1. What is the primary characteristic of job specialization in organizations?

A. Centralization of authority
B. Hierarchy of decision-making
C. Division of labor
D. Mutual adjustment
E. Flow of information

Answer: C. Division of labor

2. Which of the following best describes job specialization

A. It refers to the degree of decentralization within an organization.

B. It emphasizes the division of labor and the degree to which tasks are
specialized.
C. It focuses on the formal hierarchy and chain of command in an organization.
D. It pertains to the flow of information and communication patterns.
E. It measures an organization's adaptability and response to environmental
changes.

Correct Answer: B

3. In a manufacturing company, the production line workers are strictly assigned to

specific tasks. One employee operates the machinery, another inspects the quality,
and yet another packs the finished products. This scenario best exemplifies:

A) Task rotation.
B) Job enrichment.
C) Job specialization.
D) Cross-training.
E) Job crafting.

Answer: C) Job specialization.

Explanation: In this case, employees are dedicated to specific, narrowly defined

tasks, which is characteristic of job specialization.

4. At a software development firm, employees are encouraged to take on various

roles in different projects. A software engineer might also act as a project
manager in another project. This approach aligns most closely with:

A) Job specialization.
B) Job enrichment.
C) Task rotation.
D) Cross-training.
E) Job crafting.

Answer: D) Cross-training.

Explanation: Cross-training involves employees learning various roles and tasks to

enhance their versatility.

5. Question 3: In a law firm, lawyers typically specialize in specific areas of

law. One lawyer focuses on corporate law, another on criminal law, and yet another
on family law. This practice primarily reflects:

A) Task rotation.
B) Job enrichment.
C) Job specialization.
D) Cross-training.
E) Job crafting.

Answer: C) Job specialization.

Explanation: Lawyers dedicating themselves to specific areas of law is a prime

example of job specialization within their profession.

6. Question: In Mintzberg's organizational configurations, how is the relationship

between "Direct Supervision" and "Information Flow" typically described?

A) Direct Supervision leads to centralized Information Flow.

B) Direct Supervision has no significant impact on Information Flow.

C) Direct Supervision is associated with decentralized Information Flow.

D) Direct Supervision and Information Flow are unrelated concepts.

Answer: C) Direct Supervision is associated with decentralized Information Flow.

Explanation: In Mintzberg's organizational configurations, "Direct Supervision"

often implies that decisions and information are closely controlled and directed by
managers at various levels. This tends to result in a more decentralized flow of
information throughout the organization as compared to other coordination
mechanisms

7. In Mintzberg's organizational configurations, what is the relationship between

direct supervision and information flow?

A) Direct supervision is high, and information flow is also high.

B) Direct supervision is high, but information flow is low.
C) Direct supervision is low, and information flow is also low.
D) Direct supervision is low, but information flow is high.

Answer: B

8. What is the typical relationship between mutual adjustment and information flow
in an organization, according to Henry Mintzberg's organizational configurations?

A) Mutual adjustment is high, and information flow is high.

B) Mutual adjustment is high, but information flow is low.
C) Mutual adjustment is low, and information flow is low.
D) Mutual adjustment is low, but information flow is high.

Answer: B) Mutual adjustment is high, but information flow is low

9. Which of the following statements best describes the relationship between mutual
adjustment and the flow of authority in an organization?

A) Mutual adjustment is high, and the flow of authority is high.

B) Mutual adjustment is low, and the flow of authority is high.
C) Mutual adjustment is high, but the flow of authority is low.
D) Mutual adjustment is low, and the flow of authority is low.
Answer:

C) Mutual adjustment is high, but the flow of authority is low.

10. What is the relationship between a centralized flow of authority and

organizational decision-making?

A) Centralized flow of authority is associated with decentralized decision-making.

B) Centralized flow of authority is associated with centralized decision-making.
C) Centralized flow of authority is unrelated to decision-making.
D) Centralized flow of authority indicates participative decision-making.

Answer : B) Centralized flow of authority is associated with centralized decision-

making.

11. In an organization characterized by a high flow of authority, which of the

following is likely to be true?

A) There is limited delegation of decision-making power.

B) Information flows freely across all levels of the hierarchy.
C) Decision-making relies heavily on mutual adjustment.
D) Direct supervision is the dominant mode of coordination

Answer: A) There is limited delegation of decision-making power.

12. In an organization, what is the primary purpose of the flow of authority?

A) To ensure efficient communication among employees.

B) To centralize decision-making power at the top of the hierarchy.
C) To delegate responsibility and decision-making throughout the hierarchy.
D) To restrict the flow of information among departments.

Answer: C) To delegate responsibility and decision-making throughout the hierarchy.

13. What is the primary focus of the flow of work materials in an organization?

A) To ensure that information is communicated efficiently.

B) To delegate authority to various levels of management.
C) To facilitate the movement of physical resources and materials.
D) To centralize decision-making at the top of the hierarchy.

Answer: C) To facilitate the movement of physical resources and materials.

14. What is the primary focus of the flow of work materials in an organizational
context?

A) Ensuring efficient communication between departments.

B) Controlling the distribution of information.
C) Managing the physical movement of resources and materials.
D) Centralizing decision-making power at the top of the hierarchy.

Answer: C) Managing the physical movement of resources and materials.

15. What is the primary purpose of the flow of work materials in an organization?

A) To centralize control over the production process.

B) To ensure that all employees have access to the materials they need.
C) To minimize the transportation of materials within the organization.
D) To limit the availability of work materials to specific departments.

Answer: C) To minimize the transportation of materials within the organization.

16. What is the primary focus of the flow of work materials in an organization?

A) To ensure that employees have the necessary tools and equipment to perform their
tasks.
B) To centralize control of physical resources within the organization.
C) To minimize the need for communication among departments.
D) To streamline the flow of information among employees.

Answer: A) To ensure that employees have the necessary tools and equipment to
perform their tasks.

17.What is the primary purpose of the flow of information in an organization?

A) To control the allocation of physical resources.

B) To ensure that employees have the necessary tools and equipment.
C) To facilitate communication and decision-making.
D) To minimize direct supervision.

Answer: C) To facilitate communication and decision-making.

18. What is the primary purpose of the flow of information within an organization?

A) To minimize the need for direct supervision.

B) To centralize decision-making authority.
C) To facilitate communication and coordination among employees.
D) To control the flow of work materials.

Answer: C) To facilitate communication and coordination among employees.

19. Which of the following attributes is associated with the flow of information in
organizational theory according to Mintzberg?

A) Hierarchical and rigid structure

B) Open and transparent communication
C) Strict adherence to standardized procedures
D) Centralized decision-making authority

Answer: B) Open and transparent communication

20. Which of the following attributes is associated with the flow of information in
organizations, according to Mintzberg's organizational theory?

A) Formalized processes and procedures.

B) Efficient allocation of work materials.
C) Enhanced coordination among employees.
D) Direct control by top-level management.

Answer: C) Enhanced coordination among employees.

21. What characterizes the flow of decision processes in organizations, as per

Mintzberg's organizational theory?

A) Efficient distribution of work materials.

B) Coordination through mutual adjustment.
C) Centralized control by top management.
D) Streamlined communication and information exchange.

Answer: B) Coordination through mutual adjustment.

22. What does the flow of decision processes primarily involve in organizational
theory, according to Mintzberg?

A) Efficient allocation of resources.

B) Supervision and control mechanisms.
C) The movement of authority within the organization.
D) The process of making choices and taking actions.

Answer: D) The process of making choices and taking actions

23. In Mintzberg's organizational theory, what is a key characteristic of the flow

of decision processes?

A) It primarily involves top-level management.

B) It follows a rigid and formalized structure.
C) It often relies on mutual adjustment.
D) It only deals with routine decisions.

Answer: C) It often relies on mutual adjustment.

23. Job specialization is primarily characterized by:

A) Cross-training employees in various roles.

B) Expanding job roles to include a wide range of tasks.
C) Focusing on a narrow set of tasks within a job.
D) Eliminating job roles altogether.

Answer: C) Focusing on a narrow set of tasks within a job.

24. What does horizontal job specialization refer to in an organization?

A) Increasing the complexity of individual job roles.

B) Expanding job roles to include a wide range of tasks.
C) Focusing on a narrow set of tasks within a job.
D) Encouraging employees to rotate through different departments.

Answer: B) Expanding job roles to include a wide range of tasks.

25. Job enlargement, as described in Mintzberg's organizational design framework,

involves:

A) Expanding the number of tasks and responsibilities within a single job.

B) Narrowing the focus of tasks to increase efficiency.
C) Eliminating unnecessary tasks to streamline job roles.
D) Promoting employees to higher positions with more authority.

Answer: A) Expanding the number of tasks and responsibilities within a single job

26.How does job enlargement, according to Mintzberg's organizational design

framework, impact coordination mechanisms in an organization?

A) Job enlargement enhances standardization of skills.

B) Job enlargement increases mutual adjustment.
C) Job enlargement has no effect on coordination mechanisms.
D) Job enlargement promotes flow of authority.

Answer: B) Job enlargement increases mutual adjustment.

27. In Mintzberg's organizational design framework, how does job enlargement relate
to coordination mechanisms?

A) Job enlargement primarily relies on mutual adjustment for coordination.

B) Job enlargement aligns with standardization of skills for coordination.
C) Job enlargement is unrelated to coordination mechanisms.
D) Job enlargement is only compatible with centralization of decision-making.

Answer: A) Job enlargement primarily relies on mutual adjustment for coordination.

28. According to Mintzberg's organizational design framework, how is job

specialization related to coordination mechanisms?

A) Job specialization typically requires mutual adjustment for coordination.

B) Job specialization is mainly associated with standardization of skills for
coordination.
C) Job specialization has no connection to coordination mechanisms.
D) Job specialization primarily relies on flow of authority for coordination.

Answer: B) Job specialization is mainly associated with standardization of skills

for coordination.

29. In Mintzberg's organizational design framework, how does job specialization

relate to the five basic parts of an organization?

A) Job specialization primarily influences the Strategic Apex.

B) Job specialization is mainly associated with the Middle Line.
C) Job specialization plays a significant role in the Operating Core.
D) Job specialization is most relevant to the Support Staff.
E) Job specialization primarily affects the Ideology.

Answer: C) Job specialization plays a significant role in the Operating Core.

30. In Mintzberg's organizational design framework, which of the following

characteristics of job enlargement is most closely associated with the Middle Line,
one of the five basic parts of an organization's configuration?

A) Increased variety of tasks

B) Increased autonomy in decision-making
C) Greater task significance
D) Task interdependence
E) Enhanced communication skills

Answer: D) Task interdependence

31. In Mintzberg's organizational design framework, which of the five basic parts
of an organization's configuration is most directly influenced by job enlargement?

A) The Operating Core

B) The Strategic Apex
C) The Middle Line
D) The Technostructure
E) The Support Staff

Answer: A) The Operating Core

32. How does job enlargement impact the coordination mechanisms in Mintzberg's five
basic parts of an organization?

A) It primarily affects mutual adjustment in the Operating Core.

B) It mainly influences standardization of skills in the Middle Line.
C) It enhances the technostructure's role in standardization of outputs.
D) It leads to greater standardization of processes in the Support Staff.
E) It strengthens hierarchical authority in the Strategic Apex.

Answer: A) It primarily affects mutual adjustment in the Operating Core.

33. How does job enlargement relate to the coordination mechanisms within the five
basic parts of an organization, according to Mintzberg's framework?

A) Job enlargement typically involves mutual adjustment and is most common in the
Operating Core.
B) Job enlargement promotes standardization of skills and is primarily found in the
Strategic Apex.
C) Job enlargement enhances the flow of information and is primarily seen in the
Middle Line.
D) Job enlargement often leads to hierarchical coordination and is mainly observed
in Support Staff.
E) Job enlargement doesn't significantly impact coordination mechanisms in the five
basic parts.

Answer: A) Job enlargement typically involves mutual adjustment and is most common
in the Operating Core.

34. Case Background:

You are the HR manager at a medium-sized software development company. Recently,
there have been discussions about implementing job enlargement to improve employee
engagement and productivity. The company traditionally used job specialization, but
the leadership believes it might be time for a change.

Scenario:
The management team is considering whether to introduce job enlargement. Job
enlargement would involve expanding employees' roles to include tasks from other
areas within the company, giving them more diverse responsibilities.

Question:
Based on the scenario, which of the following statements about job enlargement is
most accurate?

A) Job enlargement is likely to reduce employee engagement and job satisfaction due
to increased workload.
B) Job enlargement aims to make employees more specialized in their current roles.
C) Job enlargement involves expanding employees' roles to include more diverse
tasks from other areas.
D) Job enlargement will lead to a narrower skill set among employees.
E) Job enlargement is synonymous with job specialization.

Answer: C) Job enlargement involves expanding employees' roles to include more

diverse tasks from other areas.

Explanation:
Job enlargement is a strategy that aims to enhance employee engagement and
productivity by expanding the scope of their responsibilities. It involves adding
more diverse tasks and functions to an employee's role, allowing them to develop a
broader skill set and potentially increasing job satisfaction.

35. Question:

You are a manager at a busy call center that handles customer service inquiries for
an e-commerce company. Your team has been using job specialization for quite some
time. Recently, you've noticed some changes in your employees' attitudes and
productivity levels. To address this, you are considering whether to continue with
job specialization or explore alternative approaches. Based on this case, which of
the following options best summarizes the potential benefits and drawbacks of job
specialization?

Case Background:

Currently, your call center employs a job specialization strategy where employees
are divided into specific roles such as handling customer inquiries, processing
returns, or resolving technical issues. This approach has been efficient, but some
employees have expressed frustration with the repetitive nature of their tasks.

Options:

A) Benefits: Job specialization ensures that each employee becomes an expert in

their specific area, leading to faster and more efficient problem resolution.
Drawbacks: Employees may experience burnout and reduced job satisfaction.

B) Benefits: Specialization allows for precise role definition, which can lead to
faster training and onboarding. Drawbacks: It can result in limited skill
development and monotony.

C) Benefits: Specialization increases efficiency as employees become highly

proficient in their roles. Drawbacks: Employee turnover might increase due to job
dissatisfaction.

D) Benefits: Job specialization leads to clear task assignments and accountability.

Drawbacks: It may limit adaptability to handle diverse customer inquiries.

E) Benefits: Specialization ensures that employees handle only tasks they are best
suited for, maximizing efficiency. Drawbacks: Employees may feel disengaged or
unfulfilled in their roles.

Case Analysis:

Choose the option that best reflects the potential advantages and disadvantages of
continuing with job specialization in your call center.

Answer: A) Benefits: Job specialization ensures that each employee becomes an

expert in their specific area, leading to faster and more efficient problem
resolution. Drawbacks: Employees may experience burnout and reduced job
satisfaction.