Question 1

The chain of command is an unbroken line of authority that extends from the top of the organization to the lowest echelon and clarifies who reports to whom.

Accepted Answer

The chain of command is an unbroken line of authority that extends from the top of the organization to the lowest echelon and clarifies who reports to whom.

Question 2

Describe the five common ways of departmentalization. Give an example of each.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Describe the five common ways of departmentalization....

Question 3

The organization's structure will determine what relationships form, the formality of those relationships, and many work outcomes.

Accepted Answer

The organization's structure will determine what relationships form, the formality of those relationships, and many work outcomes. The structure may also change as organizations grow and shrink, as management trends dictate, and as research uncovers better ways of maximizing productivity.

Question 4

Publishing representatives who call on college professors to inform them of their company's new publications have a great deal of freedom in their jobs. They have only a general sales pitch, which they tailor as needed. Based on this information, we can say that the job of these publishing representatives ________.
A) scores low on the degree of work specialization
B) scores low on the degree of decentralization
C) scores high on the degree of departmentalization
D) scores high on the degree of centralization
E) scores low on the degree of formalization

Accepted Answer

Formalization refers to the degree to which jobs within the organization are standardized. If a job is highly formalized, the employee has a minimum amount of discretion over what, when, and how to do it. The publishing representatives have a great deal of freedom in their jobs, so we can say that the job scores low on the degree of formalization.

Question 5

One way to overcome too much division within an organization and retain the positive elements of structure is to encourage or build in boundary-spanning roles.

Accepted Answer

One way to overcome is too much division within an organization and retain the positive elements of structure is to encourage or build in boundary-spanning roles. Organizations can use formal mechanisms to facilitate boundary-spanning activities through their structures. One method is to assign formal liaison roles or develop committees of individuals from different areas of the organization. Development activities can also facilitate boundary spanning. Employees with experience in multiple functions, such as accounting and marketing, are more likely to engage in boundary spanning.

Question 6

While observing the departments in his division, Gordon notices that some managers with wide spans of control seem to perform more effectively than other managers with similarly sized spans of control. Which of the following statements is most likely to be true regarding the high-performing managers?
A) These managers are paid higher salaries than the low-performing managers.
B) These managers have external locus of control.
C) The employees within their departments tend to compete to reach productivity goals, which boosts performance.
D) The employees within their departments score high on agreeableness.
E) The employees within their departments are highly skilled and very knowledgeable about their jobs.

Accepted Answer

To ensure performance doesn't suffer because of wider spans of control, organizations have to invest heavily in employee training. Managers recognize they can handle a wider span when employees know their jobs inside and out or can turn to co-workers when they have questions.

Question 7

As compared to a decentralized organization, a centralized organization can act more quickly to solve problems.

Accepted Answer

An organization characterized by centralization is inherently different structurally from one that's decentralized. A decentralized organization can act more quickly to solve problems, more people provide input into decisions, and employees are less likely to feel alienated from those who make decisions that affect their work lives.

Question 8

Mike Morrell is a production supervisor in Porco Rosso, an aircraft manufacturing firm. After evaluating Mike's managerial capabilities, some members of the senior management feel that average productivity would improve if more workers were assigned to him. However, some managers are skeptical about Mike's ability to handle more workers.
-Which of the following is a drawback of a narrow span of control?
A) It increases effectiveness.
B) It is more expensive.
C) It encourages employee autonomy.
D) It decreases the number levels in the organizational hierarchy.
E) It increases participatory decision making.

Accepted Answer

Narrow spans have three major drawbacks. First, they're expensive because they add levels of management. Second, they make vertical communication in the organization more complex. The added levels of hierarchy slow down decision making and tend to isolate upper management. Third, narrow spans encourage overly tight supervision and discourage employee autonomy.

Question 9

Narrow spans of control make vertical communication in the organization more complex.

Accepted Answer

Narrow spans of control add levels of management. This makes vertical communication in the organization more complex.

Question 10

________ refers to the degree to which decision making is concentrated at a single point in the organization.
A) Formalization
B) Departmentalization
C) Centralization
D) Work specialization
E) Line of command

Accepted Answer

Centralization refers to the degree to which decision making is concentrated at a single point in the organization. In centralized organizations, top managers make all the decisions and lower-level managers merely carry out their directives.

Question 11

The clerical and editorial employees in a publishing house need to be at their desks by 8:00 AM and follow a set of precise procedures dictated by management. The jobs of these clerical and editorial employees ________.
A) have a wide span of control
B) score high on the degree of departmentalization
C) score high on the degree of formalization
D) lack a unity of command
E) score low on the degree of work specialization

Accepted Answer

Formalization refers to the degree to which jobs within the organization are standardized. If a job is highly formalized, the employee has a minimum amount of discretion over what, when, and how to do it. A high degree of formalization is characterized by clearly defined procedures covering work processes in organizations. Since the clerical and editorial employees have to follow a set of precise procedures dictated by management, their jobs score high on the degree of formalization.

Question 12

In an organization, top managers make all the decisions and lower-level managers merely carry out their directives. This organization is most likely to be characterized by ________.
A) a narrower span of control
B) a low degree of formalization
C) a high degree of centralization
D) a high degree of departmentalization
E) a low degree of work specialization

Accepted Answer

Centralization refers to the degree to which decision making is concentrated at a single point in the organization. In centralized organizations, top managers make all the decisions and lower-level managers merely carry out their directives. In organizations at the other extreme, decentralized decision making is pushed down to the managers closest to the action.

Question 13

Departmentalization refers to the degree to which jobs within the organization are standardized.

Accepted Answer

Formalization refers to the degree to which jobs within the organization are standardized. The basis by which jobs are grouped is called departmentalization.

Question 14

Why is span of control important within an organization, and which common organizational design would most likely have the widest span of control? Explain your answer.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Why is span of control important within...

Question 15

Discuss boundary spanning in organizations and between organizations.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Discuss boundary spanning in organizations and between...

Question 16

The more the lower-level personnel provide input or are actually given the discretion to make decisions, the ________ within that organization.
A) higher is the degree of formalization
B) lower is the level of empowerment
C) lower is the degree of work specialization
D) higher is the degree of departmentalization
E) higher is the degree of decentralization

Accepted Answer

In decentralized organizations, decision making is pushed down to the managers closest to the action. A decentralized organization can act more quickly to solve problems, more people provide input into decisions, and employees are less likely to feel alienated from those who make decisions that affect their work lives.

Question 17

________ refers to the degree to which jobs within the organization are standardized.
A) Formalization
B) Empowerment
C) Work specialization
D) Departmentalization
E) Decentralization

Accepted Answer

Formalization refers to the degree to which jobs within the organization are standardized. If a job is highly formalized, the employee has a minimal amount of discretion over what to do and when and how to do it.

Question 18

In centralized organizations, top managers make all the decisions, and lower-level managers merely carry out their directives.

Accepted Answer

In centralized organizations, top managers make all the decisions, and lower-level managers merely carry out their directives.

Question 19

According to a survey, many workers in Qtopia Inc. are dissatisfied with their jobs. The survey revealed that most of the dissatisfied workers believe that they have very little control over their job assignments. Therefore, to increase workers' job satisfaction, Boris, a production manager, feels they need to only concentrate on changing the dissatisfied workers' beliefs regarding the degree of control they have over their job assignments. Which of the following, if true, would weaken the conclusion made by Boris?
A) Many dissatisfied workers feel that their wages are too low and working conditions are unsatisfactory.
B) The number of workers in Qtopia Inc. who are satisfied with their jobs is greater than the number of workers who are dissatisfied.
C) The workers in Qtopia Inc. are more dissatisfied than workers in other companies.
D) The 2008 edition of a popular magazine included Qtopia Inc. on its list of 100 best companies to work for.
E) The workers in the company who are satisfied with their jobs believe that they have sufficient control over their job assignments.

Accepted Answer

If many workers are also dissatisfied with their wages and working conditions, the management has to do more than just change the workers' beliefs regarding degree of control, hence, weakening the argument. The fact that the number of workers in the company who are satisfied with their jobs is greater than the number of workers who are dissatisfied is out of scope and so is the fact that the workers in the company are more dissatisfied than workers in other companies. That the 2008 edition of a popular magazine included Qtopia Inc. on its list of 100 best companies to work for is a mere fact that isn't relevant to the current problem. Boris' argument talks about the dissatisfied workers and not the satisfied ones. Hence, the fact that the workers in the company who are satisfied with their jobs believe that they have sufficient control over their job assignments is irrelevant.

Question 20

Gordon is a new divisional manager at AskSocrates.com. In reorganizing his division, he must make some decisions regarding the span of control for management within his division.
-The question of span of control determines ________.
A) the employee grievance policy of the organization
B) the number of levels and managers in an organization
C) where decisions are made
D) how jobs will be grouped
E) how employees will be compensated

Accepted Answer

The number of employees a manager can efficiently and effectively direct refers to the span of control. It is important because it largely determines the number of levels and managers an organization has. All things being equal, the wider or larger the span, the more efficient the organization.

Quiz 15: Foundations of Organization Structure

The chain of command is an unbroken line of authority that extends from the top of the organization to the lowest echelon and clarifies who reports to whom.

Describe the five common ways of departmentalization. Give an example of each.

The organization's structure will determine what relationships form, the formality of those relationships, and many work outcomes.

One way to overcome too much division within an organization and retain the positive elements of structure is to encourage or build in boundary-spanning roles.

As compared to a decentralized organization, a centralized organization can act more quickly to solve problems.

Narrow spans of control make vertical communication in the organization more complex.

________ refers to the degree to which decision making is concentrated at a single point in the organization.

The clerical and editorial employees in a publishing house need to be at their desks by 8:00 AM and follow a set of precise procedures dictated by management. The jobs of these clerical and editorial employees ________.

In an organization, top managers make all the decisions and lower-level managers merely carry out their directives. This organization is most likely to be characterized by ________.

Departmentalization refers to the degree to which jobs within the organization are standardized.

Why is span of control important within an organization, and which common organizational design would most likely have the widest span of control? Explain your answer.

Discuss boundary spanning in organizations and between organizations.

The more the lower-level personnel provide input or are actually given the discretion to make decisions, the ________ within that organization.

________ refers to the degree to which jobs within the organization are standardized.

In centralized organizations, top managers make all the decisions, and lower-level managers merely carry out their directives.

Gordon is a new divisional manager at AskSocrates.com. In reorganizing his division, he must make some decisions regarding the span of control for management within his division. -The question of span of control determines ________.