Chapter 07 Flashcards
analyzability
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)
continuous process production
A completely mechanized manufacturing process in which there is no starting or stopping (p. 247)
core technology
The work process that is directly related to the organization’s mission (p. 244)
craft technology
Technology characterized by a fairly stable stream of activities but in which the conversion process is not analyzable or well-understood (p. 264)
engineering technology
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)
flexible manufacturing systems (FMS)
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)
intensive technologies
A variety of products or services provided in combination to a client (p. 271)
interdependence
The extent to which departments depend on each other for resources or materials to accomplish their tasks (p. 269)
job design
The assignment of goals and tasks to be accomplished by employees (p. 273)
job enlargement
The designing of jobs to expand the number of different tasks performed by an employee (p. 273)
job enrichment
The designing of jobs to increase responsibility, recognition, and opportunities for growth and achievement (p. 273)
job rotation
Moving employees from job to job to give them a greater variety of tasks and alleviate boredom (p. 273)
job simplification
The reduction of the number and difficulty of tasks performed by a single person (p. 273)
joint optimization
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)
large-batch production
A manufacturing process characterized by long production runs of standardized parts (p. 247)
lean manufacturing
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)
long-linked technology
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)
mass customization
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)
mediating technology
The provision of products or services that mediate or link clients from the external environment and allow each department to work independently (p. 270)
noncore technology
A department work process that is important to the organization but is not directly related to its central mission (p. 245)
nonroutine technology
Technology in which there is high task variety and the conversion process is not analyzable or well-understood (p. 264)
pooled interdependence
The lowest form of interdependence among departments, in which work does not flow between units (p. 269)
reciprocal interdependence
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)
routine technologies
Technologies characterized by little task variety and the use of objective, computational procedures (p. 264)
sequential interdependence
A serial form of interdependence in which the output of one operation becomes the input to another operation (p. 270)
service technology
Technology characterized by simultaneous production and consumption, customized output, customer participation, intangible output, and being labour-intensive (p. 258)
small-batch production
A manufacturing process, often custom work, that is not highly mechanized and relies heavily on the human operator (p. 247)
sociotechnical systems approach
An approach that combines the needs of people with the needs of technical efficiency (p. 274)
task variety
The frequency of unexpected and novel events that occur in the conversion process (p. 263)
technical complexity
The extent of mechanization in the manufacturing process (p. 247)
technology
The tools, techniques, and actions used to transform organizational inputs into outputs (p. 244)
