Management, Chapter 7

task force (252)

A committee of managers from various functions or divisions who meet to solve a specific, mutual problem; also called as hoc committee.

knowledge management system (255)

A company specific virtual information system that systemizes the knowledge of its employees and facilitates the sharing and integration of their expertise.

organizational structure (230)

A formal system of task and reporting relationships that coordinates and motivates organizational members so that they work together to achieve organizational goals.

cross-functional team (247)

A group of managers brought together from different departments to perform organizational tasks.

B2B network structure (254)

A series of global strategic alliances that an organization creates with suppliers, manufacturers, and distributors to produce and market a product.

strategic alliance (253)

An agreement in which managers pool or share their organization's resources and know-how with another company, and the two organizations share the rewards and risks of starting a new venture.

boundaryless organization (255)

An organization whose members are linked by computers, email, computer-aided design systems, video conferencing, and cloud-based software, and who rarely, if ever, see one another face-to-face.

hierarchy of authority (248)

An organization's chain of command, specifying the relative authority of each manager.

divisional structure (239)

An organizational structure composed of separate business units within which are the functions that work together to produce a specific product for a specific customer.

market structure (244)

An organizational structure in which each kind of customer is served by a self-contained division; also called customer structure.

product structure (240)

An organizational structure in which each product line or business is handled by a self-contained division.

geographic structure (242)

An organizational structure in which each region of a country or area of the world is served by a self-contained division.

product team structure (247)

An organizational structure in which employees are permanently assigned to a cross-functional team and report only to the product team manager or to one of their direct subordinates.

matrix structure (245)

An organizational structure that simultaneously groups people and resources by function and by product.

decentralizing authority (251)

Giving lower-level managers and nonmanagerial employees the right to make important decisions about how to use organizational resources.

job enrichment (235)

Increasing the degree of responsibility a worker has over their job.

job enlargement (235)

Increasing the number of tasks in a given job by changing the division of labor.

integrating mechanisms (252)

Organizing tools that managers can use to increase communication and coordination among functions and divisions.

line manager (248)

Someone in the direct line or chain of command who has formal authority over people and resources at lower leveles.

staff manager (248)

Someone responsible for managing a specialist function, such as finance or marketing.

span of control (248)

The number of subordinates who report directly to a manager.

authority (248)

The power to hold people accountable for their actions and to make decisions concerning the use of organizational resources.

job design (233)

The process by which managers decide how to divide tasks into specific jobs.

organizational design (231)

The process by which managers make specific organizing chices that result in a particular kind of organizational structure.

job simplification (234)

The process of reducing the number of tasks that each worker performs.

outsource (254)

To use outside suppliers and manufacturers to produce goods and services.