1. Organizational design is a process of specifying structural features of an organization. This process begins with:
a. determining the organization’s goals.
b. identifying task specifications of each job.
c. arranging jobs into departments.
d. diagramming formal channels of communication.
2. An organization chart shows:
a. the formal lines of authority and responsibility.
b. the number people employed by an organization.
c. the tasks for each job.
d. the number of positions in each department.
3. The process of constructing and adjusting an organization‘s structure to achieve its goals is called:
a. strategic management.
b. strategy-structure fit.
c. organizational design.
d. organizational reconfiguration.
4. The process of breaking organizational goals into tasks and dividing work is known as:
a. integration.
b. coordination.
c. differentiation.
d. organization charting.
5. The degree of differentiation most affected by employee’s specialized knowledge, education, or training is known
as:
a. spatial differentiation.
b. vertical differentiation.
c. horizontal differentiation.
d. departmental differentiation.
6. The difference between the authority and responsibility in an organizational hierarchy is called:
a. horizontal differentiation.
b. span of control.
c. gap of accountability.
d. vertical differentiation.
7. Complexity refers to the:
a. number of activities, subunits, or subsystems within an organization.
b. process of coordinating the different departments of an organization.
c. number of employees in an organization.
d. number of levels within an organization.
8. In their research on differentiation, Lawrence and Lorsch found that all of the following dimensions reflected
differentiation except:
a. goal orientation.
b. interpersonal orientation.
c. formality of structure.
d. hierarchical control.
9. The particular grouping of activities or division of labor performed by an individual is referred to as:
a. horizontal differentiation.
b. vertical differentiation.
c. standardization.
d. specialization.
10. When comparing the time orientation of a supervisor and corporate president, the supervisor is more likely to
concentrate on:
a. long–run product development.
b. weekly production targets.
c. annual profit and loss experiences.
d. semi-annual sales forecasts.
11. Flat organizational structures are characterized by:
a. narrow spans of control.
b. close supervision.
c. long communication channels.
d. high ratios of employees to supervisors.
12. gives an organization political and legal advantages in a country because it is identified as a local company.
a. Spatial differentiation
b. Vertical differentiation
c. Horizontal differentiation
d. Market differentiation
13. The process of coordinating the different parts of an organization is called:
a. centralization.
b. integration.
c. span of control.
d. hierarchy of authority.
14. The strongest method of horizontal integration is through:
a. liaison roles.
b. integrators.
c. task forces.
d. teams.
15. A highly bureaucratized organization, such as the Social Security Administration, exhibits all of the following
characteristics except:
a. specialization.
b. standardization.
c. tall hierarchy.
d. flexible structure.
16. The extent to which work activities are defined and routinely performed the same way is known as:
a. centralization.
b. standardization.
c. complexity.
d. formalization.
17. The degree to which an organization has official rules, regulations, and procedures is called:
a. standardization.
b. complexity.
c. formalization.
d. specialization.
18. Which of the following departments would probably have the most flexible structure?
a. Marketing
b. Operations
c. Research and development
d. Human resource management
19. A tall hierarchy of authority is usually associated with:
a. simple communication chains.
b. informal and unofficial work roles.
c. flexible controls.
d. centralization structures.
20. The Royal Bank of Canada moved its loan-processing work from its headquarters to its branch banks in order to
avoid bottlenecks. This is an example of:
a. specialization.
b. formalization.
c. decentralization.
d. standardization.
21. Among Mintzberg‘s fundamental elements, the faculty of a university comprises the .
a. support staff
b. technical staff
c. middle level
d. operating core
22. A centralized form of organization that emphasizes the upper echelon and direct supervision under Mintzberg’s
configurations is the:
a. simple structure.
b. machine bureaucracy.
c. professional bureaucracy.
d. adhocracy.
23. A moderately decentralized form of organization that emphasizes a support staff and standardization of work
processes defines the:
a. machine bureaucracy.
b. professional bureaucracy.
c. adhocracy.
d. divisionalized form.
24. An automobile plant with routinized operating tasks is most likely to use a(n) .
a. simple structure
b. machine bureaucracy
c. professional bureaucracy
d. adhocracy
25. The configuration that would best fuse interdisciplinary experts through ad hoc project teams and mutual adjustment
is the:
a. simple structure.
b. adhocracy.
c. professional bureaucracy.
d. divisionalized form.
26. NASA, which is composed of many talented experts who work in small teams on a wide range of projects, is
probably organized as a(n):
a. simple structure.
b. professional bureaucracy.
c. divisionalized form.
d. adhocracy.
27. Which of the following is NOT a major contextual variable of organizational design?
a. External environment
b. Leadership style
c. Strategy and goals
d. Technology
28. Which of the following contextual variables are LEAST controllable by the organization?
a. Strategy
b. Internal labor market
c. Technology
d. Environment
29. The most appropriate measure of organization size when considering alternative structural designs is:
a. number of units produced.
b. total assets.
c. sales volume.
d. number of employees.
30. In a small organization (cafe, service station, or real estate office), supervision of employees and management
control are most commonly done through:
a. detailed descriptions.
b. personal observation by the manager.
c. written policies and procedures.
d. rule books.
31. When examining the relationship between size and basic design dimensions, it can be concluded that small
organizations are more than large organizations.
a. formalized
b. centralized
c. specialized
d. standardized
32. For an organization to take advantage of its larger size in the 21st century, it must become:
a. centerless with a global core.
b. centralized with a technology critical mass.
c. cellular with strong elements of the horizontal form.
d. more like an adhocracy.
33. The tools, techniques, and actions used by an organization to transform inputs into outputs are together called the:
a. organization‘s technology.
b. throughput.
c. transformation process.
d. organization‘s work design.
34. According to Woodward‘s classification of different technologies, the technology of custom home building is:
a. unit or small batch in nature.
b. a continuous production process.
c. an assembly line process.
d. non–sequential in nature.
35. The introduction and use of computer-aided manufacturing and networked information and communication systems
have been associated with all of the following except:
a. broadened span of control.
b. flattened or delayered organization structures.
c. increased upward mobility or promotion opportunities.
d. enhanced technical knowledge requirements.
36. Woodward’s classification theme of technology (large batch, small batch, and continuous process) led to the
conclusion that the more complex the technology, the:
a. lesser the investment capital the organization needed.
b. lesser the funds needed to be invested in training.
c. more complex the administrative component of the organization needs to be.
d. more a participative leadership style would lead to organizational effectiveness.
37. Utilizing Perrow‘s framework of technology, problem analyzability refers to:
a. the amount and type of information needed to respond to task exceptions.
b. the type of technology that should be used to get maximum throughput.
c. whether the solution can be reduced by quantitative methods.
d. the degree of computer technology that is being used in the transformation process.
38. Anything outside the boundaries of an organization is considered:
a. a contextual variable.
b. its technology.
c. the environment.
d. the market.
39. Conditions that include political considerations, broad economic factors, ecological changes, sociocultural demands,
and government regulation are considered to be part of the:
a. task environment.
b. operational environment.
c. general environment.
d. immediate environment.
40. The part of an organization‘s external environment that the organization claims for itself with respect to how it fits
into its relevant environments is known as the:
a. task environment.
b. context.
c. general environment.
d. domain.
41. Which of the following competitive or market environments would be considered relatively stable?
a. Commercial airline
b. Casual and sports clothing
c. Can manufacturing
d. Computer and consumer electronics
42. An organization that faces considerable environmental uncertainty and rapid change is more likely to be successful
with:
a. a rigid and tall structure.
b. an organic structure.
c. a highly defined set of policies and procedures.
d. high levels of job specialization and low levels of job interdependence.
43. If an organization confronts a situation with scarce resources, large amounts of change, and many competitors, the
situation would be considered one:
a. with strategic disadvantage.
b. where profit will be difficult to achieve.
c. of high environmental uncertainty.
d. where a task oriented leadership style is necessary.
44. Which of the following statements regarding the fit between structure and relevant contextual dimensions is NOT
true?
a. The better the fit, the more likely that an organization will achieve its short-run goals.
b. The better the fit, the more likely an organization will process information and design appropriate
organizational roles for long–term prosperity.
c. It is apparent that there must be some level of fit between the structure and the contextual dimensions of an
organization.
d. The better the fit, the more likely the structure will determine the strategy and goals of an organization.
45. Which of the following statements regarding complexity and the strategic decision process is NOT true?
a. As complexity increases, the strategic decision process will become more politicized.
b. Organizations will find it more difficult to recognize environmental opportunities and threats as complexity
increases.
c. As complexity increases, the strategic process will be constrained by the limitations of top managers.
d. The constraints on good decision processes will be multiplied by the limitations of each individual within an
organization.
46. Short product and organizational life cycles place considerable emphasis on:
a. increasing formalization of job requirements.
b. hierarchical control and centralized decision making.
c. generalization and standardization.
d. flexibility and efficiency.
47. In contrasting structural roles of managers today with managers of the future managers:
a. must adopt a relatively narrow functional focus.
b. will tend to get things done by giving employees orders.
c. must encourage cross-functional collaboration.
d. will strictly adhere to boss-employee authority relationships.
48. To meet the conflicting demands of efficiency and customization, organizations need to:
a. strategically choose one or the other.
b. invest in robotics.
c. become a knowledge-based company.
d. become dynamically stable.