b.
task specialization
c.
job enrichment
d.
task standardization
e.
job rotation
58. The job design approach associated with ____ involves increasing the number of different tasks that a
worker performs within one particular job and giving workers the authority and control to make
meaningful decisions about their work.
a.
job rotation and job enlargement
b.
job specialization and job enrichment
c.
job specialization and job enlargement
d.
job enlargement and job enrichment
e.
job enrichment and job rotation
59. The central concern of the job characteristics model (JCM) is:
a.
internal motivation
b.
synergy
c.
task identification
d.
time-motion studies
e.
a value-added measure
60. Which of the following statements about the five core job characteristics associated with the JCM is
true?
a.
Autonomy is the degree to which a job is perceived to have a substantial impact on others
inside or outside the organization.
b.
Physicians who work in an emergency room do not have skill variety.
c.
Skill significance refers to the degree to which a job requires completion of a whole and
identifiable piece of work.
d.
Because physicians who work in an emergency room often do not know the outcomes for
patients that they worked on, feedback may be seen as a problem.
e.
The job of a physician in an emergency room has a low level of task significance.
61. According to the What Really Works, “The Job Characteristics Model: Making Jobs More Interesting
and Motivating,” the core job characteristic that has the greatest effect in reducing absenteeism is:
a.
task identity
b.
task significance
c.
feedback
d.
autonomy
e.
job combination
62. Which of the following approaches to job redesign entails more than simply providing additional
variety in job tasks?
a.
the job enrichment plan
b.
the job characteristics model
c.
the Gantt chart
d.
the task specialization map
e.
the task breakdown plan
63. Which of the following is NOT one of the core job characteristics in the job characteristics model
(JCM)?
a.
client relationships
b.
task identity
c.
autonomy
d.
skill variety
e.
task significance
64. Elena works in a data processing department for a large credit reporting service and is bored. She
spends her days inputting an endless stream of monotonous data into much larger data bases.
According to the job characteristics model (JCM), one of the primary reasons for her boredom is:
a.
a low degree of feedback
b.
a high degree of autonomy
c.
a low degree of task identity
d.
a high degree of task significance
e.
a high degree of skill variety
65. ____ is the degree to which a job gives workers the discretion, freedom, and independence to decide
how and when to accomplish their jobs.
a.
Task significance
b.
Task identity
c.
Skill variety
d.
Autonomy
e.
Skill feedback
66. ____ is the degree to which a job is perceived to have a substantial impact on others inside or outside
the organization.
a.
Task significance
b.
Skill feedback
c.
Skill variety
d.
Autonomy
e.
Task identity
67. According to the job characteristics model, ____ means pushing some managerial authority down to
workers.
a.
establishing reciprocity
b.
vertical loading
c.
forming natural work units
d.
decoding tasks
e.
creating group norms
68. A(n) ____ organization is an organization characterized by broadly defined jobs and responsibilities,
loosely defined, frequently changing roles, and decentralized authority and horizontal communication
based on task knowledge.
a.
centralized
b.
mechanistic
c.
departmentalized
d.
organic
e.
modular
69. The CEO of an electronics company stated that an organization chart was inapplicable in his
organization and described it as a dangerous method of thinking. According to this CEO, the first
requirement of management was that it should make the fullest use of the capacities of its members;
any individual’s job should be as little defined as possible, so that it would ‘shape itself’ to the
person’s special abilities and initiative. This electronics company more than likely had a(n) ____
organization.
a.
centralized
b.
mechanistic
c.
departmentalized
d.
organic
e.
modular
70. In a(n) ____ organization, the normal procedure for dealing with any matter lying outside the
boundaries of one individual’s functional responsibility is to refer it to the point in the system where
such responsibility is known to reside, or, failing that, to lay it before one’s superior.
a.
centralized
b.
mechanistic
c.
departmentalized
d.
organic
e.
modular
71. When higher management in a(n) ____ organization admits there is a need for better communication,
the response is to tether subordinates to their jobs and to appoint newly hired employees who
specialize in establishing liaison relationships.
a.
centralized
b.
mechanistic
c.
departmentalized
d.
organic
e.
modular
72. Which of the following statements about the organic form of organization design is true?
a.
The organic form of organization design is characterized by broadly defined jobs and
responsibility; loosely defined, frequently changing roles; and decentralized authority and
horizontal communication based on task knowledge.
b.
The organic form of organization design works best in stable business environments.
c.
The organic form of organization design is better suited to using organizational design
techniques based upon functional departmentalization and centralized authority.
d.
The organic form of organization design is typically less appropriate than the mechanistic
approach for the environments in which today’s businesses compete.
e.
All of these statements about the organic form of organization design are true.
73. A(n) ____ organization is an organization that is characterized by specialized jobs and responsibilities;
precisely defined, unchanging roles; and a rigid chain of command based on centralized authority and
vertical communication.
a.
modular
b.
departmentalized
c.
standardized
d.
organic
e.
mechanistic
74. Which of the following statements about mechanistic organizations is true?
a.
Mechanistic organizations rely on decentralized authority.
b.
Mechanistic organizations work best in stable, unchanging business environments.
c.
Mechanistic organizations are characterized by horizontal communication based on task
knowledge.
d.
Mechanistic organizations have broadly defined jobs.
e.
None of these statements about mechanistic organizations is true.
75. ____ is a fundamental rethinking and radical redesign of business processes to achieve dramatic
improvements in critical measures of performance, such as cost, quality, service, and speed.
a.
Pooling interdependence
b.
Reciprocating interdependence
c.
Reengineering
d.
Repositioning
e.
Manufacturing conversion
76. In 2001, the Air Force Weather Agency (AFWA) underwent a radical change in how it determined and
shared local weather conditions with pilots. Before ____, the local base weather station was
responsible for warnings. The quality of this information varied. After the change, AFWA provided
the same high standard of weather information to all pilots.
a.
customization
b.
micro-adaptation
c.
sequential independence
d.
reengineering
e.
customer empowerment
77. In 2004, The Athlete’s Foot, a sporting goods store, was in financial trouble because it was totally out
of touch with its customers. Upcoming changes in the retailer’s method of doing business included a
fresh new logo, a new apparel line launch and an in-store design and merchandising overhaul. The new
look for the stores will allow franchisees to tailor the product mix to target four different core customer
groups: hard-core jocks (performance), urban trendsetters (“street sports”), the skater crowd (“fusion”)
and Abercrombie-clad suburbanites (“classic athletic”). This dramatic change in how the stores will
conduct business is an example of:
a.
task interdependence
b.
empowerment
c.
behavioral informality
d.
reengineering
e.
benchmarking
78. American Tanning and Leather prepares exotic animal skins for fashion designers. The process for
turning raw salt-cured skins into useable leather involves ten steps. The steps include an initial
measuring and grading, which is followed by tanning, shaving, re-tanning, dying, and a final
measuring and grading. This is an example of a(n) _____ process.
a.
extraorganizational
b.
intraorganizational
c.
interorganizational
d.
reengineering
e.
benchmarking
79. LexisNexis realized that its ability to serve new Web-based customers was severely strained.
Thousands of small and midsize law firms represented a huge business opportunity for the company’s
legal-information services, but they often had to wait 48 hours to have their Web accounts activated
after signing up. For smaller firms seeking to buy documents in small quantities, often to apply to
pending cases, such a delay was intolerable. Clearly, LexisNexis needed to revamp its customer
sign-up and order-fulfillment processes, which were designed for large law firms and the ordering of
hardcover legal tomes. LexisNexis would most likely use ____ to radically change its business
practices.
a.
standardization
b.
micro-adaptation
c.
sequential independence
d.
reengineering
e.
customer empowerment
80. American Tanning and Leather prepares exotic animal skins for fashion designers. The process for
turning raw salt-cured skins into useable leather involves ten steps. The steps include an initial
measuring and grading, which is followed by tanning, shaving, re-tanning, dying, and a final
measuring and grading. These successive steps are an example of:
a.
autonomous independence
b.
pooled interdependence
c.
sequential interdependence
d.
reciprocal interdependence
e.
benchmarked interdependence
81. The three types of task interdependence are
a.
pooled, delegated, and systematic
b.
delegated, integrated, and combined
c.
sequential, delegated, and pooled
d.
reciprocal, pooled, and sequential
e.
integrated, reciprocal, and synergistic
82. ____ is a feeling of intrinsic motivation, in which workers perceive their work to have impact and
meaning, and perceive themselves to be competent and capable of self-determination.
a.
Reciprocity
b.
Motivational assertion
c.
Eutonomy
d.
Empowerment
e.
Autonomy
83. Zara clothing stores has developed a system that can order new fashions and deliver them to the store
in only three weeks. It uses ____ to pass information to the next person in the line of development.
Zara begins this inside the store by enabling the store manager to communicate with its headquarters
via the Internet. As soon as a manager notices that a certain item is selling especially well, the manager
can send a new order out from the store and give suggestions for new colors and design. Next,
designers and managers receive the information and match it with suggestions from other Zara store
managers. Designers then draw up the new styles and send the patterns to Zara factories in Spain,
where they are made. The clothes reach Zara’s stores within forty-eight hours.
a.
standardization
b.
sequential interdependence
c.
pooled interdependence
d.
manager empowerment
e.
transactional intradependence
84. A military expert describes how the military forces were organized for Operation Desert Storm as
pooled interdependence. This means that each branch of the military that took part in the operation:
a.
independently contributed to the success of the campaign
b.
worked with each other in a give-and-take manner
c.
performed identical tasks
d.
accepted the fact that one’s group’s output was another group’s input
e.
had little, or no, autonomy
85. In essence, reengineering changes organizations by:
a.
increasing reciprocal interdependence
b.
decreasing the use of autonomy
c.
increasing pooled interdependence
d.
decreasing delegation
e.
increasing sequential interdependence
86. Leaders during any disaster need to give their employees a sense that everyone is participating in the
relief effort. The Gap gave its employees the authority to transfer their paid time off to some 1,300
employees affected by Hurricane Katrina. The Gap used ____ to allow its employees to gain a feeling
of intrinsic motivation.
a.
standardization
b.
sequential interdependence
c.
pooled interdependence
d.
empowerment
e.
transactional intradependence
87. Roughly 70 percent of all reengineering projects fail because:
a.
of how the process affects people in the workplace
b.
the reengineering process requires the organization’s vision to be changed
c.
staff personnel must be given line authority to effectively implement reengineering
d.
satisfactory benchmarks cannot be located
e.
newly hired employees cannot internalize the organizational culture
88. Novo Nordisk is a European manufacturer of pharmaceuticals. Rikke NedergaardBischoff, a
clinical-development scientist, contends that Novo upholds the standards expected of public
institutions without the stifling bureaucracy. She says, “There’s a great deal of empowerment at Novo
Nordisk.” Novo Nordisk provides NedergaardBischoff with:
a.
a rigid chain of command
b.
a mechanistic work environment
c.
feelings of intrinsic motivation
d.
reengineering opportunities
e.
a high degree of job significance as defined by the JCM
89. If you’ve ever perused the women’s “career” clothing in the Victoria’s Secret catalog, you’d be hard
pressed to find something appropriate to wear in most offices. Yet Victoria’s Secret has a dress code
for its own retail employees. The dress code instructs that “clothing must not be excessively short,
tight, or revealing.” Furthermore, all professional attire for men and women must be 95 percent black.
Store workers must go easy on the accessories, with “no more than two rings per hand or two earrings
per ear.” Body piercings and tattoos must be covered with bandages, makeup, or opaque hosiery.
Fishnet stockings are not permitted. Victoria’s Secret influences intraorganizational processes through:
a.
autonomous interdependence
b.
transactional intradependence
c.
behavioral formality
d.
pooled interdependence
e.
managerial autonomy
90. A human resources specialist who was examining the behavioral informality of an office would be
especially aware of:
a.
the absence of internal motivation
b.
a broad span of management
c.
a high degree of formalization within the office
d.
a mechanistic group structure
e.
spontaneity of interpersonal communications
91. One characteristic of open office systems is:
a.
more shared space than private space
b.
the use of motivational cues
c.
the absence of an organizational chart
d.
narrow spans of management
e.
an absence of boundaries
92. Which of the following statements about open office systems is true?
a.
Open office systems tend to decrease interaction by removing physical barriers that
separate workers.
b.
Open office systems increase the degree of behavioral formality within an office.
c.
Open office systems have much more shared space than private space.
d.
Companies are uniformly enthusiastic about the benefits of open office systems.
e.
All of these statements about open office systems are true.
93. Which of the following is an approach to managing interorganizational processes?
a.
matrix organizations
b.
modular organizations
c.
flat organizations
d.
hierarchical organizations
e.
tall organizations
94. MJM Sports is a Seattle company that designs and manufactures machines that allow bar patrons to
compete in fantasy sports contests. Sales are brisk; the market is expanding coast to coast. Every time
MJM sells another unit, a technician has to visit the bar, install a computerized kiosk and a 42-inch
plasma TV, and hook everything up to the Internet. As a result, MJM has concentrated on what it
does best, which is to create and upgrade the machines, and has chosen to outsource the installation
process. MJM is an example of a _____ organization.
a.
modular
b.
virtual
c.
matrix
d.
electronic
e.
boundaryless
95. Except for the core business activities that they can perform better, faster, and cheaper than others,
____ outsource all remaining business activities to outside companies, suppliers, specialists, or
consultants.
a.
modular organizations
b.
hierarchical organizations
c.
boundaryless organizations
d.
organizational networks
e.
virtual organizations
96. Modular organizations:
a.
allow a high level of control over business processes and output
b.
cost significantly more to run than traditional organizations
c.
outsource all but the core business activities that they can perform best
d.
succeed because they operate independently from vendors and suppliers
e.
are accurately described by all of these
97. A(n) ____ organization is part of a network in which many companies share skills, costs, capabilities,
markets, and customers with each other.
a.
modular
b.
virtual
c.
matrix
d.
electronic
e.
boundaryless
98. A park, recreation, and open space (PROS) cooperative is a recognized association of park, recreation,
open space, and related entities united voluntarily to achieve through collaboration what can’t be
achieved through individual and independent action. PROS cooperatives conserve the diversity of
valued resources and recreation opportunities for the benefit these afford individuals, communities, the
economy, and the environment. A PROS cooperative is an example of a ____ organization.
a.
modular
b.
boundaryless
c.
decentralized
d.
virtual
e.
mechanistic
99. In the automobile industry, three car manufacturers and a variety of suppliers and distributors have
formed a network to create economies in production through outsourcing. It is intended for this ____
to cut as much as $3,000 from the costs of producing one car.
a.
matrix organization
b.
functional organization
c.
modular organization
d.
hierarchical organization
e.
virtual organization
100. The composition of a ____ organization is always changing.
a.
modular
b.
boundaryless
c.
decentralized
d.
virtual
e.
mechanistic
Yahoo
A $100 million loss, plummeting advertising sales, a stock price that has fallen from an all-time
high of $237 to less than $10 per share, layoffs that cost 800 people, including the previous CEO, their
jobs—welcome to Yahoo. At this once phenomenally successful company, so many basic things have
gone wrong that the question is, where do you start to fix it?
One key problem is the organizational structure: with just 3,200 employees, Yahoo has 44
different business units. Forty-four! Even General Electric, with 300,000 employees, has only 13. You
think to yourself, “This is unmanageable, too many people and no focus.” And amazingly, despite
having 44 business units, Yahoo doesn’t have a direct sales unit. No one, it turns out, is responsible for
cultivating customers. Why not? Well, during the “go–go” days, customers were literally throwing
themselves and their advertising dollars at the company. As one Yahoo manager said, “The fish were
jumping into the boat.” Consequently, most orders took place via email. Yahoo didn’t have to establish
relationships with customers because customers came to it. Unfortunately, this led to arrogance. Jeff
Bell, a vice president at one of Yahoo’s potential customers, DaimlerChrysler, said the message was,
“Buy our stuff [meaning Yahoo’s advertising], and shut up.” Jeff Mallett, Yahoo’s former president,
said, “We ran Yahoo to optimize market share. I make no apologies for that. If there was a company
that didn’t get it [Internet advertising], we moved on very quickly.”
Another problem was the overly creative, freewheeling, spontaneous company culture in which
everyone, including the CEO, worked in cubicles. The problem wasn’t so much the cubicles, but what
they came to represent: an overly informal culture with no controls. At Yahoo, employees played
soccer in a large open space outside the company boardroom, even while the board was meeting.
Furthermore, no one had an overall perspective of what was best for the entire company.
Consequently, said one Yahoo vice president, “[Unit] managers would beg, borrow, and steal from the
network [meaning the overall company] to help their own properties.” Plus, if you had an idea, you
pursued it without having to get anyone’s feedback or approval. Yahoo’s chief operating officer said,
“Yahoo’s original mission was to grow as fast as you can and put things out there and see what
works.” The more serious problem, he said, was that “nobody knew what would work.”
The most amazing aspect of this culture was that, as one manager explained, “There was a fair
amount of resistance toward the strategy of monetizing our businesses.” In other words, the culture at
Yahoo was so informal, so unfocused, and so freewheeling that no one really worried about whether
the company could charge for the services it provided and make a profit. “There was a fear,” said this
manager, “that if all of our efforts were put into profit making, we’d starve research and development
and lose our innovation.”
101. Refer to Yahoo. One of the causes of the precipitous drop in the value of Yahoo’s stock was the
company’s inability to subdivide work and workers into separate organizational units responsible for
completing particular tasks. For example, Yahoo had no sales unit to cultivate and call on advertising
customers. Yahoo caused itself trouble when it decided to not engage in:
a.
decentralization
b.
cultural rigidity
c.
the appropriate change of command
d.
departmentalization
e.
employee empowerment
102. Refer to Yahoo. After restructuring, Yahoo’s four new departments were consumer services,
marketing services, business and enterprise services, and premium services. What type of
organizational structure did Yahoo adopt during its restructuring?
a.
product
b.
matrix
c.
networked
d.
functional
e.
customer
103. Refer to Yahoo. What is one of the advantages of Yahoo’s new organizational structure?
a.
elimination of the constraints associated with the chain of command
b.
a flatter structure better able to respond to a static environment
c.
elimination of resource duplication
d.
the ease with which cross-departmental cooperation can be achieved
e.
ease with which top managers can assess work-unit performance
104. Refer to Yahoo. One of the causes of the precipitous drop in the value of Yahoo’s stock was that too
many unrelated decisions were being made by unrelated people in the company without any regard for
what was best for the entire company. One way to solve this problem would be to use more:
a.
behavioral informality
b.
centralization of authority
c.
delegation
d.
employee empowerment
e.
autonomy
105. Refer to Yahoo. Before restructuring, Yahoo was described as having an overly creative, freewheeling
culture, a highly decentralized decision-making structure in which managers only did what was best
for their units and not the entire company, and exhibited resistance to actually making a profit. What
kind of an organization did the company have?
a.
mechanistic
b.
transformational
c.
organic
d.
synergistic
e.
transactional