Business Foundations - Chapter 7

grapevine

an informal channel of communication, separate from management's formal, official communication channels (informal method of communications)

self-directed work team (SDWT)

a group of employees responsible for an entire work process or segment that delivers a product to an internal or external customer (making your own decisions and organizing your own work rather than being told what to do by managers, teachers, etc)

quality-assurance teams (or quality circles)

small groups of workers brought together from throughout the organization to solve specific quality, productivity, or service problems

product-development teams

a specific type of project team formed to devise, design, and implement a new product

project teams

groups similar to task forces that normally run their operation and have total control of a specific work project

task force

a committee established to investigate a major problem or pending decision

committee

a permanent, formal group that performs a specific task

team

a small group whose members have complementary skills; have a common purpose, goals, and approach; and hold themselves mutually accountable

group

two or more individuals who communicate with one another, share a common identity, and have a common goal

matrix structure

a structure that sets up teams from different departments, thereby creating two or more intersecting lines of authority; also called a project-management structure

multidivisional structure

a structure that organizes departments into larger groups called divisions

line-and-staff structure

( combines a traditional chain of command with support staff to balance authority and expertise)

line structure

the simplest organizational structure in which direct lines of authority extend from the top manager to the lowest level of the organization

organizational layers

the levels of management in an organization

span of management

the number of subordinates who report to a particular manager

decentralized organization

an organization in which decision-making authority is delegated as far down the chain of command as possible

centralized organization

a structure in which authority is concentrated at the top, and very little decision-making authority is delegated to lower levels

accountability

the principle that employees who accept an assignment and the authority to carry it out are answerable to a superior for the outcome

responsibility

the obligation, placed on employees through delegation, to perform assigned tasks satisfactorily and be held accountable for the proper execution of work

delegation of authority

giving employees not only tasks, but also the power to make commitments, use resources, and take whatever actions are necessary to carry out those tasks

customer departmentalization

the arrangement of jobs around the needs of various types of customers

geographical departmentalization

the grouping of jobs according to geographic location, such as state, region, country, or continent

product departmentalization

the organization of jobs in relation to the products of the firm

functional departmentalization

the grouping of jobs that perform similar functional activities, such as finance, manufacturing, marketing, and human resources

departmentalization

the grouping of jobs into working units usually called departments, units, groups, or divisions

specialization

the division of labor into small, specific tasks and the assignment of employees to do a single task

organizational chart

a visual display of the organizational structure, lines of authority (chain of command), staff relationships, permanent committee arrangements, and lines of communication

structure

the arrangement or relationship of positions within an organization

organizational culture

a firm's shared values, beliefs, traditions, philosophies, rules, and role models for behavior

Organization

group of two or more people working together to achieve a common set of goals in a company, allocating resources

job design

structuring the tasks and activities required to accomplish a firm’s objectives into specific jobs so as to foster productivity and employee satisfaction

ad hoc committee

committee created for a specific short-term purpose

informal group

a group created by the members themselves to accomplish goals that may or may not be relevant to an organization ( a collection of people who form a group spontaneously based on social needs, common interests, or personal relationships, rather than official, structured rules)

informal organization

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

standing committee

is a permanent, specialized committee in a legislature or parliamentary body that is responsible for specific policy areas.