Deck 8: Organization Structure, Culture, and Change

Question 1

The organization structure best suited to gaining the advantage of specialization is ____ departmentalization.

A) functional
B) geographic
C) product
D) matrix

Answer 1

A

Question 2

A wide span of control is advised when

A) there is considerable flux in the work setting.
B) group members perform similar tasks.
C) group members are physically dispersed.
D) group members and the manager are highly capable.

Answer 2

D

Question 3

Long John Silver's central headquarters exercises tight control over such matters as menu selection; however, franchises make human resource decisions such as hiring. This is an example of

A) centralization
B) decentralization
C) specialization
D) centralization and decentralization

Answer 3

D

Question 4

The radical redesign of work to achieve substantial improvements in performance is called:

A) reengineering
B) job design
C) downsizing
D) resistance to change

Question 5

An example of a horizontal organization structure would be a

A) department producing an engine.
B) team assembling components for company machines.
C) purchasing department.
D) team responsible for filling orders.

Question 6

The clearest example of a staff department in a manufacturing organization would be

A) sales.
B) operations.
C) food services.
D) quality assurance.

Question 7

To become part of the informal organization structure, you should

A) study the company organization chart carefully.
B) become a temporary worker.
C) send your résumé to key managers.
D) establish a network of contacts to help you accomplish work.

Question 8

The foundation of an organizational culture is the organization's

A) relative diversity.
B) values.
C) resource allocation and rewards.
D) degree of change.

Question 9

Flexible organization structures, such as project and matrix structures, are the most likely to be found in

A) high-technology firms.
B) lumber mills.
C) pasta factories.
D) poultry processing plants.

Question 10

A notable disadvantage of a bureaucracy is that it often leads to

A) unclear managerial responsibility.
B) rigidity in dealing with people.
C) an insufficient amount of rules and regulations.
D) wide of span of control.

Question 11

The primary way that employees learn the organization culture is through

A) the process of socialization.
B) studying the company Website.
C) studying the company intranet.
D) making mistakes and then being corrected.

Question 12

One of the reasons that bureaucracies have endured is that they

A) provide ample opportunity for risk taking and thrill seeking.
B) help satisfy people's need for order and security.
C) were designed with the age of the Internet in mind.
D) are almost immune to downsizing.

Question 13

A disadvantage of product-service departmentalization is that

A) customer needs may be neglected.
B) field units lack authority.
C) it often leads to duplication of effort.
D) employees rarely identify with the field units.

Question 14

Downsizing is the most likely to be successful when

A) high-value activity is eliminated first.
B) information about the pending layoff is held back from employees.
C) it is part of the business strategy to improve the company.
D) it is a stopgap measure to save the company money.

Question 15

Companies such as Dell purchase complete designs for some digital devices from Asian developers. This is called

A) division of labor
B) outsourcing
C) implementing
D) scenario planning

Question 16

A key advantage of geographic departmentalization is that it allows for

A) decision making at a local level
B) consideration of the local culture.
C) a & b
D) a one size fits all strategy

Question 17

A suggestion for effective delegation is to

A) delegate part of a task.
B) give as much instruction as needed.
C) closely monitor the details.
D) assign the task to the highest-ranking company official.

Question 18

You know that you are a homesourcing agent when you

A) perform call center duties out of your home.
B) sell products from door to door.
C) organize parties in your home to sell products.
D) work in a large call center responding to problems with consumer products.

Question 19

A matrix organization can be described as a(n) ____ structure superimposed on a ____ structure.

A) project; functional
B) product; territorial
C) process; product
D) informal; formal

Question 20

The dimension or organization culture called a sense of ownership, typically comes about when

A) the company helps employees purchase houses.
B) employees develop pride in the company.
C) the company helps employees get out of debt.
D) employees purchase stock in the company.

Question 21

The wider a manager's span of control, the fewer workers that report directly to him or her.

Question 22

In a horizontal structure, the members of the group focus on a specialized task such as accounting or purchasing.

Question 23

An important emphasis of a Six Sigma program is to

A) prevent problems.
B) punish employees who perform sloppy work.
C) minimize the behavioral aspects of achieving high quality.
D) base quality standards on individual differences.

Question 24

A recommended technique for gaining support for change is to

A) discuss and negotiate sensitive issues.
B) figure out what to do as one goes along.
C) discourage worker participation in the changes.
D) avoid discussion about financial consequences.

Question 25

Social network analysis refers to the mapping and measuring of relationships and links between and among people, groups, and organizations.

Question 26

Delegation can be used to make empowerment possible.

Question 27

In the Model for Change, ______________involves reducing or eliminating resistance to change.

A) Refreezing
B) Changing
C) Thawing
D) Unfreezing .

Question 28

Advances in information technology make it possible for workers throughout an organization to solve problems without being restricted by an organization chart.

Question 29

Reengineering results in a horizontal layout of work.

Question 30

When a business firm faces an uncertain and unstable environment, it needs a highly flexible structure.

Question 31

A major justification for outsourcing is that a company is likely to profit when it focuses its effort on activities it performs best, while noncore activities are performed by outside experts.

Question 32

Informal structures in organizations are based to a large extent on the networks of contacts people use to get work accomplished.

Question 33

An analysis suggested that many organizations have suffered because of abandoning the bureaucratic structure, such as eliminating policies, rules, and regulations.

Question 34

CEO Justin wants to sustain the company's culture. One of the recommended actions he can take is to

A) suggest that employees decide on their own culture.
B) bring outsiders into the company whose values clash with the company's culture.
C) include a statement of the company's desired culture in the annual report.
D) serve as a role model for the desired attitudes and behaviors.

Question 35

A bureaucracy is characterized by a hierarchy of authority.

Question 36

The right organizational culture can enhance

A) productivity, quality, and morale.
B) person-organization fit.
C) competitive advantage.
D) all of the choices

Question 37

A problem with geographical departmentalization is that it leads to too much centralization of decision making.

Question 38

A functional organization is the traditional way of arranging job activities in the workplace.

Question 39

In a matrix organization, the project managers have line authority over the people assigned to their projects.

Question 40

In a smooth-running organization with open communication, the various product or service units cooperate with each other for mutual benefit.

Question 41

One of the major forces influencing an organization culture is the industry in which it operates.

Question 42

The unfreezing phase of the change model involves getting workers to learn new habits.

Question 43

What can a CEO do to bring about change in his or her organization?

Question 44

People resist change because they fear an unfavorable outcome, such as less money or personal inconvenience.

Question 45

Identify and describe the most common forms of departmentalization. Give company examples where you can.

Question 46

A subculture is a pocket in which the organizational culture differs from the dominant culture and from other pockets of subculture.

Question 47

Six Sigma emphasizes statistical analysis and measurement to help achieve high quality.

Question 48

First describe, then draw, a matrix organization structure.

Question 49

An effective way for corporate leaders to change the organizational culture is to engage in behavior they would like others to imitate.

Question 50

A perspective on national culture is that the introduction of values from another society into a retail business can be a competitive advantage.

Question 51

Centralization is the extent to which authority is retained at the top of the organization.

Question 52

The appointment of a new chief executive at Procter & Gamble sparked broad management changes. He planned to reduce the levels of management between entry-level positions and the chief executive. The CEO planned to "create a simpler, flatter and more agile organization," he said. "This is a priority because simplification reduces cost, improves productivity, and enhances employee satisfaction."
1. Is organization structure related productivity and job satisfaction? Explain
2. What resistance to change might the CEO encounter?

Question 53

A reliable predictor of success in merging two or more firms is the compatibility of their respective cultures.

Question 54

The presentation of compelling reasons for change will often create a sense of urgency.