Week 13 Chapter 7 Creating a Flexible Organization

These flashcards cover key terminology and concepts related to organizational structure and management.

Organization

A group of two or more people working together to achieve a common set of goals.

Organization Chart

A diagram that represents the positions and relationships within an organization.

Job Design

Structuring the tasks and activities required to accomplish a firm’s objectives into specific jobs to foster productivity and employee satisfaction.

Chain of Command

The line of authority that extends from the highest to the lowest levels of an organization.

Job Specialization

The separation of all organizational activities into distinct tasks and assignment of different tasks to different people.

Departmentalization

The process of grouping jobs into manageable units.

Job Rotation

The systematic shifting of employees from one job to another.

Departmentalization by Function

Grouping jobs that relate to the same organizational activity.

Departmentalization by Product

Grouping activities related to a particular product or service.

Departmentalization by Customer

Grouping activities according to the needs of various customer populations.

Authority

The power, within an organization, to accomplish an assigned job or task.

Delegation

Assigning part of a manager’s work and power to other workers.

Departmentalization by Location

Grouping activities according to the defined geographic area in which they are performed.

Responsibility

The duty to do a job or perform a task.

Accountability

The obligation of a worker to accomplish an assigned job or task.

Decentralized Organization

An organization in which management consciously attempts to spread authority widely across various organization levels.

Span of Management (or Span of Control)

The number of workers who report directly to one manager.

Centralized Organization

An organization that systematically works to concentrate authority at the upper levels of the organization.

Organizational Height

The number of layers, or levels, of management in a firm.

Line Structure

An organizational structure in which the chain of command goes directly from person to person throughout the organization.

Line Managers

Managers who make decisions and give orders to subordinates to achieve the organization’s goals.

Matrix Structure

An organizational structure that combines vertical and horizontal lines of authority.

Cross-Functional Team

A team of individuals with varying specialties, expertise, and skills brought together to achieve a common task.

Staff Managers

Managers who provide support, advice, and expertise to line managers.

Line-and-Staff Structure

An organizational structure that combines the chain of command from a line structure with the assistance of staff managers.

Virtual Structure

An organizational structure in which administration is the primary function, and most other functions are contracted out to other firms.

Team

Two or more workers collaborating to achieve a shared mission, goal, or work product.

Problem-Solving Team

A team of knowledgeable employees brought together to tackle a specific problem.

Self-Managed Teams

Groups of employees with the authority and skills to manage themselves.

Virtual Team

A team consisting of members who are geographically dispersed but communicate electronically.

Ad Hoc Committee

A committee created for a specific short-term purpose.

Standing Committee

A relatively permanent committee charged with performing some recurring task.

Informal Organization

The pattern of behavior and interaction that stems from personal rather than official relationships.

Informal Group

A group created by the members themselves to accomplish goals that may or may not be relevant to an organization.

Task Force

A committee established to investigate a major problem or pending decision.

Grapevine

The informal communications network within an organization.