MIS531 Chapter 3
IS plays three important roles in management control processes. These processes are data collection, evaluation, and _______________.
Communication
National culture no longer predisposes workers to act in a certain way
False
A matrix organization
(All of the above) Can involve multiple bosses and multiple teams Requires quite a bit of communication to be successful Were rare for quite a while but have become more common in recent years
Match the organizational structure to the power structure it supports
Centralized - hierarchical organization Decentralized - flat organization Distributed - a matrix organization Distributed - networked organization
Match the organizational variable to its description
Decision Rights - The authority to make decisions necessary to plan and run the business Business processes - The set of tasks needed to complete key objectives of the business Formal reporting relationships - The structure set up to ensure coordination with the organization Informal networks - The mechanisms used to develop organizational relationships outside of the formal reporting relationships
Effective, cross-cultural communication in today's global and "flattened" world is:
Difficult to achieve
This newer organizational design is designed to be highly flexible so that resources can be configured quickly to respond to changing demands
Elastic Enterprise
An organization feels hierarchical when IT is used primarily as a communication vehicle
False
Differences in organizational and national culture normally do not affect system development and use
False
The use of performance data by managers is generally welcomed by workers and nonthreatening to workers when the data is used for compensation rather than to improve performance.
False
Match the organizational structure that you would find supporting the organization strategy of the following firms:
Flat organization - A start-up venture in its first few years of existence Matrix organization - A multii-national organization with regional and functional divisions Hierarchical organization - A military organization like the Navy
Match the organizational structure that you would find supporting the organization strategy of the following firms
Flat organization - B. A start-up venture in its first few years of existence Matrix organization - C. A multi-national organization with regional and functional divisions Hierarchical organization - A. A military organization like the Navy
A networked organizational structure feels both like a _______ and a _______ organizational structure because it supports a rigid structure with well-connected communication networks
Flat, hierarchical
In which type of organizational design do middle managers do the primary information processing and communication function, telling subordinates what to do and then reporting the outcome to senior management?
Hierarchical
In which type of organizational structure is power centralized and the type of environment best supported stable and certain?
Hierarchical
This type of organizational structure is based upon the concepts of division of labor, specialization, and unity of command. Key decisions are made at the top and filter down through the organization.
Hierarchical
Traditional organizations have one of four types of organizational design. What are these four structure types?
Hierarchical, flat, matrix, networked
Which of the following is NOT an organizational design variable?
IT Infrastructure
Match a firm's actions with the cultural layer it helps to define
Lower power distance - Invest heavily in training Values - Believe in helping employees to develop so they can perform better in the future Assumptions - Workers inherently know that customer issues take precedence
In which type of organizational structure will employees report to two or more supervisors?
Matrix
Which organization structure typically assigns workers two or more supervisors in an effort to make sure multiple dimensions of the business are integrated?
Matrix
In which type of organizational structure is power distributed, and particularly suited for an environment that is dynamic and unstable?
Networked
Match the organizational structure to the statement that best represents it:
Networked organization- decision rights are highly decentralized Flat organization- decision rights are not clearly defined Matrix organization- decision rights are shared between managers Hierarchal organization- decision rights are highly centralized
All statements below are true about a matrix organization structure EXCEPT:
One weakness is that multiple dimensions of a business are not integrated well with a matrix organization
All of the following help to develop informal networks that play an important role in an organization EXCEPT for
Performance reviews
Which of the following is not an organizational structure?
Power distance
When using information technologies to collect data for the purpose of monitoring workers, a manager should do all of the following EXCEPT:
Require workers to complete additional tasks
At Zara, decision rights for ordering have been granted to whom?
Store managers
Zara's store managers place orders that reflect their localized needs. However, order fulfillment is ultimately the responsibility of the commercial team in headquarters because:
Store managers do not have visibility into regional demands but the commercial team does.
The dimensions of national culture include all of the following EXCEPT:
The acceptance of technology by society
The negative consequences of monitoring the discrete tasks an employee does include all of the following EXCEPT:
The worker feels empowered to make significant contributions to the business
A firm is usually a mix of different organizational structures, known as a hybrid structure
True
Cognizant needed to reinvent its organizational structure many times to make sure that it properly facilitates the flow of information between employees
True
Different organization structures reflect the different organizational strategies that are used by firms to implement their business strategy
True
If a technology is to be successfully implemented into an organization, either the technology must fit the organization's culture or the culture must be shaped to fit the behavioral requirements of the technology
True
Organizational design is all about making sure that _________ are properly allocated, reflecting the structure of formal reporting relationships.
decision rights
The organizational structure of Tata Consulting Services (TCS) is a ___________ organizational structure.
hierarchical
Cognizant's organizational structure was ________, but realized as its organization grew and its services became more complicated that a __________ structure for the organization was more appropriate.
hierarchical, matrix
Hofstede identified cultural dimensions and researched expected behaviors within that society. Match the cultural dimension to the organizational impact it can have
● Uncertainty Avoidance - The willingness to take risk or avoid risk ● Power Distance - The likeliness of innovation ● Individualism/Collectivism - The propensity to hire from within the organization ● Masculinity/Femininity - The level of conflict to be anticipated ● Confucian Work Dynamism - The willingness to delay gratification
