B.1 Pros and Cons of Different Types of Organizational Structure (6) + 2

Which of the following best defines organizational structure?
a. A process of motivating employees to achieve goals
b. The arrangement of work functions within an organization
c. The chain of command between subordinates
d. The ideology followed by the company

b. The arrangement of work functions within an organization

A hospital where nurses rely on verbal coordination during emergencies is an example of which coordinating mechanism?
a. Direct supervision
b. Mutual adjustment
c. Standardization of skills
d. Formalization

b. Mutual adjustment

When a manager provides explicit instructions to their team on what to do and monitors progress, this is:
a. Centralization
b. Direct supervision
c. Standardization of work output
d. Mechanistic structure

b. Direct supervision

A factory where workers follow the exact same assembly steps daily is using which coordinating mechanism?
a. Standardization of work processes
b. Standardization of skills
c. Span of control
d. Chain of command

a. Standardization of work processes

Which mechanism ensures uniformity by requiring that workers produce the same type or quality of output?
a. Standardization of work output
b. Standardization of skills
c. Centralization
d. Direct supervision

a. Standardization of work output

Doctors trained in medical school before practicing medicine represent:
a. Standardization of work processes
b. Standardization of skills and knowledge
c. Mutual adjustment
d. Formalization

b. Standardization of skills and knowledge

Which element of organization defines who reports to whom?
a. Span of control
b. Centralization
c. Chain of command
d. Formalization

c. Chain of command

A manager supervises only 4 employees instead of 20. This reflects:
a. Narrow span of control
b. Wide span of control
c. Centralization
d. Decentralization

a. Narrow span of control

Decision-making power concentrated at the top of an organization reflects:
a. Decentralization
b. Mechanistic structure
c. Centralization
d. Organic structure

c. Centralization

A flexible organization where employees can make decisions at their level is an example of:
a. Centralization
b. Formalization
c. Decentralization
d. Mechanistic structure

c. Decentralization

Highly written rules and procedures are characteristics of:
a. Mechanistic structure
b. Organic structure
c. Matrix organization
d. Team organization

a. Mechanistic structure

An organization where employees are encouraged to adapt, collaborate, and innovate represents:
a. Bureaucracy
b. Organic structure
c. Mechanistic structure
d. Line-staff structure

b. Organic structure

Which part of the organization is responsible for performing the core work?
a. Strategic apex
b. Middle line
c. Operating core
d. Technostructure

c. Operating core

The CEO and top executives belong to which part of the organization?
a. Strategic apex
b. Support staff
c. Technostructure
d. Ideology

a. Strategic apex

Managers who ensure overall goals are translated into daily operations belong to the:
a. Technostructure
b. Middle line
c. Support staff
d. Politics

b. Middle line

HR specialists who design policies and systems fall under which part?
a. Technostructure
b. Support staff
c. Ideology
d. Operating core

a. Technostructure

Janitors, mailroom clerks, and security staff are examples of:
a. Support staff
b. Operating core
c. Middle line
d. Line staff

a. Support staff

A strong belief in environmental sustainability embedded in a company reflects:
a. Politics
b. Centralization
c. Ideology
d. Mechanistic structure

c. Ideology

Conflicts that arise because of differing values within an organization are the result of:
a. Formalization
b. Politics
c. Ideology
d. Centralization

b. Politics

Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of a bureaucratic organization?
a. Specialization of labor
b. Emphasis on written records
c. Informal rules and procedures
d. Impersonality

c. Informal rules and procedures

A company where hiring and promotion are strictly based on qualifications is demonstrating which bureaucratic principle?
a. Formalization
b. Merit-based employment
c. Specialization of labor
d. Chain of command

b. Merit-based employment

In a line-staff organizational structure, “line” employees are primarily responsible for:
a. Supporting daily operations
b. Achieving organizational goals
c. Providing specialized expertise
d. Maintaining bureaucracy

b. Achieving organizational goals

In a team organization, workers are expected to:
a. Work independently with minimal collaboration
b. Follow strict hierarchies and written rules
c. Collaborate, share resources, and skills
d. Operate only under direct supervision

c. Collaborate, share resources, and skills

Which structure is temporary, bringing together members from different departments for a specific project?
a. Matrix organization
b. Project task force
c. Team organization
d. Line-staff

b. Project task force

A company that structures itself by both product (e.g., electronics, clothing) and function (e.g., HR, marketing) at the same time uses:
a. Matrix organization
b. Line-staff structure
c. Bureaucracy
d. Team organization

a. Matrix organization

Which structure is often depicted as a pyramid due to its clear top-down chain of command?
a. Flat structure
b. Functional structure
c. Hierarchical structure
d. Matrix structure

c. Hierarchical structure

In which structure are employees grouped according to their specialized departments such as HR, finance, or marketing?
a. Divisional structure
b. Functional structure
c. Network structure
d. Team-based structure

b. Functional structure

A multinational company that separates its units by geographical regions (Asia, Europe, North America) is using:
a. Multidivisional structure
b. Centralized structure
c. Mechanistic structure
d. Matrix structure

a. Multidivisional structure

Which structure is most common in startups, characterized by low departmentalization and little formalization?
a. Tall structure
b. Simple structure
c. Flat structure
d. Network structure

b. Simple structure

An organization where employees can directly communicate with executives due to few middle managers represents:
a. Centralized structure
b. Flat structure
c. Matrix structure
d. Hierarchical structure

b. Flat structure

Which structure has many management layers, narrow spans of control, and a long chain of command?
a. Tall structure
b. Flat structure
c. Team-based structure
d. Organic structure

a. Tall structure

Which structure combines both functional and project lines of authority, requiring employees to report to two managers?
a. Network structure
b. Matrix structure
c. Hierarchical structure
d. Team-based structure

b. Matrix structure

A company organizes its employees into cross-functional groups that make decisions together. This is an example of:
a. Team-based structure
b. Flat structure
c. Mechanistic structure
d. Functional structure

a. Team-based structure

Which structure is temporary and created to address a specific project or issue, often disbanded afterward?
a. Project task force
b. Matrix structure
c. Network structure
d. Divisional structure

a. Project task force

A tech startup that outsources accounting, HR, and logistics while focusing only on software development is using:
a. Network structure
b. Divisional structure
c. Functional structure
d. Centralized structure

a. Network structure

Decision-making authority being concentrated at the top is a feature of:
a. Centralized structure
b. Decentralized structure
c. Flat structure
d. Organic structure

a. Centralized structure

In which type of structure is decision-making authority pushed down to employees and lower-level managers?
a. Centralized structure
b. Mechanistic structure
c. Decentralized structure
d. Tall structure

c. Decentralized structure

Which structure is characterized by high specialization, rigid rules, narrow spans of control, and centralization?
a. Mechanistic structure
b. Organic structure
c. Matrix structure
d. Team-based structure

a. Mechanistic structure

An advertising firm with flexible roles, cross-functional teams, and decentralized authority likely has a(n):
a. Mechanistic structure
b. Organic structure
c. Tall structure
d. Hierarchical structure

b. Organic structure

Which structure is essentially an extreme version of a hierarchical model with many managerial levels?
a. Flat structure
b. Tall structure
c. Matrix structure
d. Network structure

b. Tall structure

If employees in a matrix organization complain of confusion due to reporting to both a project manager and a functional manager, this reflects:
a. Clear chain of command
b. Role conflict
c. Mechanistic structure
d. Decentralization

b. Role conflict

Which structure best suits a company that values innovation, adaptability, and employee empowerment?
a. Mechanistic structure
b. Organic structure
c. Tall structure
d. Hierarchical structure

b. Organic structure

A retail company with separate divisions for clothing, electronics, and groceries is following which structure?
a. Network structure
b. Divisional structure
c. Team-based structure
d. Flat structure

b. Divisional structure

A bakery with only one owner-manager and a few employees, little formalization, and direct supervision is an example of:
a. Simple structure
b. Flat structure
c. Hierarchical structure
d. Matrix structure

a. Simple structure

Which structure may lead to slower decision-making due to many approval layers?
a. Flat structure
b. Tall structure
c. Network structure
d. Team-based structure

b. Tall structure

A consulting firm creates a temporary group of analysts, designers, and IT experts to work on a client’s project. This is a:
a. Matrix organization
b. Project task force
c. Team-based structure
d. Divisional structure

b. Project task force

Which organizational structure most closely resembles a bureaucracy?
a. Mechanistic structure
b. Organic structure
c. Network structure
d. Flat structure

a. Mechanistic structure

In a centralized structure, which of the following is most likely to occur?
a. Faster top-level decisions but slower local responses
b. Quicker adaptability at all levels
c. More autonomy for front-line employees
d. Reduced authority of top managers

a. Faster top-level decisions but slower local responses

A company that encourages collaboration across departments, values creativity, and minimizes hierarchy is most likely:
a. Organic structure
b. Mechanistic structure
c. Tall structure
d. Centralized structure

a. Organic structure

If a company faces rapid market changes and needs flexibility, which structure would be least effective?
a. Organic structure
b. Team-based structure
c. Mechanistic structure
d. Network structure

c. Mechanistic structure