Intro to Principles of Business Chapter 6 Study Guide

What is one of the strengths of the bureaucratic model? a. It is easier to change rules when circumstances change. b. There is a high level of flexibility. c. Once rules are understood, it is easier to make exceptions. d. More attentions is paid to the human and social processes. e. Favoritism and bias are minimized.

e. Favoritism and bias are minimized

Which dimension of the job characteristics approach deals with the degree of control the worker has over how the work is performed? a. Task identity b. Delegation c. Skill variety d. Task significance e. Autonomy

e. Autonomy

Which of the following is an advantage of using a functional design for organizational structure? a. Key positions can be staffed with experts. b. The performance of each division is measured independently. c. The multiple-command structure provides many sources of feedback. d. Integration activities across diverse operations is less likely. e. It promotes organizational focus.

a. Key positions can be staffed with experts.

What reason do researchers give for their findings that there are more communication problems in tall organizations than flat organizations? a. The increased number of people through whom information must pass b. The tendency for reductions in morale to prevent employees form communicating effectively c. The reductions in production that discourage employees from sharing information d. The fewer number of subordinates reporting to each manager e. The smaller number of managers as compared to line workers

a. The increases number of people through whom information must pass

Marah's organization consists of an in-house project management staff and an online network of industry professional. Based on this, she is able to conduct business in the United States, Europe, and the entire Asia-Pacific region. Marah's organization is an example of __________. a. a virtual organization b. a learning organization c. a matrix design d. a U-form organization e. decentralization

a. a virtual organization

A firm with few subunits is said to have a low level of __________. a. differentiation b. integration c. entropy d. bureaucracy e. organization

a. differentiation

Job ___________ attempts to increase both the number of tasks a worker does and the control the worker has over the job. a. enrichment b. specialization e. entropy d. deskilling e. rotation

a. enrichment

According to the job characteristics approach, task identity is __________. a. the extent to which a worker does a complete portion of the total job b. the number of things a person does in a job c. the extent to which a worker knows how well the job is being performed d. the degree of control a worker has over how the task is performed e. the perceived importance of the taks

a. the extent to which a worker does a complete portion of the total job

SegSystems has an in-house full-time staff of eight people. It outsources basic support services and hires temporary workers as needed. Sometimes those employees work from home. But, as needed, SegSystems will lease facilities, depending on the nature of a given project. SegSystems is an example of a(n) _____ organization. a. virtual b. matrix c. centralized d. team e. unstable

a. virtual

Petra believes that when her employees have more control over how their work is performed, they do better. Which characteristic is Petra emphasizing? a. Task identity b. Autonomy c. Task significance d. Feedback e. Skill variety

b. Autonomy

According to Weber, how should positions in organizations be filled in an ideal bureaucracy? a. Based on the willingness of employees to do what it takes to get the job done b. Based on expertise c. Based on seniority d. Based on teamwork e. Based on the flexibility of the task

b. Based on expertise

What is defined as a clear and distinct line of authority among the positions in an organization? a. Job deskilling b. Chain of command c. Span of management d. Flat structure e. Synergy

b. Chain of command

Which of the following is a disadvantage of functional departmentalization? a. Supervision becomes difficult as managers will need to have skills in several areas. b. Decision making may tend to become slow as the organization grows. c. Employees tend to focus on the overall organization rather than their specific jobs. d. Administrative costs rise to fund functional specialists in each department. e. Coordinating activities inside each department becomes difficult.

b. Decision making may tend to become slower as the organization grows.

Lupita is trying to restructure the work of her production line employees to help prevent monotony. Every two hours, all employees will be assigned a new task and a new area of the production line. Which approach to work is Lupita using? a. Job deskilling b. Job rotation c. Job enlargement d. Job enrichment e. Job specialization

b. Job rotation

As a software development company, Ozlem's firm continuously trains employees in the most recent hardware and software technologies. This allows them to maximize the company's ability to adapt to its changing environment. Which type of organization does Ozlem run? a. Matrix b. Learning c. Team d. Functional e. Virtual

b. Learning

When compared to flat organizations, tall organizations _____________. a. are less bureaucratic b. are more expensive c. place excessive responsibilities on managers d. foster more employee productivity e. foster fewer communication problems

b. are more expensive

The _________ of an organization life cycle is characterized by the growth and the expansion of organizational resources. a. integration b. youth stage c. decline stage d. birth stage e. differentiation

b. youth stage

Which of the basic forms of technology identified by Woodward is assumed to be the most complex? a. Small-batch b. Unit c. Continuous-process d. Large-batch e. Mass-production

c. Continuous-process

Which of the following is one of the characteristics of Weber's bureaucracy? a. Presence of cross-department teams b. Maximum level of decentralization c. Distinct division of labor d. Close personal relationships between supervisors and subordinates e. Absence of rules and regulations

c. Distinctive division of labor

An organization that places one manager in charge of interdependent departments or units is using which technique to achieve coordination? a. Integrating departments b. Liaison roles c. Hierarchy d. Rules and procedures e. Task forces

c. Hierarchy

Which of the following would require continually adding new tasks and challenges as part of the job design? a. Job rotation b. Job deskilling c. Job enrichment d. Job specialization e. Job enlargement

c. Job enrichment

SignaCorp is in a stage of slow and steady growth, and appears to be heading towards stability. Which stage would it be in according to the organizational life-cycle? a. Birth b. Youth c. Expansion d. Midlife e. Maturity

c. Midlife

In ___________ technology, raw materials are transformed to a finished product by a series of machine transformations in such a way that the composition of the materials themselves is changed. a. mass-production b. small-batch c. continuous-process d. product-customization e. large-batch

c. continuous-process

The term span of management refers to the _________. a. extent to which authority is delegated to the individual. b. process of grouping jobs according to some logical patterns. c. number of people reporting to a particular manager d. extent to which authority is systematically delegated to middle and lower levels of management e. number of managers assigned to a department

c. number of people reporting to a particular manager

In job _______, the jobs do not change, but instead workers move from job to job. a. specialization b. deskilling c. rotation d. enlargement e. enrichment

c. rotation

At Heritage Chocolates, the raw materials are processed at a plant and then sent to the manufacturing plant. Manufacture chocolates are finally sent to the packaging plant. This scenario illustrates __________ at Heritage Chocolates. a. reciprocal interdependence b. pooled interdependence c. sequential interdependence d. structural interdependence e. two-way interdependence

c. sequential interdpendence

What is the process of systematically delegating power and authority throughout the organization to middle-and-lower-level managers? a. Coordination b. Reciprocal interdependence c. Pooled interdependence d. Decentralization e. Specialization

d. Decentralization

What represents the degree to which the various subunits must work together in a coordinated fashion? a. Specialization b. Departmentalization c. Differentiation d. Integration e. Entropy

d. Integration

Which of the following is an advantage of job specialization? a. It eliminates monotony and boredom. b. It provides stimulation and challenges to employees. c. It significantly reduces employee turnover rates. d. It decreases transfer time between tasks. e. It increases the level of employee satisfaction.

d. It decreases transfer time between tasks

Which of the following involves systematically moving employees form one job to another? a. Job enrichment b. Job specialization c. Job enlargement d. Job rotation e. Job deskilling

d. Job rotation

The youth of the organizational life cycle is __________. a. characterized by innovation and process redesign b. a period of stability, eventually evolving into decline c. a period of gradual growth evolving into stability d. characterized by the growth of a firm's resources e. followed immediately by the stage of maturity

d. characterized by the growth if a firm's resources

The best examples of bureaucracies today include ___________. a. family-owned retail stores b. small businesses c. online businesses d. government agencies e. multinational organizations

d. governmental agenices

Conglomerate organization design __________. a. is based on multiple businesses in related areas b. has the advantage of simplicity associated with holding similar businesses c. is also known as the unitary or U-form approach d. has each business operated by a general manager in charge of its profits or losses e. is considered to be the easiest and most effective to manage

d. has each business operated by a general manager in charge of its profits or losses.

Gemini Motors has an assembly-line structure. Workers combine separate parts into standardized finished motorbikes. Gemini Motors is most likely to be using ____________ technology. a. unit b. small-batch c. continuous-process d. mass-production e. job enrichment

d. mass-production

In the context of the job characteristics approach, skill variety refers the the ________. a. extent to which a worker does a complete or identifiable portion of the total job b. perceived importance of the task c. degree of control a worker has over how the work is performed d. number of things a person does in a job e. extent to which a worker knows how well the job is being performed c. degree of controla a

d. number of things a person does in a job

To enhance the speed and effectiveness of decision making, Kaia is restructuring her company's activities arounder related diversification. She plans to allow some of the work to be decentralized, while other aspects will be centralized. Which type of organizational structure is Kaia designing? a. H-form b. Divisional c. U-form d. Multiple-command structure e. M-form

e. M-form

What exists when activities flow both ways between units? a. Total interdependence b. Pooled interdependence c. Sequential interdependence d. Reciprocal interdependence

e. Reciprocal interdependence

In which type of organization might there be a lot of employees but little or no underlying functional hierarchy? a. Learning b. Virtual c. H-form d. Virtual e. Team

e. Team

The ________ design is based on two overlapping bases of departmentalization. a. U-form b. divisional c. H-form d. functiona; e. matrix

e. matrix

An organization that uses a team organization design __________. a. has an inflexible organizational structure b. provides little scope for teams to develop adaptability c. has functional teams that perform specific functional tasks d. has a bureaucratic structure e. relies exclusively on project-type teams

e. relies exclusively on project-type teams