Topic 4 - Human Resources (1. organisational structures)

Question 1

what is an organitational structure

Answer 1

the way a business arranges itself to carry out its activities.

Question 2

what is an organisational chart

Answer 2

plan showing the roles of and relationships between all the employees in a business

Question 3

what are line managers

Answer 3

an employees immediate superior or boss

Question 4

what is authority

Answer 4

the power to control others and to make decisions

Question 5

what are the responsibilities of the director

Answer 5

establish the business’s overall goals

set long term plans and targets for the business

Question 6

what are the responsibilities of managers

Answer 6

work to achieve the short and long term targets set by directors

Question 7

what are the responsibilities of the team leaders

Answer 7

help managers achieve their targets by reporting any problems and passing on instructions
take simple decisions such as allocating jobs among different employees

Question 8

what are the responsibilities of shop floor workers

Answer 8

carry out the business’s basic duties or activities. These could be working on a production line, serving customers in a shop or basic office duties.

Question 9

what is span of control

Answer 9

number of employees managed directly by another employee

Question 10

what is the maximum recommended span of control

Answer 10

6

Question 11

what are levels of hierarchy

Answer 11

layers of authority within a business

Question 12

what is a chain of command

Answer 12

the line of authority within a business along which communication passes.

Question 13

what is delayering

Answer 13

the removal of one or more levels of hierarchy from a business’s organisational structure

Question 14

what is delayering

Answer 14

the removal of one or more levels of hierarchy from a business’s organisational structure

Question 15

what are the consequences of delayering

Answer 15

junior employees might have to take on some of the duties previously carried out by employees who were their line managers
some senior employees may have very wide spans of control when a level of hierarchy is removed.

Question 16

what is delegation

Answer 16

the passing down of authority to more junior employees

Question 17

what are the 2 types of organisational structures

Answer 17

tall and flat

Question 18

what is a flat structure

Answer 18

wide span of control, fewer levels of hierarchy

Question 19

what is a tall structure

Answer 19

narrow span of control, more levels of hierachy.

Question 20

factors that influence a business’s organisational structure.

Answer 20

the skills of the workforce
managements style used in the business
business’s competitive environment

Question 21

what is communication

Answer 21

exchange of information between 2 or more people

Question 22

what are the different way people can communicate

Answer 22

meetings
video conferencing
telephone calls
emails
written communications

Question 23

what types of communication take place within the business

Answer 23

downward communication
upward communication
horizontal communication

Question 24

what is centralisation

Answer 24

allows employees working in all areas of the business to take decisions.

Question 25

advantages of decentralisation

Answer 25

can reduce pressure on the senior managers
motivate employees
faster decision makin

Question 26

disadvantages of decentralisation

Answer 26

all employees need to understand business decisions and goals
training may be needed
good communication is needed