Q&A Hero

Q: Today's managers are moving away from formalization and trying to be this. A) more rigorous B) more flexible C) more strict D) less permissive

Q: All learning organizations share a distinct structure.

Q: All of the following are characteristics of a highly formalized organization EXCEPT ________. A) explicit job descriptions B) little discretion for employees C) minimum number of rules D) a standardized way of doing things

Q: In a learning organization, it is important that all employees ________.A) collaborateB) study each nightC) have a strong sense of leadershipD) share the same vision for the organization

Q: In today's decentralized business world, ________ the most important strategic decisions. A) top managers still primarily make B) middle managers make C) lower-level managers make D) nonmanagerial employees make

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Q: In recent years, organizations have become more ________ to be responsive to a dynamic business environment. A) centralized B) decentralized C) structured D) mechanistic

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Q: ________ reflects the degree to which decision making is distributed throughout the hierarchy rather than concentrated at the top. A) Centralization B) Span of control C) Concentration D) Decentralization

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Q: A traditional "top down" organization is ________ organization. A) a largely centralized B) a largely decentralized C) an absolutely decentralized D) an absolutely centralized

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Q: Modern managers find that they can ________ if their employees are experienced, well-trained, and motivated. A) increase their span of control B) decrease their span of control C) eliminate their span of control D) fluctuate their span of control

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Q: The traditional view holds that managers should directly supervise ________ subordinates. A) no more than three B) no more than six C) around twelve D) around twenty

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Q: When a top manager decides to hire an individual over the objections of her staff, she is exercising which kind of power? A) referent B) expert C) coercive D) legitimate

Q: In a short essay, describe the characteristics of a divisional structure.

Q: ________ is the power that arises when a person is close to another person who has great power and authority. A) Expert power B) Referent power C) Reward power D) Legitimate power

Q: In a short essay, describe the characteristics of a functional structure.

Q: Your firm's attorney has ________ power when giving legal advice. A) legitimate B) status C) expert D) coercive

Q: In a short essay, describe the characteristics of a simple structure.

Q: A bank manager who passes out bonuses at the end of the year is exercising this. A) reward power B) coercive power C) expert power D) referent power

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Q: ________ is the power that rests on the leader's ability to punish or control. A) Reward power B) Coercive power C) Expert power D) Referent power

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Q: A construction site supervisor who sees an impending thunderstorm and tells workers to go home is demonstrating ________. A) line authority B) staff delegation C) provisional accountability D) responsibility

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Q: As represented in a hierarchical organization diagram, authority is based on ________. A) vertical position only B) horizontal position only C) distance from the center only D) horizontal and vertical position

Q: As represented in a power cone, power is based on ________. A) vertical position only B) horizontal position only C) distance from the center only D) vertical position and distance from the center

Q: Which of the following statements is true? A) Power is a type of authority. B) Authority and power are identical. C) Authority is a type of power. D) Power is determined by horizontal position in an organization.

Q: The personal secretary of a top manager may have ________. A) power but not authority B) authority but not power C) power and authority D) line authority but not staff authority

Q: ________ is the obligation or expectation to perform a duty. A) Responsibility B) Unity of command C) Chain of command D) Span of control

Q: Which of the following statements is true? A) Power is a right. B) Authority is one's ability to influence decisions. C) Authority is a right. D) Both power and authority are rights.

Q: The importance of unity of command has diminished in today's workplace because of its tendency to be ________. A) inflexible and inefficient B) ethically questionable C) chauvinistic and dictatorial D) too decisive

Q: ________ prevents a single employee from getting conflicting orders from two different superiors. A) Line authority B) Unity of command C) Staff authority D) Chain of command

Q: Line authority gives a manager the ability to direct the work of ________. A) any employee in the firm B) any subordinate C) any subordinate, after consulting with the next higher level D) only subordinates one level down

Q: Staff managers have authority over ________. A) special support employees only B) line managers C) middle managers D) the person above them in the chain of command

Q: In the chain of command, each person above you ________. A) has special privileges B) receives higher pay C) has line authority D) has no right to give you orders

Q: Authority gives an individual the right to do this. A) give orders B) reprimand employees C) command respect D) obey orders

Q: The chain of command answers this question. A) Where do I go for help? B) How do I know when the task is complete? C) What are the rules? D) Who reports to whom?

Q: The line of authority that extends from the upper levels of management to the lowest levels of the organization is termed the ________. A) chain of responsibility B) unity of command C) staff authority D) chain of command

Q: State motor vehicle offices usually use this kind of departmentalization. A) product B) functional C) customer D) process

Q: What kind of departmentalization would be in place in a government agency in which there are separate departments that provide services for employers, employed workers, unemployed workers, and the disabled? A) product B) geographic C) outcome D) customer

Q: A soap company that features a bath soap department, a laundry detergent department, and a dish soap department is using which of the following? A) process departmentalization B) functional departmentalization C) product departmentalization D) customer departmentalization

Q: ________ departmentalization is based on territory or the physical location of employees or customers. A) Functional B) Product C) Geographic D) Matrix

Q: Functional departmentalization groups jobs by ________. A) tasks they perform B) territories they serve C) products or services they manufacture or produce D) type of customer they serve

Q: Today, managers favor this approach with regard to work specialization. A) All tasks are performed by all employees to promote fairness. B) Partners switch jobs every half hour to overcome boredom. C) Employees specialize to maintain efficiency. D) Monotonous tasks are shared by all employees to prevent perceived favoritism.

Q: Early users of work specialization in the early twentieth century found that the practice ultimately resulted in ________. A) higher profits and better employee morale B) bored workers with low morale C) huge and permanent productivity gains D) better communication among employees

Q: Early supporters of work specialization saw it as ________. A) a reliable way to increase productivity B) a good way to increase employee morale C) a source of innovation D) an immoral way to coerce workers into greater productivity

Q: Which statement accurately defines work specialization? A) It is the degree to which tasks are grouped together. B) Individual employees specialize in doing part of an activity rather than the entire activity. C) Jobs are ranked relative only to their worth or value to the businesses. D) Work specialization clarifies who reports to whom.

Q: Which of the following is synonymous with work specialization? A) division of labor B) job discrimination C) chain of command D) job preference

Q: Which of the following are NOT basic elements of organizational design? A) work specialization, span of control B) chain of command, line authority C) centralization, decentralization D) departmentalization, formalization

Q: All of the following are part of the process of organizational design EXCEPT ________. A) deciding how specialized jobs should be B) determining rules for employee behavior C) determining the level at which decisions are made D) determining goals for the organization

Q: Organizational design requires a manager to ________. A) decide who leads a group within an organization B) change the culture of an organization C) change or develop the structure of an organization D) change the logo of an organization

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Q: To create a competitive advantage that is sustainable, a company can begin by focusing on quality, then ________. A) make sure quality doesn't decline at too rapid a pace B) make incremental improvements to keep quality levels high C) change its entire product line frequently D) slowly diminish quality and raise the prices of its products

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Q: A company's strategic weapon is any product, service, or other attribute it has that ________. A) gives it an edge over its competitors B) identifies problems that the company has C) identifies the potential of employees D) helps diversify the company

Q: To gain a sustainable competitive advantage, a pharmaceutical company might ________. A) market aggressively B) set high prices for its products C) secure exclusive rights to produce a drug D) produce as many generic drugs as possible

Q: All of the following are threats to a sustainable, long-term competitive advantage EXCEPT ________. A) market stability B) market instabilities and disturbances C) evolution of the industry D) new technology in the industry

Q: Most successful companies find that ________ a competitive advantage is almost as difficult as developing a competitive advantage. A) assessing B) sustaining C) modifying D) eliminating

Q: According to Michael Porter, a company with good products that has no clear competitive advantage is said to be ________. A) perfectly positioned B) stuck in the middle C) in the wheelhouse D) outside of the box

Q: Which of the following describes a company that is following a focus strategy? A) a software company that makes a wide variety of games and financial products B) a software company that makes games for a wide audience C) a software company that makes financial products for accountants, consumers, and businesses D) a software company that makes financial products for accountants only

Q: A company that looks for a niche in the market is following which strategy? A) cost leadership B) differentiation C) focus D) turnaround

Q: A differentiation strategy ________. A) usually focuses on price B) must focus on price C) can focus on a brand image D) can focus on value, but not service

Q: A company with a differentiation strategy focuses on making its products or services ________. A) unique and special B) similar to its competitors C) familiar D) affordable

Q: Which of the following would you expect to find in a clothing store that follows a cost leadership strategy? A) only the finest, most expensive materials B) pampered, personalized service C) state-of-the-art design D) basic, no frills, practical items

Q: A cost leadership competitive strategy focuses on which of the following? A) efficiency B) innovation C) elegant design D) luxury

Q: Competitive advantages for a high-prestige, premium coffee franchise like Starbucks are likely to include all of the following EXCEPT ________. A) high quality B) lowest prices C) well-trained employees D) pleasant venues

Q: The thing that makes your product special is known as your ________. A) assets B) destruction device C) competitive advantage D) core device

Q: A diversified corporation is likely to have ________. A) multiple competitive strategies B) a single competitive strategy C) no more than two competitive strategies D) thousands of competitive strategies

Q: The ________ strategy occupies the level below the corporate strategy. A) business unit B) competitive C) functional D) performance

Q: Remedies that all renewal strategies employ include which of the following? A) hiring efficiency experts B) new ad campaigns C) emulating competitors D) cutting costs

Q: A company that is on the verge of collapse or bankruptcy might employ this strategy. A) retrenchment B) incremental improvement C) turnaround D) hunker down

Q: To address limited, short-term problems, a company is most likely to employ a ________ strategy. A) retrenchment B) turnaround C) doomsday D) self-critical

Q: Troubled companies seek ________ to address serious problems. A) competitive strategies B) corporate strategies C) vertical and horizontal strategies D) renewal strategies

Q: A company whose goal is to retain its ideal size and market share is employing which kind of strategy? A) noncorporate B) growth C) renewal D) stability

Q: Two companies that both sell fine timepieces combine. What are they doing? A) diversifying, because they both sell the same products B) integrating vertically, because they both sell the same products C) integrating vertically in a backward direction, because they are sharing distribution D) integrating horizontally, because they both sell similar products

Q: When Google purchased YouTube, a company that featured different, but related products, Google was engaging in which of the following? A) concentration B) forward vertical integration C) backward vertical integration D) diversification