Chapter 7: Organization, Teamwork, and Communication

What three items characterize a tall organization?

A narrow span of management Higher administrative costs Many layers of managers

What word reflects the rationale for specialization in the workplace?

Efficiency

Which two are considered disadvantages of a matrix organizational structure?

Employees can be confused on whose authority has priority. They are expensive to operate.

True or false: The maximum number of people a manager should manage is no more than ten.

False

This word is defined as two or more individuals who communicate with one another, share a common identity, and have a common goal.

Group

This word is defined as a small group whose members have complementary skills, have a common purpose, goals, and approach; and hold themselves mutually accountable.

Team

True or false: Every organization, regardless of size, organizational type, product, or profit objective has a corporate culture.

True

Which two of the following characterize centralized organizations?

Very little decision-making authority is delegated to lower levels. Authority is concentrated at the top levels of the organization while decisions are made at the lower levels.

The principle of accountability means that ______.

an employee who accepts an assignment and the authority to carry it out is answerable to a superior for the outcome

Tammie was communicating to her employees the proper way to handle abuse in the workplace. One individual kept interjecting comments while Tammie was speaking. This behavior is known as ______ and can be a serious barrier to effective communication.

an interruption

Delegation of ( ) means not only giving tasks to employees but also empowering them to make commitments, use resources, and take whatever actions are necessary to carry out those tasks.

authority

Mistakes in both oral and written systems within the organization can lower productivity and morale.

communication

An organization's values, beliefs, traditions, rules and role models for behavior that are shared by all are an organization's ( ).

culture

A real estate agency matches its brokers to the type of groups it services: first-time home buyers, urban dwellers, house flippers, business owners, etc. This exemplifies ______ departmentalization.

customer

If Pete was tasked with developing an organizational structure for his company, he would ______.

define the various positions in the company and their relationship to one another

The grouping of jobs into working units usually called departments, units, groups, or divisions is called ______.

departmentalization

Self- work teams means that they are empowered to make decisions without management approval.

directed

Your text defines a _____ as two or more individuals who communicate with one another, share a common identity, and have a common goal.

group

The organizational system that develops spontaneously as employees meet and form relationships is referred to as the ______.

informal organization

A(n) ( ) organization structure, also called a project management structure, superimposes project-based departments on the more traditional function-based departments.

matrix

If an organization temporarily borrows its specialists from different functional areas to accomplish a common project, it is implementing what type of organization?

matrix

When different members of an engineering firm come together to work temporarily on a specific project they are operating in a ______.

matrix organization

A _____ structure organizes departments into larger groups called divisions.

multidivisional

A _____ span of management exists when a manager directly supervises only a few subordinates.

narrow

If a book seller was to separate its organization according to the types of books it sells it would be an example of departmentalization by ______.

product

Quality-assurance teams are also referred to as .

quality circles

The obligation, placed on employees through delegation, to perform assigned tasks satisfactorily and be held accountable for the proper execution of work is the definition of ______.

responsibility

If a team is empowered to make decisions without management approval first then it is said to be ______.

self-directed

The rationale for _____ is efficiency. People can perform more efficiently if they master just one task rather than all tasks

specialization

An organization's ( ) develops when managers assign work tasks and activities to specific individuals or work groups and coordinate the diverse activities required to reach the firm's objectives.

structure

An organization's _____ develops when managers assign work tasks and activities to specific individuals or work groups and coordinate the diverse activities required to reach the firm's objectives.

structure

A ( ) is a small group whose members have complementary skills; have a common purpose, goals, and approach; and hold themselves mutually accountable.

team

At its core, the reason companies divide labor and specialize is because ______.

they want to be as efficient as possible

According to experts, there is an optimal number of people a manager should manage. Match the manager type with the number of people he or she should ideally supervise.

top managers - Should not directly supervise more than four to eight people Lower-level managers.- Are capable of managing a much larger number of subordinates, even as high as twenty-five people correct toggle button unavailable Are capable of managing a much larger number of subordinates, even as high as twenty-five people

True or false: An internal reward for a team member would be an enhanced sense of accomplishment as the team reaches its goals.

true

Which principle means that employees who accept an assignment and the authority to carry it out are answerable to a superior for the outcome?

Accountability

Which three are considered advantages of a matrix organizational structure?

Allow for quick response to changes in the environment Provide for flexibility Provide enhanced cooperation and creativity

From this list select the three benefits of multidivisional structures.

Allows those closest to the action to make the decisions that will affect them Allows for each division or region to provide products to meet the needs of its customers Permits delegation of decision-making authority, allowing divisional and department managers to specialize

______ communication takes place when individuals from different levels and different departments communicate.

Diagonal

_____ communication refers to the traditional flow of information from upper organizational levels to lower levels--examples would include job descriptions, directions, and performance feedback.

Downward

What three items characterize a work group?

Emphasizes individual work products Promotes individual leadership Emphasizes individual accountability

What three items characterize work teams?

Has shared leadership roles Creates collective work products Has both individual and mutual accountability

Select from the following those items that are benefits of teams.

Have the ability to create more solutions Have a wider breadth of skills Can pool members' knowledge

_____ communication involves the exchange of information among colleagues and peers on the same organizational level, such as across or within departments.

Horizontal

Internal company networks that increase communication across different departments and levels of management and help with the flow of everyday business activities are called ______.

Intranets

Why can overcentralization cause serious problems for an organization? (Select all that apply)

It can take longer for the organization to implement decisions. It can prevent low-level employees from reporting problems. It can take longer for the organization to respond to changes on a regional scale.

What are two weaknesses of functional departmentalization?

It requires greater coordination among departments. Decision making across departments is slow.

Which two factors would lead to a business being more centralized in its organization?

Low-level managers are not highly skilled in decision-making. Decisions to be made are risky.

_____ can cause serious problems for a company, in part because it may take longer for the organization as a whole to implement decisions and to respond to changes and problems on a regional scale.

Overcentralization

A company has three main product lines: cleaning products, laundry products, and paper products. If it organizes its jobs around these product lines, it is using which form for departmentalization?

Product

This type of team is defined as small groups or workers brought together from throughout the organization to solve specific quality, productivity, or service problems.

Quality-assurance teams

Why do firms usually feel the need to restructure? (Select all that apply)

The firm has experienced growth and diversification. Traditional structures become difficult to coordinate. Decision making has slowed down.

_____ communication flows from lower to higher levels of the organization and includes information such as progress reports, suggestions for improvement, inquires, and grievances.

Upward

Select from the following the ways in which departments are commonly organized.

by function by product by geographic region by customer

An organization structure in which decision-making authority is maintained at the top level of management is called a(n) ______ organization.

centralized

When the decisions to be made by a business are risky, and low-level managers are not highly skilled in decision making, the company tends to be more _____.

centralized

A permanent, formal group that performs a specific task is called a ______.

committee

Dante works at a manufacturing plant. He has been asked by upper management to be part of a formal group that will specifically work with union laborers to address all concerns and draft company policy regarding union benefits. Dante has been asked to be part of a ______..

committee

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

decentralized

Rather than have the top level of management make all the decisions, Jake's company gives all lower-level managers the authority to make decisions for his or her department. Jake's company operates as a(n) ______ organization.

decentralized

When jobs are organized by function, ______.

decision making that involves more than one department may be slow

Giving employees not only tasks but also the power to make commitments, use resources, and take whatever actions are necessary to carry out those tasks is the definition of ______.

delegation of authority

The arrangement of jobs around the needs of various types of customers is know as ______.

departmentalization by customer group

For a team to maximize its contribution to the firm it must ______.

engage in a a harmonious, synchronized work effort that remains flexible to changing conditions

True or false: Communication between friends that cuts across departments, divisions, and even management-subordinate boundaries comprises what is known as the formal organization.

false

In order for communication to be effective in the workplace, managers need to solicit comments and criticism from employees to their communication messages. This input from employees is referred to as ______.

feedback

According to psychologist Ivan Steiner, team productivity peaks at about _____ team members. People become less motivated and group coordination becomes more difficult after that size.

five

Channels of communication that are intentionally defined and designed by the organization are designated as ( ) communication channels.

formal

Channels of communication that are intentionally defined and designed by the organization are designated as communication channels.

formal

The flow of communication within the formal organizational structure is called ______.

formal communication

The form of departmentalization that groups jobs that perform similar functional activities, like finance and marketing, is called ______ departmentalization.

functional

Because of vast differences between different regions, multinational corporations often use ______ departmentalization.

geographic

An informal channel of communication separate from management's formal official communications related to a job or organization that can sometimes be gossip is called a ______

grapevine

The most significant informal communication occurs through the , an informal channel of communication, separate from management's formal, official communication channels.

grapevine

Organizational ( ) are the levels of management in an organization.

layers

An organization that has direct two-way lines of responsibility, authority, and communication running from the top to the bottom of the organization, with all people reporting to only one supervisor is called a(n) ______ structure.

line

The simplest organizational structure is the _______ structure, in which direct lines of authority extend from the top manager to employees at the lowest level of the organization.

line

The ( ) and ( ) structure has a traditional line relationship between superiors and subordinates, and specialized managers---called staff managers---are available to assist line managers.

line staff

Marvelous Motor Works sells vehicles directly to businesses for use in their companies. Marvelous Motor Works has a manager for each type of vehicle it sells (cars, trucks, and delivery vehicles). The salespeople for each product report directly to his or her manager but may also consult the financing department and legal department to handle issues relating to financing and liability issues. This is an example of a(n) ______ organization.

line-and-staff

A ( ) structure, also called a project management structure, sets up teams from different departments, thereby creating two or more intersecting lines of authority.

matrix

A firm is looking to restructure its organization into larger groups. It is deciding whether to organize its departments on the basis of geography, customer type, or product. Either way, structuring the firm in this way is utilizing the ______ structure.

multidivisional

A(n) ( ) chart shows relationships among people; who is accountable for the completion of specific work, and who reports to whom.

organizational

To find out the relationships among people in a company one may consult the company's ______.

organizational chart

The levels of management in an organization are collectively referred to as ______.

organizational layers

A special type of team formed to devise, design, and implement a new product is a ______.

product-development team

( ) teams are similar to task forces, but normally they run their operation and have total control of a specific work project.

project

A team that runs its own operation and has total control of a specific work project is called a ______.

project team

Cybill's manager wanted her to design the new ad campaign for the firm's new product. She was given all the necessary resources to complete the task. Cybill understands that her manager is going to hold her accountable to make sure the ad campaign is executed successfully. This exemplifies the concept of ______.

responsibility

Carl's landscaping business started out small, but has grown into a large business with many clients. Originally, all the employees reported to Carl, but he now thinks it is time to hire two more people; one to manage the lawn maintenance business, and one to manage the design business. Each of these managers will supervise their own employees. By adding this additional layer of management, Carl is in the process of ______.

restructuring his firm

The functional approach to departmentalization is common in ______ organizations.

small

Dividing specific tasks into smaller jobs based on employee skill is called ______.

specialization

If the owner of a lawn-mowing company were to take the division of labor a step further and divide the mowing task into three separate activities (mowing, trimming, and raking) performed by three separate employees specifically trained for their assigned duty this would exemplify _____.

specialization

The owner of a flower shop has three employees. Two employees are better at arranging flowers in a vase while the third is skilled at preparing the flowers to be arranged. Separating the employees by these skills is called ______.

specialization

A company with many layers of managers is considered ______ and the span of management is _____.

tall; narrow

A ( ) ( ) is a temporary group of employees responsible for bringing about a particular change.

task force

A ______ is a group of employees, selected for their expertise, who come together on a temporary basis to bring about a particular change in an organization.

task force

The arrangement or relationship of positions within an organization is referred to as ______.

the organization's structure

A growing phenomenon, teams rely on technological tools such as videoconferencing, email, and the Internet to accomplish their goals.

virtual

Employees who work together in different locations who rely on email, audio conferencing, fax, Internet, videoconferencing, or other technological tools to accomplish their goals are known as ______.

virtual teams

A _____ span of management exists when a manager directly supervises a very large number of employees.

wide