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1. An organization's _____ is the work process that is directly related to the organization's mission.
a. core technology
b. mediating technology
c. long-linked technology
d. noncore technology
ANSWER: a
RATIONALE: Feedback: An organization’s core technology is the work process that is directly related to the
organization’s mission, such as teaching in a high school, medical services in a health clinic,
or manufacturing at American Axle & Manufacturing (AAM).
POINTS: 1
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: ORGT.DAFT.16.07-01 - 07-01
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States - AACSB: Analytic
TOPICS: Core Organization Manufacturing Technology
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: Remember
2. Teaching in a high school and medical services in a health clinic are referred to as an organization’s _____ technology.
a. technical
b. Core
c. Craft
d. reciprocal
ANSWER: b
RATIONALE: Feedback: Teaching in a high school and medical services in a health clinic are referred to as
an organization’s core technology. An organization’s core technology is the work process that
is directly related to the organization’s mission
POINTS: 1
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: ORGT.DAFT.16.07-01 - 07-01
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States - AACSB: Analytic
TOPICS: Core Organization Manufacturing Technology
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: Understand
3. Which one of the following basic technology groups relies heavily on the human operator and is not highly
mechanized?
a. Large-batch production
b. Assembly line production
c. Continuous-process production
d. Small-batch production
ANSWER: d
RATIONALE: Feedback: Small-batch production relies heavily on the human operator; it is thus not highly
mechanized.
POINTS: 1
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: ORGT.DAFT.16.07-03 - 07-03
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States - AACSB: Analytic
TOPICS: Core Organization Manufacturing Technology
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: Remember
4. _____ is a manufacturing process characterized by long production runs of standardized parts, and output often goes
into inventory from which orders are filled because customers do not have special needs.
a. Continuous-process production
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b. Unit production
c. Large-batch production
d. Small-batch production
ANSWER: c
RATIONALE: Feedback: Large-batch production is a manufacturing process characterized by long
production runs of standardized parts. Output often goes into inventory from which orders are
filled because customers do not have special needs.
POINTS: 1
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: ORGT.DAFT.16.07-03 - 07-03
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States - AACSB: Analytic
TOPICS: Core Organization Manufacturing Technology
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: Remember
5. Chemical plants, oil refineries, liquor producers, pharmaceuticals, and nuclear power plants are examples of _____.
a. unit production
b. mass production
c. large-batch production
d. continuous-process production
ANSWER: d
RATIONALE: Feedback: Chemical plants, oil refineries, liquor producers, pharmaceuticals, and nuclear
power plants are examples of continuous-process production.
POINTS: 1
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: ORGT.DAFT.16.07-03 - 07-03
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States - AACSB: Analytic
TOPICS: Core Organization Manufacturing Technology
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: Understand
6. Which of the following links together manufacturing components that previously stood alone?
a. Unit production systems
b. Flexible manufacturing systems
c. Subtractive manufacturing systems
d. Rigid production systems
ANSWER: b
RATIONALE: Feedback: Also called digital factories, computer-integrated manufacturing, flexible
manufacturing systems, advanced manufacturing technology, or agile manufacturing, smart
factories link manufacturing components that previously stood alone.
POINTS: 1
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: ORGT.DAFT.16.07-04 - 07-04
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States - AACSB: Analytic
TOPICS: Contemporary Applications
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: Understand
7. In the _____ component of a smart factory, computers are used to assist in the drafting, creation, and engineering of
new parts.
a. manufacturing processes management
b. computer-aided manufacturing
c. computer-aided design
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d. product life cycle management
ANSWER: c
RATIONALE: Feedback: In the computer-aided design component of a smart factory, computers are used
to assist in the drafting, design, and engineering of new parts.
POINTS: 1
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: ORGT.DAFT.16.07-04 - 07-04
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States - AACSB: Technology
TOPICS: Contemporary Application
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: Remember
8. _____ is a technology that builds objects one successive layer of material at a time.
a. Additive manufacturing
b. CAD
c. CAM
d. Lean manufacturing
ANSWER: a
RATIONALE: Feedback: 3-D Printing, also known as additive manufacturing, builds objects one successive
layer of material at a time.
POINTS: 1
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: ORGT.DAFT.16.07-04 - 07-04
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States - AACSB: Technology
TOPICS: Contemporary Applications
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: Remember
9. _____ is a highly ambitious quality standard that specifies a goal of no more than 3.4 defects per million parts.
a. Kaizen
b. Joint optimization
c. Mass customization
d. Six Sigma
ANSWER: d
RATIONALE: Feedback: Six Sigma is a highly ambitious quality standard that specifies a goal of no more
than 3.4 defects per million parts.
POINTS: 1
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: ORGT.DAFT.16.07-04 - 07-04
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States - AACSB: Analytic
TOPICS: Contemporary Applications
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: Remember
12. Which of the following is not true regarding mass production and a smart factory?
a. Mass production has many levels of control, while the smart factory has few.
b. The span of control in mass production is narrow, while the span of control in the smart factory is wide.
c. Tasks in mass production are routine and repetitive, while tasks in the smart factory are adaptive and creative.
d. Decision making is centralized in mass production, while it is decentralized in the smart factory.
ANSWER: b
RATIONALE: Feedback: The span of control in mass production is wide, while the span of control in the
smart factory is narrow.
POINTS: 1
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: ORGT.DAFT.16.07-04 - 07-04
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States - AACSB: Analytic
TOPICS: Contemporary Applications
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: Understand
14. _____ means providing exactly the service each customer wants and needs.
a. Service complexity
b. Customized output
c. Mass customization
d. Joint optimization
ANSWER: b
RATIONALE: Feedback: Customized output means providing exactly the service each customer wants and
needs.
POINTS: 1
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: ORGT.DAFT.16.07-05 - 07-05
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States - AACSB: Analytic
TOPICS: Core Organization Service Technology
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: Remember
17. The frequency of unexpected and novel events that occur in the conversion process is known as:
18. The Verification Department of the Internal Revenue Service checks the calculations on returns and notes any
discrepancies. According to Perrow, this department fits into the category of _____.
a. craft technologies
b. routine technologies
c. engineering technologies
d. nonroutine technologies
ANSWER: b
RATIONALE: Feedback: The Verification Department of the Internal Revenue Service fits into the category
of routine technologies. Routine technologies are characterized by little task variety and the
use of objective, computational procedures. The tasks are formalized and standardized.
POINTS: 1
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: ORGT.DAFT.16.07-06 - 07-06
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States - AACSB: Reflective Thinking
TOPICS: Noncore Departmental Technology
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: Apply
19. _____ have high task variety, and the conversion process is not analyzable or well understood.
a. Nonroutine technologies
b. Routine technologies
c. Engineering technologies
d. Craft technologies
ANSWER: a
RATIONALE: Feedback: Nonroutine technologies have high task variety, and the conversion process is not
analyzable or well understood.
POINTS: 1
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: ORGT.DAFT.16.07-06 - 07-06
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States - AACSB: Analytic
TOPICS: Noncore Departmental Technology
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: Understand
20. Juan works for a college that offers correspondence courses. She works in the mailroom department stuffing envelopes
with the replies of professors to students. She then seals the envelopes and puts them in an outgoing bin and there is very
little use for creativity. The department has very strict rules and the management process is not flexible. In this context,
the department that Juan works for has a(n) _____ design.
21. Baxton Burgers is a chain of fast-food restaurants. It has outlets throughout the world. Each of the outlets is
independent and does not communicate with each other, but each of them contributes to the growing success of the
restaurant. In this context, the outlets of Baxton Burgers have _____.
a. sequential interdependence
b. pooled interdependence
c. reciprocal interdependence
d. successive interdependence
ANSWER: b
RATIONALE: Feedback: The outlets of Baxton Burgers have pooled interdependence. Pooled
interdependence is the lowest form of interdependence among departments. In this form,
work does not flow between units. Each department is part of an organization and contributes
to the common good of the organization, but works independently.
POINTS: 1
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: ORGT.DAFT.16.07-07 - 07-07
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States - AACSB: Reflective Thinking
TOPICS: Workflow Interdependence among Departments
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: Apply
22. A _____ provides products or services that link clients from the external environment and, in so doing, allows each
department to work independently.
a. craft technology
b. pooled technology
c. routine technology
d. mediating technology
ANSWER: d
RATIONALE: Feedback: A mediating technology provides products or services that link clients from the
external environment and, in so doing, allows each department to work independently.
POINTS: 1
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: ORGT.DAFT.16.07-07 - 07-07
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States - AACSB: Analytic
TOPICS: Workflow Interdependence among Departments
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: Remember
23. Jenson Motors, a car manufacturing company, decides to change its production operations strategy. In the company,
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an employee adds a part to the car frame and then sends it to another employee to add another part. This process continues
until they get the final product, a complete car. The management wants to divide the employees into teams where each
team is responsible for building an entire car. If Jenson Motors implements the change, the interrelationships would
change from:
a. pooled interdependence on the line to reciprocal interdependence between the teams.
b. reciprocal interdependence on the line to sequential interdependence between the teams.
c. sequential interdependence on the line to pooled interdependence between the teams.
d. sequential interdependence on the line to reciprocal interdependence between teams.
ANSWER: c
RATIONALE: Feedback: If Jenson Motors implements the change, the interrelationships would change
from sequential interdependence on the line to pooled interdependence between the teams.
In pooled interdependence, each department is part of an organization and contributes to the
common good of the organization, but works independently. In sequential interdependence,
the first department must perform correctly for the second department to perform correctly.
POINTS: 1
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: ORGT.DAFT.16.07-07 - 07-07
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States - AACSB: Reflective Thinking
TOPICS: Workflow Interdependence among Departments
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: Apply
24. Vintichic, a fashion house, plans to launch its new collection for summer. Each department has a part to play in
producing the final product. The designers send the fabric and designs to the tailors, the tailors send the sewed clothes to
the department that accessorize the clothes, the accessorizing department sends the clothes to the packaging and shipping
department, and finally the packaging and shipping department transports the clothes to their various outlets throughout
the world. In this scenario, the type of interdependence exhibited by the departments of the fashion house is _____.
a. pooled interdependence
b. reciprocal interdependence
c. sequential interdependence
d. autonomous interdependence
ANSWER: c
RATIONALE: Feedback: In this scenario, the type of interdependence exhibited by the departments of the
fashion house is sequential interdependence. When interdependence is of serial form, with
parts produced in one department becoming inputs to another department, it is called
sequential interdependence.
POINTS: 1
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: ORGT.DAFT.16.07-07 - 07-07
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States - AACSB: Reflective Thinking
TOPICS: Workflow Interdependence among Departments
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: Apply
25. Sequential interdependence occurs in organizations with what Thompson called _____.
a. long-linked technology
b. mediating technology
c. intensive technology
d. routine technology
ANSWER: a
RATIONALE: Feedback: Sequential interdependence occurs in what Thompson called long-linked
technology, which “refers to the combination in one organization of successive stages of
production; each stage of production uses as its inputs the production of the preceding stage
27. _____ is the highest level of interdependence and exists when the output of operation A is the input to operation B,
and the output of operation B is the input back again to operation A.
a. Reciprocal interdependence
b. Pooled interdependence
c. Sequential interdependence
d. Routine interdependence
ANSWER: a
RATIONALE: Feedback: Reciprocal interdependence is the highest level of interdependence and exists
when the output of operation A is the input to operation B, and the output of operation B is
the input back again to operation A.
POINTS: 1
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: ORGT.DAFT.16.07-07 - 07-07
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States - AACSB: Analytic
TOPICS: Workflow Interdependence among Departments
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: Remember
28. Reciprocal interdependence tends to occur in organizations with what Thompson called _____, which provide a
variety of products or services in combination to a client.
a. craft technologies
b. mediating technologies
c. intensive technologies
d. long-linked technologies
ANSWER: c
RATIONALE: Feedback: Reciprocal interdependence tends to occur in organizations with what Thompson
called intensive technologies, which provide a variety of products or services in combination
to a client.
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POINTS: 1
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: ORGT.DAFT.16.07-07 - 07-07
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States - AACSB: Analytic
TOPICS: Workflow Interdependence among Departments
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: Understand
30. The goal of the sociotechnical systems approach is to design an organization for:
a. joint optimization.
b. reengineering.
c. self-regulation of advanced technology.
d. strong organization culture.
ANSWER: a
RATIONALE: Feedback: The goal of the sociotechnical systems approach is to design an organization for
joint optimization, which means that the organization functions best when the social and
technical systems are designed to fit the needs of one another.
POINTS: 1
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: ORGT.DAFT.16.07-08 - 07-08
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States - AACSB: Analytic
TOPICS: Sociotechnical Systems
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: Understand
31. Core technology is a department work process that is important to an organization but is not directly related to its
primary mission.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: False
RATIONALE: Feedback: An organization’s core technology is the work process that is directly related to an
organization’s mission.
POINTS: 1
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: ORGT.DAFT.16.07-01 - 07-01
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States - AACSB: Analytic
TOPICS: Core Organization Manufacturing Technology
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KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: Remember
32. Perrow's study is classified as pertaining to organization-level technology, while Woodward's is classified as
pertaining to department-level technology.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: False
RATIONALE: Feedback: Woodward's study is classified as pertaining to organization-level technology,
while Perrow's is classified as pertaining to department-level technology.
POINTS: 1
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: ORGT.DAFT.16.07-02 - 07-02
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States - AACSB: Analytic
TOPICS: Core Organization Manufacturing Technology
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: Understand
33. Low technical complexity means most of the work is performed by machines.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: False
RATIONALE: Feedback: High technical complexity means most of the work is performed by machines.
POINTS: 1
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: ORGT.DAFT.16.07-03 - 07-03
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States - AACSB: Analytic
TOPICS: Core Organization Manufacturing Technology
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: Understand
34. Small-batch production is highly mechanized, whereas continuous-process production relies heavily on the human
operator.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: False
RATIONALE: Feedback: Small-batch production relies heavily on the human operator; it is thus not highly
mechanized. In continuous-process production, the entire process is mechanized.
POINTS: 1
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: ORGT.DAFT.16.07-03 - 07-03
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States - AACSB: Analytic
TOPICS: Core Organization Manufacturing Technology
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: Understand
35. Large-batch production is considered to have greater technical complexity than small-batch production on
Woodward's scale of technical complexity.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: True
RATIONALE: Feedback: Large-batch production is considered to have greater technical complexity than
small-batch production on Woodward's scale of technical complexity.
POINTS: 1
36. Failing to adopt appropriate new technologies to support strategy, or adopting a new technology and failing to realign
strategy to match it, can lead to poor performance.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: True
RATIONALE: Feedback: Failing to adopt appropriate new technologies to support strategy, or adopting a
new technology and failing to realign strategy to match it, can lead to poor performance.
POINTS: 1
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: ORGT.DAFT.16.07-03 - 07-03
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States - AACSB: Analytic
TOPICS: Core Organization Manufacturing Technology
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: Understand
37. Computer-aided manufacturing enables the production line to quickly honor customer requests for changes in product
design and product mix.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: True
RATIONALE: Feedback: Computer-aided manufacturing enables the production line to quickly honor
customer requests for changes in product design and product mix.
POINTS: 1
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: ORGT.DAFT.16.07-03 - 07-03
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States - AACSB: Analytic
TOPICS: Contemporary Applications
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: Understand
38. Six Sigma refers to using mass-production technology to quickly and cost-effectively assemble goods that are
uniquely designed to fit the demands of individual customers.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: False
RATIONALE: Feedback: Six Sigma is a highly ambitious quality standard that specifies a goal of no more
than 3.4 defects per million parts.
POINTS: 1
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: ORGT.DAFT.16.07-04 - 07-04
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States - AACSB: Analytic
TOPICS: Contemporary Applications
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: Remember
39. Kaizen is the implementation of a large number of small, incremental improvements in all areas of an organization on
an ongoing basis.
a. True
b. False
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ANSWER: True
RATIONALE: Feedback: Kaizen is the implementation of a large number of small, incremental
improvements in all areas of an organization on an ongoing basis.
POINTS: 1
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: ORGT.DAFT.16.07-04 - 07-04
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States - AACSB: Analytic
TOPICS: Contemporary Applications
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: Remember
40. Products of different sizes, types, and customer requirements freely intermingling on the assembly line is an advantage
of a smart factory.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: True
RATIONALE: Feedback: Products of different sizes, types, and customer requirements freely intermingling
on the assembly line is an advantage of a smart factory.
POINTS: 1
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: ORGT.DAFT.16.07-04 - 07-04
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States - AACSB: Analytic
TOPICS: Contemporary Applications
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: Understand
41. A smart factory has a stable customer demand, whereas mass production has a changing customer demand.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: False
RATIONALE: Feedback: A smart factory has a changing customer demand, whereas mass production has
a stable customer demand.
POINTS: 1
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: ORGT.DAFT.16.07-04 - 07-04
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States - AACSB: Analytic
TOPICS: Contemporary Applications
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: Understand
42. Service technologies are considered to be labor- and knowledge-intensive, while manufacturing technologies tend to
be capital asset-intensive.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: True
RATIONALE: Feedback: Service technologies are considered to be labor- and knowledge-intensive, while
manufacturing technologies tend to be capital asset-intensive.
POINTS: 1
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: ORGT.DAFT.16.07-05 - 07-05
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States - AACSB: Analytic
TOPICS: Core Organization Service Technology
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: Understand
43. In a service firm, the quality of a service is perceived and cannot be directly measured and compared in the same way
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that the quality of a tangible product can.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: True
RATIONALE: Feedback: In a service firm, the quality of a service is perceived and cannot be directly
measured and compared in the same way that the quality of a tangible product can.
POINTS: 1
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: ORGT.DAFT.16.07-05 - 07-05
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States - AACSB: Analytic
TOPICS: Core Organization Service Technology
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: Understand
44. Boundary roles are used extensively in manufacturing firms but rarely used in service firms.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: True
RATIONALE: Feedback: Boundary roles are used extensively in manufacturing firms to handle customers
and to reduce disruptions for the technical core. They are used less in service firms because
a service is intangible and cannot be passed along by boundary spanners, so service
customers must interact directly with technical employees, such as doctors or brokers.
POINTS: 1
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: ORGT.DAFT.16.07-05 - 07-05
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States - AACSB: Analytic
TOPICS: Core Organization Service Technology
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: Understand
45. Perrow was most concerned with two aspects of technology: technical complexity and interdependence.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: False
RATIONALE: Feedback: Perrow was most concerned with two aspects of technology: variety and
analyzability.
POINTS: 1
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: ORGT.DAFT.16.07-06 - 07-06
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States - AACSB: Analytic
TOPICS: Noncore Departmental Technology
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: Remember
46. Routine technologies are characterized by little task variety and the use of objective, computational procedures,
whereas engineering technologies tend to be complex because there is substantial variety in the tasks performed.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: True
RATIONALE: Feedback: Routine technologies are characterized by little task variety and the use of
objective, computational procedures. Engineering technologies tend to be complex because
there is substantial variety in the tasks performed.
POINTS: 1
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: ORGT.DAFT.16.07-06 - 07-06
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NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States - AACSB: Analytic
TOPICS: Noncore Departmental Technology
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: Understand
47. Craft technologies are characterized by a fairly stable stream of activities, but the conversion process is not analyzable
or well understood.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: True
RATIONALE: Feedback: Craft technologies are characterized by a fairly stable stream of activities, but the
conversion process is not analyzable or well understood.
POINTS: 1
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: ORGT.DAFT.16.07-06 - 07-06
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States - AACSB: Analytic
TOPICS: Noncore Departmental Technology
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: Understand
48. In routine technologies, most decision making about task activities is decentralized throughout an organization.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: False
RATIONALE: Feedback: In routine technologies, most decision making about task activities is centralized
to management.
POINTS: 1
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: ORGT.DAFT.16.07-06 - 07-06
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States - AACSB: Analytic
TOPICS: Noncore Departmental Technology
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: Understand
49. Span of control is the number of employees who report to a single manager or supervisor and is normally influenced
by departmental technology.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: True
RATIONALE: Feedback: Span of control is the number of employees who report to a single manager or
supervisor. This characteristic is normally influenced by departmental technology.
POINTS: 1
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: ORGT.DAFT.16.07-06 - 07-06
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States - AACSB: Analytic
TOPICS: Noncore Departmental Technology
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: Remember
50. Work staff in routine technologies typically require little education or experience, which is congruent with repetitious
work activities.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: True
52. A mediating technology provides products or services that mediate or link clients from the external environment and,
in doing so, allows each department to work independently.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: True
RATIONALE: Feedback: A mediating technology provides products or services that mediate or link clients
from the external environment and, in so doing, allows each department to work
independently.
POINTS: 1
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: ORGT.DAFT.16.07-07 - 07-07
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States - AACSB: Analytic
TOPICS: Workflow Interdependence among Departments
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: Remember
53. Sequential interdependence exists when the output of operation A is the input to operation B, and the output of
operation B is the input back again to operation A.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: False
RATIONALE: Feedback: When interdependence is of serial form, with parts produced in one department
becoming inputs to another department, it is called sequential interdependence.
POINTS: 1
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: ORGT.DAFT.16.07-07 - 07-07
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States - AACSB: Analytic
TOPICS: Workflow Interdependence among Departments
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s:
55. The goal of the sociotechnical systems approach is to design an organization for pooled interdependence.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: False
RATIONALE: Feedback: The goal of the sociotechnical systems approach is to design an organization for
joint optimization, which means that the organization functions best when the social and
technical systems are designed to fit the needs of one another.
POINTS: 1
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: ORGT.DAFT.16.07-08 - 07-08
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States - AACSB: Analytic
TOPICS: Sociotechnical Systems
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: Understand
56. Explain the difference between core technology and noncore technology.
ANSWER: An organization’s core technology is the work process that is directly related to the
organization’s mission, such as teaching in a high school or medical services in a health
clinic. Core technology consists of raw material inputs, a transformation work process (e.g.,
milling, inspection, assembly) that changes and adds value to the raw material and produces
the ultimate product or service output that is sold to consumers in the environment. In today’s
large, complex organizations, core work processes vary widely and sometimes can be hard to
pinpoint. A core technology can be partly understood by examining the raw materials flowing
into the organization, the variability of work activities, the degree to which the production
process is mechanized, the extent to which one task depends on another in the workflow, or
the number of new product or service outputs.
Organizations are also made up of many departments, each of which may use a different
work process (technology) to provide a good or service within the organization. A noncore
technology is a department work process that is important to the organization but is not
directly related to its primary mission.
POINTS: 1
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: ORGT.DAFT.16.07-02 - 07-02
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States - AACSB: Analytic
TOPICS: Core Organization Manufacturing Technology
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: Analyze
57. Discuss the three basic technology groups as categorized in Woodward's scale of technical complexity.
ANSWER: Technical complexity represents the extent of mechanization of the manufacturing process.
High technical complexity means most of the work is performed by machines. Low technical
59. Compare the configuration and structural characteristics of service firms with that of product organizations.
ANSWER: The differences in the structural characteristics of service organizations and product
organizations are as follows:
∙ Boundary roles are used extensively in manufacturing firms to handle customers and to
Cengage Learning Testing, Powered by Cognero Page 18
reduce disruptions for the technical core. They are used less in service firms because a
service is intangible and cannot be passed along by boundary spanners, so service customers
must interact directly with technical employees, such as doctors or brokers.
∙ A service firm deals in information and intangible outputs and does not need to be large. Its
greatest economies are achieved through disaggregation into small units that can be located
close to customers. Stockbrokers, doctors’ clinics, consulting firms, and banks disperse their
facilities into regional and local offices. Manufacturing firms, on the other hand, tend to
aggregate operations in a single area that has raw materials and an available workforce. A
large manufacturing firm can take advantage of economies derived from expensive
machinery and long production runs.
∙ Service technology also influences internal organization characteristics used to direct and
control the organization. For one thing, the skills of technical core employees typically need
to be higher. These employees need enough knowledge and awareness to handle customer
problems rather than just enough to perform mechanical tasks. Employees need social and
interpersonal skills as well as technical skills. Due to higher skills and structural dispersion,
decision making often tends to be decentralized in service firms, and formalization tends to
be low. Decision making tends to be more centralized and formalization tends to be higher in
manufacturing firms than service firms.
POINTS: 1
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: ORGT.DAFT.16.07-05 - 07-05
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States - AACSB: Analytic
TOPICS: Core Organization Service Technology
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: Analyze
60. Contrast the two dimensions of departmental activities, specified by Perrow, that were relevant to organization
structure and process.
ANSWER: Perrow specified two dimensions of departmental activities that were relevant to organization
structure and processes which are as follows:
∙ The first is the number of exceptions in the work. This refers to task variety, which is the
frequency of unexpected and novel events that occur in the conversion process. Task variety
concerns whether work activities are performed the same way every time or differ from time
to time as employees transform an organization’s inputs into outputs. When individuals
encounter a large number of unexpected situations, with frequent problems, variety is
considered high. When there are few problems, and when day-to-day job requirements are
repetitious, technology contains little variety. Variety in departments can range from
repeating a single act, such as on a traditional assembly line, to working on a series of
unrelated problems, such as in a hospital emergency room.
∙ The second dimension of technology concerns the analyzability of work activities. When
the conversion process is analyzable, the work can be reduced to mechanical steps and
participants can follow an objective, computational procedure to solve problems. Problem
solution may involve the use of standard procedures, such as instructions and manuals, or
technical knowledge, such as that in a textbook or handbook. On the other hand, some work
is not analyzable. When problems arise, it is difficult to identify the correct solution. There is
no store of techniques or procedures to tell a person exactly what to do. The cause of or
solution to a problem is not clear, so employees rely on accumulated experience, intuition,
and judgment. The final solution to a problem is often the result of wisdom and experience
and not the result of standard procedures.
POINTS: 1
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: ORGT.DAFT.16.07-06 - 07-06
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States - AACSB: Analytic
TOPICS: Noncore Departmental Technology
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: Analyze
Cengage Learning Testing, Powered by Cognero Page 19
61. Discuss each of the categories of Perrow's framework. Give examples of each.
ANSWER: The dimensions of variety and analyzability that were specified by Perrow form the basis for
four major categories of technology: routine, craft, engineering, and nonroutine.
∙ Routine technologies are characterized by little task variety and the use of objective,
computational procedures. The tasks are formalized and standardized. Examples include an
automobile assembly line and a bank teller department.
∙ Craft technologies are characterized by a fairly stable stream of activities, but the
conversion process is not analyzable or well understood. Tasks require extensive training and
experience because employees respond to intangible factors on the basis of wisdom, intuition,
and experience. Although advances in machine technologies seem to have reduced the
number of craft technologies in organizations, craft technologies are still important. For
example, steel furnace engineers continue to mix steel based on intuition and experience,
pattern makers at fashion houses such as Louis Vuitton, Zara, or H&M convert rough
designers’ sketches into saleable garments, and teams of writers for television series such as
“Glee” or “The Mentalist” convert ideas into story lines.
∙ Engineering technologies tend to be complex because there is substantial variety in the tasks
performed. However, the various activities are usually handled on the basis of established
formulas, procedures, and techniques. Employees normally refer to a well-developed body of
knowledge to handle problems. Engineering and accounting tasks usually fall in this
category.
∙ Nonroutine technologies have high task variety, and the conversion process is not
analyzable or well understood. In nonroutine technology, a great deal of effort is devoted to
analyzing problems and activities. Several equally acceptable options typically can be found.
Experience and technical knowledge are used to solve problems and perform the work. Basic
research, strategic planning, and other work that involves new projects and unexpected
problems are nonroutine. The biotechnology industry also represents a nonroutine
technology. Breakthroughs in understanding metabolism and physiology at a cellular level
depend on highly trained employees who use their experience and intuition, as well as
scientific knowledge.
POINTS: 1
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: ORGT.DAFT.16.07-06 - 07-06
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States - AACSB: Analytic
TOPICS: Noncore Departmental Technology
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: Understand
62. Compare the specific design characteristics of formalization, centralization, employee kill level, span of control, and
communication and coordination for routine technology and nonroutine tasks.
ANSWER: The specific design characteristics of formalization, centralization, employee kill level, span
of control, and communication and coordination for routine technology and nonroutine tasks
are as follows:
∙ Formalization. Routine technology is characterized by standardization and division of labor
into small tasks that are governed by formal rules and procedures. For nonroutine tasks, the
structure is less formal and less standardized. When variety is high, as in a research
department, fewer activities are covered by formal procedures.
∙ Decentralization. In routine technologies, most decision making about task activities is
centralized to management. In engineering technologies, employees with technical training
tend to acquire moderate decision authority because technical knowledge is important to task
accomplishment. Production employees who have years of experience obtain decision
authority in craft technologies because they know how to respond to problems.
Decentralization to employees is greatest in nonroutine settings, where many decisions are
made by employees.
∙ Employee skill level. Work staff in routine technologies typically require little education or
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experience, which is congruent with repetitious work activities. In work units with greater
variety, staff members are more skilled and often have formal training in technical schools or
universities. Training for craft activities, which are less analyzable, is more likely to be
through job experience. Nonroutine activities require both formal education and job
experience.
∙ Span of control. Span of control is the number of employees who report to a single manager
or supervisor. This characteristic is normally influenced by departmental technology. The
more complex and nonroutine the task, the more problems arise in which the supervisor
becomes involved. Although the span of control may be influenced by other factors, such as
skill level of employees, it typically should be smaller for complex tasks because on such
tasks the supervisor and subordinate must interact frequently.
∙ Communication and coordination. Communication activity and frequency increase as task
variety increases. Frequent problems require more information sharing to solve problems and
ensure proper completion of activities. The direction of communication is typically horizontal
in nonroutine work units and vertical in routine work units. The form of communication
varies by task analyzability. When tasks are highly analyzable, statistical and written forms
of communication (e.g., memos, reports, rules, and procedures) are frequent. When tasks are
less analyzable, information typically is conveyed face to face, over the telephone, or in
group meetings.
POINTS: 1
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: ORGT.DAFT.16.07-06 - 07-06
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States - AACSB: Analytic
TOPICS: Noncore Departmental Technology
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: Analyze
63. Discuss the three types of interdependence defined by James Thompson that influence organization structure.
ANSWER: The three types of interdependence defined by James Thompson that influence organization
structure are as follows:
∙ Pooled. Pooled interdependence is the lowest form of interdependence among departments.
In this form, work does not flow between units. Each department is part of the organization
and contributes to the common good of the organization, but works independently. Subway
restaurants or Bank of America branches are examples of pooled interdependence. An outlet
in Chicago need not interact with an outlet in Urbana. Pooled interdependence may be
associated with the relationships within a divisional structure. .
∙ Sequential. When interdependence is of serial form, with parts produced in one department
becoming inputs to another department, it is called sequential interdependence. The first
department must perform correctly for the second department to perform correctly. This is a
higher level of interdependence than pooled interdependence because departments exchange
resources and depend on others to perform well. Sequential interdependence creates a greater
need for horizontal mechanisms such as integrators or task forces.
∙ Reciprocal. The highest level of interdependence is reciprocal interdependence. This exists
when the output of operation A is the input to operation B, and the output of operation B is
the input back again to operation A. The outputs of departments influence those departments
in reciprocal fashion.
POINTS: 1
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: ORGT.DAFT.16.07-07 - 07-07
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States - AACSB: Analytic
TOPICS: Workflow Interdependence among Departments
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: Understand
64. Discuss how the ultimate impact of technology can be understood through the concept of sociotechnical systems.
ANSWER: The ultimate impact of technology on employees can be partially understood through the
Cengage Learning Testing, Powered by Cognero Page 21
concept of sociotechnical systems.
The sociotechnical systems approach recognizes the interaction of technical and human needs
in effective job design, combining the needs of people with the organization’s need for
technical efficiency. The socio portion of the approach refers to the people and groups that
work in organizations and how work is organized and coordinated. The technical portion
refers to the materials, tools, machines, and processes used to transform organizational inputs
into outputs.
The social system includes all human elements—such as individual and team behaviors,
organizational culture, management practices, and degree of communication openness—that
can influence the performance of work. The technical system refers to the type of production
technology, the level of interdependence, the complexity of tasks, and so forth.
POINTS: 1
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: ORGT.DAFT.16.07-07 - 07-07
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States - AACSB: Analytic
TOPICS: Sociotechnical Systems
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: Understand
65. Discuss the ideas that are essential while designing an organization.
ANSWER: The points that are essential while designing an organization are as follows:
∙ The first is Woodward’s research into manufacturing technology. Woodward went into
organizations and collected practical data on technology characteristics, organization
structure, and management systems. She found clear relationships between technology and
structure in high-performing organizations. Her findings are so clear that managers can
analyze their own organizations along the same dimensions of technology and structure. In
addition, technology and structure can be co-aligned with organizational strategy to meet
changing needs and provide new competitive advantages.
∙ The second important idea is that service technologies differ in a systematic way from
manufacturing technologies. Service technologies are characterized by intangible outcomes
and direct client involvement in the production process. Service firms do not have the fixed,
machine-based technologies that appear in manufacturing organizations; hence, organization
design often differs as well.
∙ A third significant idea is Perrow’s framework applied to department technologies.
Understanding the variety and analyzability of a technology tells one about the management
style, structure, and process that should characterize that department. Routine technologies
are characterized by a mechanistic design and nonroutine technologies by an organic design.
Applying the wrong management system to a department will result in dissatisfaction and
reduced efficiency.
∙ The fourth important idea is interdependence among departments. The extent to which
departments depend on each other for materials, information, or other resources determines
the amount of coordination required between them. As interdependence increases, demands
on the organization for coordination increase. Organization design must allow for the correct
amount of communication and coordination to handle interdependence across departments.
∙ The fifth idea is that smart factories and lean manufacturing are being adopted by
organizations and having impact on organization design. For the most part, the impact is
positive, with shifts toward more organic designs both on the shop floor and in the
management hierarchy. These technologies replace routine jobs, give employees more
autonomy, produce more challenging jobs, encourage teamwork, and let the organization be
more flexible and responsive. The new technologies are enriching jobs to the point where
organizations are happier places to work.
∙ Several principles of sociotechnical systems theory, which attempts to design the technical
and human aspects of an organization to fit one another, are increasingly important as
advances in technology alter the nature of jobs and social interaction in today’s companies.