Deck 12: Organisational Structure and Design

Question 1

The software of organisational structure and design is:

A) structure.
B) design.
C) culture.
D) its operating system.

Answer 1

culture.

Question 2

Structure and culture:

A) do not function unless they are purposely designed.
B) are always present even when not deliberately put in place.
C) are not important for organisational performance.
D) should remain constant.

Answer 2

are always present even when not deliberately put in place.

Question 3

The possible impact of changes in the environment, including changes in technology and information-processing requirements, and capability of the design decisions of the organisation, are considerations of:

A) the contingency approach.
B) the behavioural school.
C) the classical school.
D) the post modernists.

Answer 3

the contingency approach.

Question 4

The evolution of the functional structure:

A) is attributed primarily to Fayol.
B) stems from the work of Weber.
C) builds on the ideas of Follett.
D) can be traced to Taylor's work.

Question 5

For Fayol:

A) management is a function separate from accounting, finance, marketing and so on.
B) management can be broken down into two main functions.
C) management principles do not include cultural elements.
D) scientific management is crucial.

Question 6

Which one of the following is not among Fayol's 14 principles for the design and management of organisations?

A) Unity of command
B) Scalar chain
C) Performance-based pay
D) Order

Question 7

Which one of the following best defines Fayol's principle of esprit de corps?

A) Managers should be fair and considerate to their workers.
B)Employees should be encouraged to transcend their individual and departmental considerations and work together as a team so that there is unity and harmony in the organisation.
C) Authority should be commensurate with responsibilities.
D) The organisation's interests should be given precedence over individual or small group interests.

Question 8

Which one of the following best defines Fayol's principle of authority?

A) Managers should be fair and considerate to their workers.
B)Employees should be encouraged to transcend their individual and departmental considerations and work together as a team so that there is unity and harmony in the organisation.
C) Authority should be commensurate with responsibilities.
D) The organisation's interests should be given precedence over individual or small group interests.

Question 9

When Weber recommended that a bureaucracy should allow for people's performance to be regulated by abstract rules he meant:

A)in this manner the organisation will be able to ensure standard performance of tasks and avoid the variations that might arise from individual differences among employees.
B) there should be a sphere of authority and responsibility associated with each position so that the incumbent would not infringe on others' spheres of work.
C) a narrowly defined job repeatedly performed by an employee would make that person an expert at it.
D) promotion should be based on merit and recognition of merit is expected to develop loyalty among employees.

Question 10

When Weber recommended that a bureaucracy should have hierarchical positions he meant:

A) in this manner the organisation will be able to ensure standard performance of tasks and avoid the variations that might arise from individual differences among employees.
B) there should be a sphere of authority and responsibility associated with each position so that the incumbent would not infringe on others' spheres of work.
C) a narrowly defined job repeatedly performed by an employee would make that person an expert at it.
D) promotion should be based on merit and recognition of merit is expected to develop loyalty among employees.

Question 11

The hierarchical structure may:

A) inhibit the 'anatomical' or structural inputs for organisational design.
B) facilitate optimum human performance.
C) readily expose lack of competence and responsibility.
D) impede the free flow of communication and create a culture of undeserved respect for authority, thereby suppressing interesting ideas from lower-level employees.

Question 12

A flexible organisational structure characterised by relatively low specialisation of jobs, decentralised authority, competence-based status and respect, multi-directional communication, conflict resolution by interaction and dialogue, and loyalty to the project or task group is best defined as:

A) organic.
B) mechanistic.
C) flexible.
D) unilateral.

Question 13

The classification of technologies as unit or small batch production systems, large batch, or mass production systems was made by:

A) Gates.
B) Perrow.
C) Woodward.
D) Microsoft.

Question 14

The classification of technologies as routine, engineering, craft, and non-routine was made by:

A) Thompson.
B) Perrow.
C) Woodward.
D) Microsoft.

Question 15

The classification of technologies as pooled, sequential and reciprocal task interdependence was made by:

A) Thompson.
B) Perrow.
C) Woodward.
D) Microsoft.

Question 16

That the process of organisational evolution and growth may not follow a defined path and may possibly be cyclical and repetitive is characteristic of:

A) Taylor's scientific management theory.
B) Weber's theory of bureaucracy.
C) Fayol's administrative theory.
D) Greiner's stage theory.

Question 17

Of the four bases most often adopted for departmentalisation, which one is the commonest?

A) Functional
B) Geographical
C) Customer
D) Product

Question 18

An authority structure that links the topmost position to the lowest is called:

A) span of control.
B) centralisation.
C) chain of command.
D) decentralisation.

Question 19

Consideration of how many subordinates a manager can efficiently and effectively supervise is best defined as:

A) span of control.
B) centralisation.
C) chain of command.
D) decentralisation.

Question 20

Centralisation can:

A) involve and empower employees in the lower levels.
B) provide less control and improve decision-making.
C) disenfranchise senior management and lead to power conflicts as a result.
D) provide more control but also slow down decision-making and lead to wrong choices.

Question 21

The extent to which an organisation uses written rules and procedures to standardise its operations best defines:

A) decentralisation.
B) formalisation.
C) administration.
D) centralisation.

Question 22

The more an organisation differentiates its tasks:

A) the more it has to document them.
B) the less it has to document them.
C) the less it has to integrate them.
D) the more it has to integrate them.

Question 23

The exigencies of work in the current economic and technological climate and the developments in information and communication technologies are:

A) ensuring all kinds of organisational structures are likely to succeed.
B) making change management strategies obsolete.
C) provoking organisations to experiment with newer types of structure.
D) encouraging organisations to 'stick to their knitting'.

Question 24

List and briefly discuss any five of Fayol's managerial principles.

Question 25

Name and briefly discuss any four of Weber's characteristics of a bureaucratic organisation.

Question 26

What are some of the weaknesses with over-reliance on bureaucratic structure?

Question 27

From your perspective, which type of organisational structure is used by the Information Technology (IT) sector compared to a fast-food one?

Question 28

Define 'functional structure' and discuss the advantages and disadvantages of functional grouping.

Question 29

List and define the 'functional structures' discussed in this chapter.