Chapter 07

Question 1

analyzability

Answer 1

A dimension of technology in which work activities can be reduced to mechanical steps and participants can follow an objective, computational procedure to solve problems (p. 264)

Question 2

continuous process production

Answer 2

A completely mechanized manufacturing process in which there is no starting or stopping (p. 247)

Question 3

core technology

Answer 3

The work process that is directly related to the organization’s mission (p. 244)

Question 4

craft technology

Answer 4

Technology characterized by a fairly stable stream of activities but in which the conversion process is not analyzable or well-understood (p. 264)

Question 5

engineering technology

Answer 5

Technology in which there is substantial variety in the tasks performed, but activities are usually handled on the basis of established formulas, procedures, and techniques (p. 264)

Question 6

flexible manufacturing systems (FMS)

Answer 6

Using computers to link manufacturing components such as robots, machines, product design, and engineering analysis to enable fast switching from one product to another (p. 252)

Question 7

intensive technologies

Answer 7

A variety of products or services provided in combination to a client (p. 271)

Question 8

interdependence

Answer 8

The extent to which departments depend on each other for resources or materials to accomplish their tasks (p. 269)

Question 9

job design

Answer 9

The assignment of goals and tasks to be accomplished by employees (p. 273)

Question 10

job enlargement

Answer 10

The designing of jobs to expand the number of different tasks performed by an employee (p. 273)

Question 11

job enrichment

Answer 11

The designing of jobs to increase responsibility, recognition, and opportunities for growth and achievement (p. 273)

Question 12

job rotation

Answer 12

Moving employees from job to job to give them a greater variety of tasks and alleviate boredom (p. 273)

Question 13

job simplification

Answer 13

The reduction of the number and difficulty of tasks performed by a single person (p. 273)

Question 14

joint optimization

Answer 14

The goal of the sociotechnical systems approach, which states that an organization will function best only if its social and technical systems are designed to fit the needs of one another (p. 275)

Question 15

large-batch production

Answer 15

A manufacturing process characterized by long production runs of standardized parts (p. 247)

Question 16

lean manufacturing

Answer 16

Uses highly trained employees at every stage of the production process who take a painstaking approach to details and continuous problem solving to cut waste and improve quality (p. 253)

Question 17

long-linked technology

Answer 17

The combination, within one organization, of successive stages of production, with each stage using as its inputs the production of the preceding stage (p. 270)

Question 18

mass customization

Answer 18

The use of computer-integrated systems and flexible work processes to enable companies to mass produce a variety of products or services designed to exact customer specification (p. 255)

Question 19

mediating technology

Answer 19

The provision of products or services that mediate or link clients from the external environment and allow each department to work independently (p. 270)

Question 20

noncore technology

Answer 20

A department work process that is important to the organization but is not directly related to its central mission (p. 245)

Question 21

nonroutine technology

Answer 21

Technology in which there is high task variety and the conversion process is not analyzable or well-understood (p. 264)

Question 22

pooled interdependence

Answer 22

The lowest form of interdependence among departments, in which work does not flow between units (p. 269)

Question 23

reciprocal interdependence

Answer 23

The highest level of interdependence, in which the output of one operation is the input of a second, and then the output of the second operation becomes the input of the first (for example, a hospital) (p. 270)

Question 24

routine technologies

Answer 24

Technologies characterized by little task variety and the use of objective, computational procedures (p. 264)

Question 25

sequential interdependence

Answer 25

A serial form of interdependence in which the output of one operation becomes the input to another operation (p. 270)

Question 26

service technology

Answer 26

Technology characterized by simultaneous production and consumption, customized output, customer participation, intangible output, and being labour-intensive (p. 258)

Question 27

small-batch production

Answer 27

A manufacturing process, often custom work, that is not highly mechanized and relies heavily on the human operator (p. 247)

Question 28

sociotechnical systems approach

Answer 28

An approach that combines the needs of people with the needs of technical efficiency (p. 274)

Question 29

task variety

Answer 29

The frequency of unexpected and novel events that occur in the conversion process (p. 263)

Question 30

technical complexity

Answer 30

The extent of mechanization in the manufacturing process (p. 247)

Question 31

technology

Answer 31

The tools, techniques, and actions used to transform organizational inputs into outputs (p. 244)