Question 1

List and discuss some of the common characteristics of the reinventing government movement.

Accepted Answer

The reinventing government movement, also known as the New Public Management, emerged in the 1980s and 1990s as a response to the perceived inefficiencies and bureaucratic red tape of traditional government organizations. Some of the common characteristics of this movement include:

1. Emphasis on efficiency and effectiveness: The reinventing government movement seeks to streamline government processes and make them more cost-effective. This often involves adopting business-like practices and performance metrics to measure success.

2. Customer-centric approach: There is a focus on meeting the needs of citizens and other stakeholders, often through improved service delivery and responsiveness. This includes a shift towards more user-friendly and accessible government services.

3. Decentralization and empowerment: The movement advocates for delegating decision-making authority to lower levels of government and giving more autonomy to public sector employees. This can lead to greater innovation and adaptability.

4. Accountability and transparency: There is an emphasis on holding government agencies accountable for their performance and making their operations more transparent to the public. This can help build trust and confidence in government institutions.

5. Collaboration and partnerships: The reinventing government movement encourages collaboration between government agencies, as well as partnerships with the private and non-profit sectors. This can lead to more holistic and integrated solutions to public issues.

6. Results-oriented management: There is a shift towards focusing on outcomes and results, rather than simply following bureaucratic procedures. This can lead to a greater emphasis on measuring and evaluating the impact of government programs and policies.

Overall, the reinventing government movement seeks to modernize and improve the functioning of government organizations, with a focus on delivering better outcomes for citizens and stakeholders.

Question 2

According to the text, at least for critical questions must be addressed in designing an organization.What are they?

Accepted Answer

When designing an organization, there are several critical questions that must be addressed. These include questions about the organization's purpose and goals, its structure and hierarchy, its communication and decision-making processes, its culture and values, its resources and capabilities, and its external environment and stakeholders. By addressing these critical questions, an organization can ensure that it is well-designed to effectively and efficiently achieve its objectives while also adapting to changes in its environment.

Question 3

The text identified two types of teams: cross-functional and permanent.Given example of each.

Accepted Answer

Cross-functional teams and permanent teams serve different purposes within an organization, and each has distinct characteristics.

A cross-functional team is composed of members from various departments or areas of expertise who are brought together to work on a specific project or to solve a particular problem. The key feature of a cross-functional team is that it includes individuals with different skills and perspectives, which can lead to innovative solutions and a more comprehensive approach to the task at hand. An example of a cross-functional team could be a product development team in a tech company, where you have software engineers, designers, marketers, and sales professionals all working together to develop and launch a new app. Once the project is completed, the team is usually disbanded, and members return to their respective departments.

On the other hand, a permanent team is a group that works together on an ongoing basis, typically within their functional area of the organization. These teams are structured to perform the day-to-day operations and are stable over time, with a consistent membership unless there's a change in staffing or organizational structure. An example of a permanent team could be the customer service department in a company, where representatives work together continuously to address customer inquiries, complaints, and provide support. This team remains intact and operates as a unit for as long as the function is required by the organization.

In summary, a cross-functional team is a temporary, diverse group formed to tackle specific projects, while a permanent team is a stable group with consistent membership focused on routine operations within an organization.

Question 4

How does a matrix organization operate.What are its strengths and weaknesses?

Accepted Answer

The answer of How does a matrix organization operate.What are...

Question 5

According to Peter Drucker, four factors -- futurity, reversibility, impact, and rarity -- are helpful in

Accepted Answer

A)   determining where a decision belongs
B)   re-examining the final organizational form
C)   determining what are the key activities in an organization
D)   deciding whether an organization is mechanistic or organic
E)   providing the rationale for reorganization

Question 6

Which of the following is NOT a principle of reinventing government?

Accepted Answer

A)   catalytic
B)   command-and-control
C)   customer-driven
D)   mission-driven
E)   competitive

Question 7

Defined a network organization and give an example.

Accepted Answer

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Question 8

How does the team form of organization differ from a mere group of people with a common assignment?

Accepted Answer

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Question 9

Besides the United States, which three countries were cited in the textbook for their efforts in reinventing government?

Accepted Answer

A)  Norway, Sweden, and Denmark
B)  Argentina, Brazil, and Chile
C)  South Korea, Taiwan, and Japan
D)  New Zealand, United Kingdom, and Australia
E)  Germany, France, and Switzerland

Question 10

Which of the following is NOT considered a disadvantage of the team approach?

Accepted Answer

A)   conflicts and dual loyalties
B)   over decentralization
C)   failure to see the big picture
D)   increased administrative overhead
E)   increase cost of meetings

Question 11

Which of the following is the best example of a network organization?

Accepted Answer

A)   NASA's Orbitor Project Office
B)   the Naval Aviation Depot
C)   the Executive Office of the President
D)   Kentucky's City Work
E)   military industrial complex

Question 12

What do organization charts show? What are their limitations?

Accepted Answer

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Question 13

Define each of the following principles of organization and then discuss their strengths and weaknesses: division of labor, hierarchy, span of control, and line and staff.

Accepted Answer

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Question 14

According to the text, what matters most in determining the span of control is not how many people report to the manager but

Accepted Answer

A)  the level of maturity of the subordinates.
B)  the length of time the subordinates have been in the organization.
C)  how many people who have to work with each other report to the manager.
D)  the experience of the manager.
E)  the organization's environment.

Question 15

Organizational design involves making decisions about four fundamental principles of organization.Which of the following is NOT one of those for principles?

Accepted Answer

A)   division of labor
B)   hierarchy
C)   span of control
D)   unity of direction
E)   line and staff

Question 16

"After federal marshals seize drug dealers' homes, they are allowed to sell them and use the money to help finance the war on drugs.To sell the houses, they must keep them presentable, which includes keeping the lawns mowed.In Atlanta, most organizations would hire neighborhood teenagers to mow a lawn for $10.But procurement regulations require the U-S.Marshal Service to bid out all work competitively, and neighborhood teenagers don't compete for contracts.So the federal government pays $40 a lawn to professional landscape firms.Regulations designed to save money waste it, because they take decisions out of the hands of those responsible for doing the work.And taxpayers lose $30 for every lawn mowed." The paragraph above came from where?

Accepted Answer

A)  The majority opinion in O'Connor v.Ortega (1987) 
B)  Congressional testimony given after the issuance of Executive Order 11063
C)  Congressional Budget Office, Annual Report
D)  Report of the National Performance Review
E)  Federal Register

Question 17

Which of the following features is NOT associated with Weber's ideal of bureaucracy?

Accepted Answer

A)  A division of labor based on functional specialization
B)  An ill-defined hierarchy of authority
C)  A system of rules covering the rights and duties of employment
D)  Impersonality of interpersonal relations
E)  Promotion and selection based on technical competence

Question 18

According to Keidel, Drucker, and other management experts, which of the following types of organization is particularly well suited to serve as a kind of model for work in the information revolution?

Accepted Answer

A)  Football team
B)  Baseball team
C)  Basketball team
D)  Symphony orchestra
E)  Hospital emergency room team

Question 19

"The central problem is that government bureaucracy is not subject to disciplines as those that operate in the private sector are." This statement is most associated with which of the following scholars?

Accepted Answer

A)   Robert K.Merton
B)   Anthony Downs
C)   Peter Drucker
D)   Henry Mintzberg
E)   Max Weber

Question 20

Explain the sports metaphor that Keidel uses to describe the kinds of interaction, communication, and chemistry at work in certain organizations today.

Accepted Answer

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Exam 7: Organizing