GB 370 EXAM 3 GENTRY
QUESTIONS & ANSWERS(GRADED
A+)
organizational design - ANSWERCreating or enhancing the structure of an
organization
-One of the three tasks that fall into the organizing function in POLC framework
organization's structure - ANSWERAs much as individual and team level factors
influence work attitudes and behaviors, the ___________ _____________ can be an
even more powerful influence over employee actions
organizational structure - ANSWERHow individual and team work within an
organization are coordinated
structure - ANSWERSpecifies reporting relationships (who reports to whom)
Delineates formal communication channels
-Describes how separate actions of the individuals are linked together
centralization, formalization, hierarchical levels, & departmentalization -
ANSWERbuilding blocks of structure are...
centralization - ANSWERThe degree to which decision-making authority is
concentrated at higher levels in an organization
higher - ANSWERIn a centralized company, many important decisions are made at
________ levels of hierarchy
decentralized companies - ANSWERGive more authority to lower-level employment,
leads to a sense of empowerment
formalization - ANSWERThe extent to which an organization's policies, procedures,
job descriptions, and rules are written and explicitly articulated
-Many written rules and regulations
-Employees have little autonomy to decide on a case-by-case basis
tall structures - ANSWERSeveral layers of management between frontline
employees and the top level
-Number of employees reporting to each manager tends to be smaller
flat structures - ANSWERConsist of only a few layers
,-Large number of employees reporting to each manager
functional structures - ANSWEROrganizations group jobs based on similarity in
functions
-Each person serves a specialized role and handles large volumes of transactions
divisional structures - ANSWERDepartments represent the unique products, service,
customers, or geographic locations the company is serving
advantages of functional structures - ANSWER-Tend to be effective when an
organization does not have a large number of products and services requiring
special attention
-More effective in stable environments that are slower to change
advantages of divisional structures - ANSWER-When a company has a diverse
product line, each product will have unique demands, divisional (or product-specific)
structures more useful for pomptly addressing customer demands and anticipating
market changes
-More agile, can perform better in turbulent environments
-Employees performance depends on their general mental abilities
mechanic structures - ANSWER-Resemble a bureaucracy
-Highly formalized and centralized
-Communications tends to follow formal channels and employees are given specific
job descriptions delineating their roles and responsibilities
-Rigid and resist change - unsuitable for innovativeness and taking action
organic structures - ANSWER-Flexible and decentralized, low levels of formalization
-Communication lines are more fluid and flexible
-Job descriptions are broader, employees are asked to perform duties based on the
specific needs of the organization at the time as well as their own expertise levels
-Higher levels of job satisfaction
Conducive to entrepreneurial behavior and innovativeness
matrix organizations - ANSWERA design that combines a traditional functional
structure with a product structure
matrix structure - ANSWER-Product managers have control and say over product-
related matter
, -Department managers have authority over matters related to company policy
-Created in response to uncertainty and dynamism of the environment and the need
to give particular attention to specific products or projects
boundaryless organization - ANSWERAn organization that eliminates traditional
barriers between departments as well as barriers between the organization and the
external environment
-Term coined by Jack Welch during his tenure as CEO of GE
modular organization - ANSWERAll nonessential functions are outsourced
Idea: retain only the value-generating and strategic functions in house, while the rest
of the operations are outsourced to many suppliers
strategic alliances - ANSWERConstitutes another form of boundaryless design
Two or more companies find an area of collaboration and combine their efforts to
create a partnership that is beneficial for both parties
learning organization - ANSWEROne whose design actively seeks to acquire
knowledge and change behavior as a result of the newly acquired knowledge
organizational change - ANSWERThe movement of an organization from one state
of affairs to another
environment - ANSWEROrganization change is often a response to changes to the
__________
active resistance - ANSWERMost negative reaction to a proposed change attempt
passive resistance - ANSWERInvolves being disturbed by changes without
necessarily voicing these opinions
compliance - ANSWERInvolves going along with proposed changes with little
enthusiasm
enthusiastic support - ANSWERDefenders of the new way and actually encourage
others around them to give support to the change
three-stage model of planned change - ANSWERModel assumes that change will
encounter resistance. Therefore, executing change without prior preparation is likely
to lead to failure
1. Unfreezing
2. Change
3. Refreezing
QUESTIONS & ANSWERS(GRADED
A+)
organizational design - ANSWERCreating or enhancing the structure of an
organization
-One of the three tasks that fall into the organizing function in POLC framework
organization's structure - ANSWERAs much as individual and team level factors
influence work attitudes and behaviors, the ___________ _____________ can be an
even more powerful influence over employee actions
organizational structure - ANSWERHow individual and team work within an
organization are coordinated
structure - ANSWERSpecifies reporting relationships (who reports to whom)
Delineates formal communication channels
-Describes how separate actions of the individuals are linked together
centralization, formalization, hierarchical levels, & departmentalization -
ANSWERbuilding blocks of structure are...
centralization - ANSWERThe degree to which decision-making authority is
concentrated at higher levels in an organization
higher - ANSWERIn a centralized company, many important decisions are made at
________ levels of hierarchy
decentralized companies - ANSWERGive more authority to lower-level employment,
leads to a sense of empowerment
formalization - ANSWERThe extent to which an organization's policies, procedures,
job descriptions, and rules are written and explicitly articulated
-Many written rules and regulations
-Employees have little autonomy to decide on a case-by-case basis
tall structures - ANSWERSeveral layers of management between frontline
employees and the top level
-Number of employees reporting to each manager tends to be smaller
flat structures - ANSWERConsist of only a few layers
,-Large number of employees reporting to each manager
functional structures - ANSWEROrganizations group jobs based on similarity in
functions
-Each person serves a specialized role and handles large volumes of transactions
divisional structures - ANSWERDepartments represent the unique products, service,
customers, or geographic locations the company is serving
advantages of functional structures - ANSWER-Tend to be effective when an
organization does not have a large number of products and services requiring
special attention
-More effective in stable environments that are slower to change
advantages of divisional structures - ANSWER-When a company has a diverse
product line, each product will have unique demands, divisional (or product-specific)
structures more useful for pomptly addressing customer demands and anticipating
market changes
-More agile, can perform better in turbulent environments
-Employees performance depends on their general mental abilities
mechanic structures - ANSWER-Resemble a bureaucracy
-Highly formalized and centralized
-Communications tends to follow formal channels and employees are given specific
job descriptions delineating their roles and responsibilities
-Rigid and resist change - unsuitable for innovativeness and taking action
organic structures - ANSWER-Flexible and decentralized, low levels of formalization
-Communication lines are more fluid and flexible
-Job descriptions are broader, employees are asked to perform duties based on the
specific needs of the organization at the time as well as their own expertise levels
-Higher levels of job satisfaction
Conducive to entrepreneurial behavior and innovativeness
matrix organizations - ANSWERA design that combines a traditional functional
structure with a product structure
matrix structure - ANSWER-Product managers have control and say over product-
related matter
, -Department managers have authority over matters related to company policy
-Created in response to uncertainty and dynamism of the environment and the need
to give particular attention to specific products or projects
boundaryless organization - ANSWERAn organization that eliminates traditional
barriers between departments as well as barriers between the organization and the
external environment
-Term coined by Jack Welch during his tenure as CEO of GE
modular organization - ANSWERAll nonessential functions are outsourced
Idea: retain only the value-generating and strategic functions in house, while the rest
of the operations are outsourced to many suppliers
strategic alliances - ANSWERConstitutes another form of boundaryless design
Two or more companies find an area of collaboration and combine their efforts to
create a partnership that is beneficial for both parties
learning organization - ANSWEROne whose design actively seeks to acquire
knowledge and change behavior as a result of the newly acquired knowledge
organizational change - ANSWERThe movement of an organization from one state
of affairs to another
environment - ANSWEROrganization change is often a response to changes to the
__________
active resistance - ANSWERMost negative reaction to a proposed change attempt
passive resistance - ANSWERInvolves being disturbed by changes without
necessarily voicing these opinions
compliance - ANSWERInvolves going along with proposed changes with little
enthusiasm
enthusiastic support - ANSWERDefenders of the new way and actually encourage
others around them to give support to the change
three-stage model of planned change - ANSWERModel assumes that change will
encounter resistance. Therefore, executing change without prior preparation is likely
to lead to failure
1. Unfreezing
2. Change
3. Refreezing
