative costs.
B) the flatter its organizational structure.
C) the wider its span of management.
D) the slower the communication.
E) the less managers it has.

Question 30

Dilbert's, a large department store chain, has store managers, district managers, regional managers, and functional managers. What type of organization does this describe?

A) flat
B) wide
C) tall
D) broad
E) decentralized

Question 31

Chuck manages a hardware superstore, where he supervises 45 employees. Because he manages a large number of employees, fewer management layers are needed, and thus, his organization is flat with a wide span of management. As a result, what is most likely true of Chuck's duties, in comparison with managers in tall organizations?

A) He spends less time supervising subordinates.
B) He spends less time working with subordinates.
C) He spends more time communicating with middle management.
D) He performs less administrative duties.
E) He performs more administrative duties.

Question 32

An advantage of line structure in organizations is that it

A) enables managers to make decisions quickly.
B) gives all employees the power to veto a decision, irrespective of hierarchy.
C) allows managers facing a decision to consult any and as many superiors as they wish.
D) does not require managers to possess a wide range of knowledge and skills.
E) allows managers to specialize in the one activity in which they are knowledgeable.

Question 33

Lucie and Cara are both managers at a home improvement store. Lucie oversees the flooring, lighting, appliances, and hardware departments. Cara provides each of these departments with advice and support in the areas of finance and human resources. What is true regarding Lucie and Cara's roles in the company?

A) Lucie is a line manager, while Cara is a staff manager.
B) Lucie is a staff manager, while Cara is a line manager.
C) Cara has direct authority over Lucie and her subordinates.
D) Cara does not have direct authority over subordinates in the finance and human resources departments.
E) Lucie and Care are both line managers, who focus on their area of expertise in the operation of the business.

Question 34

Rob's company has grown in recent years, and the firm is looking to restructure the organization into larger groups. Rob and his team are deciding whether to organize its departments on the basis of geography, customer type, or product. Regardless of which basis the firm uses, it will be organized using which structure?

A) line
B) multidivisional
C) matrix
D) line-and-staff
E) simplistic

Question 35

Several years ago, Russ started his own heating and cooling business. As his business grew, Russ noticed that his traditional structure was becoming difficult to coordinate, making communication difficult and decision making slow. He decided to restructure his business, organizing his departments into six larger groups: (1) heating repairs, (2) heating sales, (3) heating installation, (4) air conditioning repairs, (5) air conditioning sales, and (6) air conditioning installation. What type of structure has Russ adopted?

A) matrix
B) line-and-staff
C) line
D) multidivisional
E) multifaceted

Question 36

Matrix organizational structures

A) have employees reporting to two managers.
B) are rarely temporary.
C) are generally inexpensive and simple.
D) eliminate the problem of intersecting lines of authority.
E) reduce flexibility and creativity within an organization.

Question 37

Lacey is taking a college business class. Her professor splits the class into work teams to complete a project. Each team must create a fictional company, create a business plan for a new product, and market that product in a class presentation. What is true of Lacey's work team?

A) It has a strong, clearly focused leader.
B) Each team member has individual accountability.
C) Team members share leadership and create collective work products.
D) The team structure discourages open-ended discussions and active problem-solving meetings.
E) It measures effectiveness indirectly.

Question 38

Once a month, the sales managers of Black Corporation meet to discuss sales performance, production issues, and delivery schedules. Since the sales managers work in different parts of the country, they conduct their meetings through a videoconference and follow up with e-mails. This is an example of a

A) task force.
B) virtual team.
C) committee.
D) matrix team.
E) focus group.

Question 39

After a large staffing firm reorganized and laid off 50 employees, it faced lawsuits alleging that the layoffs targeted minorities and women. The firm assembled a group to conduct a two-year study to address the allegations and provide recommendations for improving company reorganization practices. What type of group does this scenario describe?

A) a committee
B) a team
C) a project team
D) a quality-assurance team
E) a task force

Question 40

Access Motors released a new car model a year ago, and it has received customer complaints about the flimsy plastic used around the lights and in the interior consoles of the car. To address this problem, Access Motors forms a quality circle. What is a benefit of forming this type of group?

A) It will shift the organization to a more participative culture.
B) It can include customers to help ensure that the resolution of the problem satisfies their needs.
C) It can devise, design, and implement a new car that will be better than the existing one.
D) It can deliver a new and improved product to customers.
E) It can change rapidly to respond to customer needs.

Question 41

Accurate Awnings is experiencing production delays resulting in a backlog of customer orders, so the firm assembles a team to look into the issue. The team is given full authority to implement a new process for streamlining production without having to get management approval. In this scenario, the team is likely to be

A) unproductive.
B) centralized.
C) dysfunctional.
D) restricted.
E) self-directed.

Question 42

All of the following are alternatives to face-to-face communication EXCEPT

A) voice-mail.
B) e-mail.
C) social media.
D) traditional meetings.
E) online newsletters.

Question 43

William's company uses internal networks to share information with employees. What is an advantage of using this type of network?

A) It limits communication from different departments.
B) It can help with the flow of everyday business activities.
C) It completely eliminates the need to send e-mails.
D) It allows management to communicate with employees without any employee feedback.
E) It is completely separate from social media to help employees separate work from home life.

Question 44

Which problem has been created by increased access to the Internet at work?

A) Employees may abuse company e-mail and Internet access.
B) Internet use can be more expensive than hardware or software.
C) Extensive Internet use has led to an increase of people working remotely.
D) Internet use can prevent employees from collaborating with their teams.
E) The Internet inhibits the flow of everyday business activities.

Question 45

Noreen is a supervisor at a fast food restaurant. Every week, she submits a progress report to Micah, the restaurant manager, to let him know how the restaurant is doing and to bring any employee performance concerns and customer feedback to her attention. What type of communication does this scenario describe?

A) downward communication
B) upward communication
C) horizontal communication
D) diagonal communication
E) confidential communication

Question 46

Hans is a manager of a bookstore. At the end of each year, he gives his employees performance reviews to let them know what they are doing well, what they need to improve on, and their annual raise amount. This is a form of ________ communication.

A) upward
B) horizontal
C) diagonal
D) downward
E) reverse

Question 47

Downward communication typically conveys

A) organizational rumors.
B) assignments of tasks and responsibilities.
C) complaints.
D) inquiries.
E) grievances.

Question 48

Melvin and Darryl are both managers at a sporting goods store. Melvin is a manager in the finance department and Darryl is a lower-level manager in the shoe department. When these managers communicate, it is known as ________ communication.

A) horizontal
B) downward
C) upward
D) informal
E) diagonal

Question 49

Lisa and Gin are friends who work at the same company but in different departments. They often go out for lunch and drinks after work, and sometimes, they send each other personal e-mails and instant messages at work. Such friendships comprise the ________ of a firm.

A) formal organization
B) grapevine
C) informal organization
D) sounding device
E) diagonal communication

Question 50

Teresa is a manager of a real estate company. She is aware that her company has an active grapevine because she has heard her employees gossiping in the lunch room and around the office. All of the following are things she can do to use the grapevine to her advantage EXCEPT

A) confronting her employees about gossip.
B) using it as a sounding device for possible new policies.
C) floating ideas, soliciting feedback, and reacting accordingly.
D) feeding it facts to squelch rumors and incorrect information.
E) using its information to improve decision making.

Question 51

Which statement is true regarding the monitoring of communications in the workplace?

A) Technological advances and the increased use of electronic communication in the workplace have eliminated the need to monitor communications within companies.
B) Most companies trust employees to monitor their own computer usage.
C) Most companies allow employees to determine appropriate Internet use.
D) All policies that monitor employee computer usage disrespect employee privacy.
E) Failing to monitor employees' use of e-mail, social media, and the Internet can be costly.

Question 52

What do employees list as their top complaint, related to communication, in the workplace?

A) There is too much gossip at work.
B) Their managers send them too many personal e-mails.
C) Their managers fail to listen to their concerns.
D) Various activities interrupt messages.
E) There are too many channels of communication.

Question 53

Which statement is true about e-mail communication?

A) Employees and managers are increasingly using phone conversations instead of e-mail.
B) E-mail sent from corporate accounts is the property of the sender.
C) In-depth tasks are usually communicated via e-mail.
D) Using work e-mail accounts to send personal information may be against company policy.
E) Most companies don't have a need for e-mail policies.

Question 54

How can managers monitor and make communication more effective?