CHAPTER 12
According to Max Weber, which of the following tasks ensures that there is orderly deference among organizational members? Being aware of whom to take cues from to carry out everyday operations of the organization Breaking down the overall work of the organization into individual subtasks Placing members alongside people who have similar or complementary jobs to accomplish the overall work of the organization Understanding and ensuring that each member's subtasks contribute to the whole
Being aware of whom to take cues from to carry out everyday operations of the organization
____ involves having the decision-making authority of an organization rest with the top of its hierarchy. Delegation Centralization Sensitization Dignification
Centralization
With regard to basic assumptions of organizational culture, which of the following is a difference between conventional and sustainable organizations? Conventional organizations primarily focus on community well-being, while sustainable organizations primarily focus on the financial bottom line. Conventional organizations emphasize social and ecological well-being, while sustainable organizations emphasize on monetary accomplishments. Conventional organizations assume that organizational goals transcend individual interests, while sustainable organizations assume that everyone pursues his or her self-interests. Conventional organizations give precedence to shareholder interests, while sustainable organizations consider the interests of multiple stakeholders.
Conventional organizations give precedence to shareholder interests, while sustainable organizations consider the interests of multiple stakeholders
_____ is the process of giving authority to a person or group to make decisions in a specified sphere of activity. Span of control Dignification Standardization Delegation
Delegation
_____ refers to grouping members and resources together to achieve the work of the larger organization. Devolution Departmentalization Delegation Decentralization
Departmentalization
Which of the following is the term that best describes the application of interactional justice to organizing? Dignification Centralization Specialization Participation
Dignification
Which of the following typically results in a form of goal displacement? Excessive experimentation Lack of standardization Excessive specialization Lack of dignification
Excessive specialization
_____ is the emphasis on an ongoing voluntary implementation of new ways of performing daily tasks on a trial basis. Standardization Experimentation Specialization Sensitization
Experimentation
Which of the following dimensions of departmentalization focuses on internal efficiency and external adaptiveness? Balance Membership Focus Inclusiveness
Focus
_____ departmentalization occurs when members are placed into the same department based on having similar technical skills and using similar resources to perform their tasks. Hybrid Divisional Matrix Functional
Functional
_____ departmentalization occurs when an organization uses both functional and divisional structures. Diffused Hybrid Ambivalent Mixed
Hybrid
With regard to Max Weber's third conventional fundamental of organizing, which of the following is a true of the sustainable perspective? It is more concerned about how much authority each member should have. It believes in effective distribution of dignity over authority. It believes that authority is an abundant resource that must be parceled out generously. It believes that dignity is a limited resource that must be parceled out sparingly.
It believes in effective distribution of dignity over authority.
Which of the following is true of the competing values framework? It places specific emphasis on the need for organizations to embrace predictability and shun adaptability. It consists of a basic framework that categorizes organizational cultures based on two core dimensions. It is a weak tool for understanding the shared values and assumptions that guide organizational behavior. It consists of a complex mechanism that borders exclusively on the dimensions of external focus.
It consists of a basic framework that categorizes organizational cultures based on two core dimensions.
Which of the following is true of optimal standardization? It ensures coordinated decision making. It focuses on improvement rather than on static adherence to standards. It leads to endless debate and uncertainty. It undermines the perceived legitimacy of an organization.
It ensures coordinated decision making.
Which of the following is true of the functional approach to departmentalization? It enables an organization's customers to gain a decision-making authority. It leads to a lack of accountability among every functional area relative the organization. It offers economies of scale with increased volume and low organizational costs. It prevents opportunities for in-depth skill development in each area of specialization.
It offers economies of scale with increased volume and low organizational costs.
Which of the following best describes the process of standardization? It refers to the act of introducing voluntary implementation of new ways of performing tasks on a trial basis. It refers to the act of treating everyone with dignity and respect in community. It refers to designing basic work activities to ensure tasks are performed in the best way to accomplish the overall work of the organization. It refers to using suboptimal methods for sub tasks to improve efficiency and maximize productivity.
It refers to designing basic work activities to ensure tasks are performed in the best way to accomplish the overall work of the organization.
Which of the following is true of conventional organizational behavior in the context of fundamentals of organizational structure? It tends to focus on experimentation than standardization. It tends to emphasize relational competence. It tends to place greater emphasis on the process of organizing. It tends to focus more on the content of organizing.
It tends to focus more on the content of organizing.
Which of the following is true of the sustainable emphasis on sensitization? It tends to value the individual skills of particular team members to increase efficiency. It tends to focus on the specific tasks that need to be performed at a departmental level of analysis. It tends to be at the level of the individual jobholder with regard to specific tasks that need to be performed. It tends to lead to ambiguity in decision-making and a lack of accountability.
It tends to focus on the specific tasks that need to be performed at a departmental level of analysis.
_____ refers to the set of shared assumptions, values, and experiences that influence the ways in which individuals, teams, and groups interact with one another and work toward company goals. Organizational structure Organizational hierarchy Organizational paradigm Organizational culture
Organizational culture
Which of the following is true of an organizational culture with an internal focus? Members are viewed as a means to meet organizational ends. Organizational goals take primacy over the goals of its members. Organizational goals are met primarily through servile members. Organizational goals are designed to be consistent with members' strengths.
Organizational goals are designed to be consistent with members' strengths.
From a sustainable point of view, which of the following is a typical consequence of too little experimentation? Organizational chaos Organizational rigidity Lack of accountability Lack of productivity
Organizational rigidity
______ is the practice of using contracts to transfer some of an organization's recurring internal activities and decision-making rights to outsiders better equipped to utilize the latest technologies and reduce costs. Downsizing Repatriation Outsourcing Expatriation
Outsourcing
Which of the following is the sustainable counterpart of the conventional fundamental of departmentalization? Delegation Specialization Devolution Participation
Participation
_____ refers to a sustainable approach to organizational behavior that places emphasis on mutual discernment and gives stakeholders a voice in how an organization is managed and how jobs are performed. Participation Specialization Delegation Standardization
Participation
Which of the following is a dimension of the competing values framework? Predictability versus adaptability Productivity versus sustenance Decentralization versus hierarchy Order versus disarray
Predictability versus adaptability
_____ are behavioral practices that perpetuate, reinforce, and keep alive a particular value that defines an organization. Relics Artifacts Perceptions Rituals
Rituals
Which of the following is the sustainable response to Max Weber's second fundamental of organization that seeks to ensure that an organization's members' subtasks contribute to the whole? Departmentalization Specialization Experimentation Sensitization
Sensitization
_____ form the oral history of critical events that have shaped an organization. Cultural artifacts Shared stories Social rituals Cultural beliefs
Shared stories
_____ refers to grouping standardized organizational tasks into separate jobs. Experimentation Dignification Standardization Specialization
Specialization
Which of the following is the conventional response to Max Weber's first fundamental of organization? Specialization Standardization Centralization Dignification
Standardization
Which of the following is true of a highly centralized organization? Members lack the larger perspective needed to ensure that their decisions are coordinated as a whole. Each member of the organization has the right to make decisions on the spot. The authority to make decisions rests with members at the top of the organization's hierarchy. More authority is delegated to other members by top managers.
The authority to make decisions rests with members at the top of the organization's hierarchy.
Which of the following is a disadvantage of highly decentralized organizations? They tend to become dictatorships from which members will try to exit as quickly as they are able to. They tend to be characterized by unstimulating environments leading to increased employee turnover. They tend to be characterized by slow decision-making processes They tend to be characterized by limited upward connectedness.
They tend to be characterized by limited upward connectedness.
Which of the following is true of organizational cultures that value stability? They largely thrive on change. They discourage predictable meetings. They welcome standards and norms. They are against maintaining a status quo.
They welcome standards and norms
An organization that is characterized by members who would not like to maintain the status quo is more likely to value: rigidity. adaptability. stability. predictability.
adaptability.
According to Max Weber, the third conventional fundamental of organizing from the conventional perspective is _____. centralization specialization sensitization experimentation
centralization
With regard to the four fundamentals of organizational structure, sustainable organizational behavior tends to: emphasize relational competence more than rational competence. focus on content of organizing rather than the process. stress the need to centralize decision-making rather than dignifying community. believe in standardization of organizing rather than experimentation.
emphasize relational competence more than rational competence.
With regard to Max Weber's first fundamental issue of ensuring that work activities are completed in the best way possible, sustainable organizational behavior emphasizes on _____. experimentation specialization standardization sensitization
experimentation
Cultural artifacts in sustainable organizations are more likely to: emphasize symbols of material and individual success. have been introduced in an emergent bottom-up fashion. have been developed by managers only at the top of a hierarchical structure. emphasize stories about financial success exclusively.
have been introduced in an emergent bottom-up fashion.
From a conventional point of view, placing too much emphasis on standardization leads to: lack of legitimacy. endless debate. rudderlessness. lack of freedom.
lack of freedom.
From a conventional point of view, placing too little emphasis on standards leads to: lack of freedom. increased suffocation. lack of legitimacy. increased frustration.
lack of legitimacy.
A(n) _____ refers to a typical pictorial representation of the formal authority relationships within a company's structure. relational competence chart organization chart relationship matrix information silo
organization chart
In the context of centralization, _____ describes the number of members over whom a given manager has authority. span of control escalation of commitment mutual delegation shared competency
span of control
From a conventional perspective, specialization is optimal when: there is ambiguity in decision-making. specific tasks of each member are clear. there is repetition of specific tasks. specific tasks are underperformed.
specific tasks of each member are clear.
