Unit 3: Analysis and Design of Work (Pt. 1)

Strategy Formulation

Many central aspects of __________ address how the work gets done, in terms of individual job design as well as the design of organizational structures that link individual jobs to each other and the organization as a whole.

True

The way a firm competes can have a profound impact on the way jobs are designed and how they are linked via organizational structure

True or False

False

The fit between the company’s structure and environment does not necessarily have a major impact on the firm’s competitive success

True or False

True

Failing to design effective organizations and jobs has important implications for competitiveness

True or False

Work-Flow Analysis

It is the process of analyzing the tasks necessary for the production of a product or service, prior to allocating and assigning these tasks to a particular job category or person

Organizational Structure

It refers to the stable and formal network of vertical and horizontal interconnections among jobs that constitute the organization

Raw Inputs

Under the Work-Flow Analysis, it asks the question “What materials, data, and information are needed?”

Equipment

Under the Work-Flow Analysis, it asks “What special equipment, facilities, and systems are needed?”

Human Resources

Under the Work-Flow Analysis, it asks “What knowledge, skills, and abilities are needed by those performing the tasks?”

Activity

Under the Work-Flow Analysis, it asks “What tasks are required in the production of the output?”

Output

Under the Work-Flow Analysis, it asks “What product, information, or service is provided? How is the _______ measured?”

Operating Procedures

The ________ determines how an output is generated

Efficiency Experts

_________ can improve work-flow processes

Lean Production

It focuses on efficient manufacturing by minimizing time, materials, costs, and workforce

Lean Production

It emphasizes technology, few highly skilled workers, and flexibility to produce customized products economically

Just-in-time Inventory

It refers to a management system where a company receives or produces goods only when they are needed, rather than storing large amounts of inventory in advance.

Equipment

Technological ________ provides aid and improves human operators

Organization Structure

It shows how people and departments are connected to produce results

True

Organization structure is often depicted through charts that display who reports to whom and who’s responsible for what

True or False

Centralization

The degree to which decision-making authority resides at the top of the organizational chart as opposed to being distributed throughout lower levels

Decentralization

It is the degree to which the decision-making process is distributed throughout higher and lower levels as opposed to only residing in an authority from the top

Departmentalization

It refers to the degree to which work units are grouped based on functional similarity of workflow

Functional Structure

A _________ possess a high level of centralization and is very efficient with little redundancy

Divisional Structure

A ___________ possess a lower level of centralization, is more flexible and innovative, but is not efficient

Divisional Structure

_________ may not make decisions in best interests of the company even with its flexibility and innovation due to the lack of efficiency

Functional Structure

In __________ there can be a disconnect between perceived needs of front-line workers and management

Self-Cannibalization

It refers to when a company’s new product or service reduces sales or market share of its own existing offerings, effectively competing with itself

Middle-Of-The-Road Approach

It refers to when the Management balances productivity and employee satisfaction, achieving moderate performance in both areas.

Middle-Of-The-Road Approach

The ____________ integrates elements from both functional and divisional structures to create a hybrid or matrix structure

Functional Structure

It requires narrow, specialized jobs, which limits the decision-making authority for workers, including middle managers

Divisional Structure

It offer managers a greater autonomy in the job design