Question 1

Describe the various ways in which the negative impact of downsizing can be minimized.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Describe the various ways in which the...

Question 2

The Acme Products case study notes that the senior management at Acme is concerned because the company takes so long to bring new products to the market. Which of the following approaches would your trainees identify as the most likely solution to resolve this problem?

Accepted Answer

A)  reducing the use of cross-functional work teams 
B)  decentralization of the decision-making process 
C)  decreased work specialization 
D)  decreased formalization of policies and procedures 
E)  reduced diversity within the company's work force

Question 3

While observing the departments in his division, Matthew notices that some managers with wide spans of control seem to perform more effectively than other managers with similarly sized spans of control. Which of the following statements is most likely to be true regarding the high-performing managers?

Accepted Answer

A)  These managers are paid higher salaries than the low-performing managers. 
B)  These managers have eternal locus of control. 
C)  The employees within their departments tend to compete to reach productivity goals, which boosts performance. 
D)  The employees within their departments score high on agreeableness. 
E)  The employees within their departments are highly skilled and very knowledgeable about their jobs.

Question 4

Who coined the term "boundaryless organization"?

Accepted Answer

A)  Steve Jobs 
B)  Jack Welch 
C)  Henry Mintzberg 
D)  Bill Gates 
E)  Frederick Herzberg

Question 5

You are the CEO of Apex Systems. You have decided to hire other organizations to perform many of the basic functions of your business. You have hired an accounting firm to keep your records, a recruiting firm to handle human resource functions, and a computer firm to handle all records. To keep costs down, you are looking for other areas in which to outsource operations. You have chosen to operate your business as a ________.

Accepted Answer

A)  matrix organization 
B)  virtual organization 
C)  highly centralized organization 
D)  boundaryless organization 
E)  bureaucracy

Question 6

What is departmentalization?

Accepted Answer

The answer of What is departmentalization?...

Question 7

Matthew is a new divisional manager. In reorganizing his division, he must make some decisions regarding the span of control for management within his division. The question of span of control determines ________.

Accepted Answer

A)  the employee grievance policy of the organization 
B)  the number of levels and managers an organization has 
C)  where decisions are made 
D)  how jobs will be grouped 
E)  how employees will be compensated

Question 8

A virtual organization lacks flexibility.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 9

Which of the following is typically a characteristic of the mechanistic model of organization?

Accepted Answer

A)  low formalization 
B)  rigid departmentalization 
C)  decentralized management 
D)  wide spans of control 
E)  low specialization

Question 10

You are interested in explaining the different types of organizational designs to students of basic management. These students need to know the advantages and disadvantages of each structure as well as the structure's characteristics. You extol the virtues and benefits of standardization. You are probably promoting the ________.

Accepted Answer

A)  matrix structure 
B)  virtual organization 
C)  bureaucracy 
D)  team structure 
E)  simple structure

Question 11

A manufacturing manager organizes a plant into engineering, accounting, manufacturing, personnel, and supply specialists departments. This division of an organization into groups according to work functions is an example of ________.

Accepted Answer

A)  social clustering 
B)  bureaucracy 
C)  specialization 
D)  centralization 
E)  departmentalization

Question 12

In a boundaryless organization, how does management flatten the hierarchy and minimize status and rank?

Accepted Answer

A)  by eliminating cross-hierarchical teams 
B)  by removing vertical boundaries 
C)  by discouraging participative decision-making practices 
D)  by dividing jobs into small standardized tasks 
E)  by enforcing the chain of command

Question 13

Narrow spans of control increase the speed of decision making.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 14

Chain of command is a key element of an organization's structure. Which of the following key questions is addressed by this element?

Accepted Answer

A)  How many individuals can a manager efficiently and effectively direct? 
B)  To whom do individuals and groups report? 
C)  On what basis will jobs be grouped together? 
D)  To what degree are activities subdivided into separate jobs? 
E)  To what degree will there be rules and regulations to direct employees and managers?

Question 15

The more scarce, dynamic, and complex the environment, the more organic a structure should be.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 16

A ________ is consistent with recent efforts by companies to reduce costs, cut overhead, speed up decision making, increase flexibility, get closer to customers, and empower employees.

Accepted Answer

A)  wider span of control 
B)  high degree of formalization 
C)  longer chain of command 
D)  lack of work specialization 
E)  high degree of centralization

Question 17

You describe to your students a new committee within the university that brings together specialists from all different departments to develop a new interdisciplinary program. The structure of the committee best meets the definition of the ________.

Accepted Answer

A)  matrix structure 
B)  simple structure 
C)  boundaryless organization 
D)  virtual organization 
E)  bureaucracy

Question 18

The major advantage of the virtual organization is its ________.

Accepted Answer

A)  decentralized structure 
B)  ability to enhance role clarity 
C)  flexibility 
D)  highly departmentalized structure 
E)  ability to minimize organizational politics

Question 19

All of the following are negative impacts of downsizing on organizational performance, except ________.

Accepted Answer

A)  increased sickness absences 
B)  lower concentration on job 
C)  lower wage costs 
D)  less commitment to the organization 
E)  lower creativity

Question 20

AgriProducers provides services related to the testing of soil and crops. It also provides advice to its customers for improving the productivity of the soil and the quality of the crops. It has customers all over the United States. The crops and soil are different in the various large areas of the nation, such as the west coast and the midwest. Which type of departmentalization would be best for AgriProducers?

Accepted Answer

A)  functional 
B)  process 
C)  product 
D)  geographic 
E)  temporal

Exam 15: Foundations of Organization Structure

Describe the various ways in which the negative impact of downsizing can be minimized.

The Acme Products case study notes that the senior management at Acme is concerned because the company takes so long to bring new products to the market. Which of the following approaches would your trainees identify as the most likely solution to resolve this problem?

Who coined the term "boundaryless organization"?

What is departmentalization?

Matthew is a new divisional manager. In reorganizing his division, he must make some decisions regarding the span of control for management within his division. The question of span of control determines ________.

A virtual organization lacks flexibility.

Which of the following is typically a characteristic of the mechanistic model of organization?

A manufacturing manager organizes a plant into engineering, accounting, manufacturing, personnel, and supply specialists departments. This division of an organization into groups according to work functions is an example of ________.

In a boundaryless organization, how does management flatten the hierarchy and minimize status and rank?

Narrow spans of control increase the speed of decision making.

Chain of command is a key element of an organization's structure. Which of the following key questions is addressed by this element?

The more scarce, dynamic, and complex the environment, the more organic a structure should be.

A ________ is consistent with recent efforts by companies to reduce costs, cut overhead, speed up decision making, increase flexibility, get closer to customers, and empower employees.

You describe to your students a new committee within the university that brings together specialists from all different departments to develop a new interdisciplinary program. The structure of the committee best meets the definition of the ________.

The major advantage of the virtual organization is its ________.

All of the following are negative impacts of downsizing on organizational performance, except ________.