organization

Question 1

What is the central idea of Taylor’s Scientific Management?

Answer 1

Scientific Management is based on finding the “one best way” to organize work, emphasizing standardization of time and routinization of motion for maximum efficiency.

Question 2

What are the main principles of Taylor’s Scientific Management?

Answer 2

Division of labor: Separation of planning and execution (brain vs. body).
Control of execution by management.
Incentives based on merit (e.g., piecework pay).
Functional structure and chain of command.

Question 3

hat are the main criticisms of Taylor’s Scientific Management?

Answer 3

Dehumanization of workers.
Machine-like approach to labor.
Focus on efficiency over human needs.

Question 4

What is Max Weber’s definition of bureaucracy?

Answer 4

Bureaucracy is an organizational form consisting of a hierarchy of differentiated knowledge and expertise, where rules and disciplines are arranged both hierarchically and in parallel.

Question 5

What are the main principles of Weber’s bureaucracy?

Answer 5

Binding work rules (what should and should not be done).
Clear spheres of competence (who is responsible for what).
Hierarchy (chain of command).
Documentation (of decisions).
Impersonality (rules over personal needs).
Qualification criteria for job tasks.
Defined career paths (including wage hierarchy).

Question 6

What are the advantages and criticisms of Weber’s bureaucracy?

Answer 6

Efficiency, clear responsibilities, consistency.
Criticisms: Rigidity, lack of adaptability, dehumanization.

Question 7

What is the main focus of the Human Relations Approach?

Answer 7

The Human Relations Approach focuses on human needs as the basis for organizational development, emphasizing employee-centric leadership and the need for a sense of belonging.

Question 8

What were the key findings of the Hawthorne Studies?

Answer 8

Psychological and social factors significantly influence worker productivity.
Managers should act as mediators of interests.
A sense of belonging and satisfaction maximizes motivation and performance.

Question 9

How does the Human Relations Approach differ from Scientific Management?

Answer 9

Human Relations focuses on humanization of work, while Scientific Management emphasizes efficiency and control.
It values psychological and social factors over mechanistic processes.

Question 10

What is Schein’s definition of organizational culture?

Answer 10

Organizational culture is the set of deep, basic assumptions and beliefs shared by organizational members.

Question 11

What are the three levels of organizational culture according to Schein?

Answer 11

Visible features: Architecture, uniforms, interior design.
Non-visible values: Norms and beliefs.
Basic assumptions: Hidden beneath artifacts and expressed values.

Question 12

Why is organizational culture often described as unconscious and hidden?

Answer 12

Culture operates below the surface, with basic assumptions and beliefs shaping behavior, while symbols, language, and artifacts only provide visible clues.

Question 13

What are the three criteria for strong organizational cultures according to Peters and Waterman?

Answer 13

High degree of conciseness: Clear expectations with little ambiguity.
High degree of dissemination: Shared values broadly distributed across the organization.
High degree of taken-for-grantedness: Assumptions are rarely questioned, even during crises.

Question 14

How do strong organizational cultures benefit organizations?

Answer 14

They enhance orientation, facilitate smooth communication, foster team spirit, and boost motivation among employees.

Question 15

What are the potential risks of strong organizational cultures?

Answer 15

Resistance to change due to unquestioned assumptions.
Suppression of diversity in thought and behavior.

Question 16

What is the integrationist perspective on organizational identity?

Answer 16

The integrationist perspective states that every organization should have a unified organizational identity, and all members should behave in alignment with this identity

Question 17

How does the differentiation perspective differ from the integrationist perspective?

Answer 17

Differentiation highlights that multiple identities exist within organizations, often tied to individuals, groups, departments, or professions.
Identity unity and sharedness are rare exceptions.

Question 18

What does the fragmentation perspective suggest about organizational identity?

Answer 18

Organizational identities are fluid and precarious, constantly being produced, reproduced, and changed by actors, emphasizing the dynamic nature of identity.

Question 19

What is the main focus of knowledge management?

Answer 19

The main focus of knowledge management is transforming tacit knowledge into explicit knowledge to facilitate sharing and application.

Question 20

What is tacit knowledge in the context of knowledge management?

Answer 20

Tacit knowledge refers to knowledge that is personal, experience-based, and difficult to articulate or document.

Question 21

What is explicit knowledge in the context of knowledge management?

Answer 21

Explicit knowledge refers to knowledge that can be easily documented, shared, and communicated, such as manuals or procedures.

Question 22

What are the two types of knowledge according to Polanyi?

Answer 22

Explicit Knowledge (Know-What): Knowledge that can be articulated, shared, and reflected upon.
Tacit Knowledge (Know-How): Knowledge based on experience that is difficult to articulate.

Question 23

What is an example of explicit knowledge?

Answer 23

Explicit knowledge includes documented processes, manuals, or instructions that can be easily shared.

Question 24

What is an example of tacit knowledge?

Answer 24

Tacit knowledge includes skills like riding a bike or crafting, where expertise is gained through practice but is hard to explain verbally.

Question 25

What is Nonaka’s Knowledge Spiral?

Answer 25

The Knowledge Spiral is a process of knowledge creation that includes:

Socialization: Learning on the job through tacit knowledge.
Externalization: Converting tacit knowledge into explicit knowledge (e.g., documentation).
Combination: Combining explicit knowledge with other explicit knowledge (e.g., through discussions).
Internalization: Transforming explicit knowledge back into tacit knowledge (e.g., learning from manuals).

Question 26

What happens during the socialization phase of Nonaka’s Knowledge Spiral?

Answer 26

Tacit knowledge is shared through social interactions, often by learning on the job or observing others.

Question 27

How does externalization contribute to knowledge creation?

Answer 27

Externalization transforms tacit knowledge into explicit knowledge by documenting or sharing it, such as creating a manual.

Question 28

What are the three levels of organizational learning according to Argyris & Schön?

Answer 28

Single-loop learning: Problem-solving by refining existing skills and abilities.
Double-loop learning: Changing frames of reference, questioning values, and reflecting on single-loop learning.
Triple-loop learning: Improving the ability to learn, integrating single- and double-loop learning.

Question 29

How does single-loop learning differ from double-loop learning?

Answer 29

Single-loop learning focuses on improving existing skills and solving problems within current frameworks.
Double-loop learning involves questioning underlying assumptions and changing frames of reference.

Question 30

What is the goal of triple-loop learning?

Answer 30

Triple-loop learning aims to improve the organization’s overall learning capacity by combining and enhancing single- and double-loop learning.

Question 31

What are the two main types of organizational learning according to March?

Answer 31

Exploitation: Reusing existing knowledge through routinization to work more cheaply and efficiently (single-loop learning).
Exploration: Creating new knowledge and new ways of thinking, involving risk and innovation (double-loop learning).

Question 32

What is ambidexterity in the context of organizational learning?

Answer 32

Ambidexterity is the ability of an organization to balance and engage in both exploration (creating new knowledge) and exploitation (using existing knowledge) simultaneously.

Question 33

How does exploration differ from exploitation in organizational learning?

Answer 33

Exploration: Focuses on innovation, risk-taking, and developing new ideas.
Exploitation: Focuses on efficiency, refining, and reusing established knowledge.

Question 34

What is the paradox of organizational learning according to Weick & Westley?

Answer 34

The paradox lies in the opposing nature of learning and organizing:

Organizing/Exploitation: Focuses on creating order and control.
Learning/Exploration: Focuses on creating disorder and increasing variety.

Question 35

How are learning and organizing described as antithetical processes?

Answer 35

Learning involves questioning and breaking established patterns to create new knowledge.
Organizing requires maintaining stability and control to ensure order.

Question 36

Where does learning occur in the paradox of organizational learning?

Answer 36

Learning occurs at the intersection of the old and the new, where tension arises between maintaining order and embracing change.