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Questions and Answers
What are the key dimensions used to assess and compare organizational social structures?
What are the key dimensions used to assess and compare organizational social structures?
- Centralization/decentralization, differentiation/integration, and size (correct)
- Centralization/decentralization, communication/collaboration, and size
- Centralization/decentralization, differentiation/integration, and culture/ethics
- Centralization/decentralization, innovation/creativity, and size
How is centralization/decentralization defined in relation to hierarchy and leadership style?
How is centralization/decentralization defined in relation to hierarchy and leadership style?
- Decentralized organizations encourage a sense of involvement and responsibility, but are more difficult to control.
- Centralized organizations make decisions almost exclusively at the top of the hierarchy, while decentralized organizations rely on the participation of many members in decision-making processes. (correct)
- Decentralized organizations make decisions almost exclusively at the top of the hierarchy.
- Centralized organizations rely on the participation of many members in decision-making processes.
How can the level at which decisions are made affect the centralization/decentralization score of an organization?
How can the level at which decisions are made affect the centralization/decentralization score of an organization?
- The level at which decisions are made has no effect on the centralization/decentralization score of an organization.
- The level at which decisions are made can only affect the size score of an organization.
- The level at which decisions are made can affect the centralization/decentralization score of an organization. (correct)
- The level at which decisions are made can only affect the differentiation/integration score of an organization.
Which of the following is a potential advantage of decentralized organizations?
Which of the following is a potential advantage of decentralized organizations?
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What do empirical studies using operationalized dimensions aim to do?
What do empirical studies using operationalized dimensions aim to do?
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Study Notes
- Organizational social structures have key dimensions used to assess and compare them.
- Weber's theory influenced the development of these dimensions.
- The most influential dimensions are centralization/decentralization, differentiation/integration, and size.
- Centralization/decentralization is defined in relation to hierarchy and leadership style.
- Centralized organizations make decisions almost exclusively at the top of the hierarchy, while decentralized organizations rely on the participation of many members in decision-making processes.
- Decentralized organizations encourage a sense of involvement and responsibility, but are more difficult to control.
- The level at which decisions are made can affect the centralization/decentralization score of an organization.
- An organization can be highly decentralized with respect to work-related decisions, but highly centralized with respect to strategic decisions.
- Empirical studies using operationalized dimensions refine and improve theory.
- Structural contingency theory will be revisited in the next section of the chapter.
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