Chapter 7: Creating a Flexible Organization

the obligation of a worker to accomplish an assigned job or task

a committee created for a specific short-term purpose

the power, within an organization, to accomplish an assigned job or task

an organization that systematically works to concentrate authority at the upper levels of the organization

the line of authority that extends from the highest to the lowest levels of an organization

the inner rites, rituals, heroes, and values of a firm

a team of individuals with varying specialties, expertise, and skills that are brought together to achieve a common task

an organization in which management consciously attempts to spread authority widely in the lower levels of the organization

assigning part of a manager's work and power to other workers

the process of grouping jobs into manageable units

grouping activities according to the needs of various customer populations

grouping jobs that relate to the same organizational activity

grouping activities according to the defined geographic area in which they are performed

grouping activities related to a particular product or service

the informal communications network within an organization

a group created by the members themselves to accomplish goals that may or may not be relevant to an organization

the pattern of behavior and interaction that stems from personal rather than official relationships

the systematic shifting of employees from one job to another

the separation of all organizational activities into distinct tasks and the assignment of different tasks to different people

a position in which a person makes decisions and gives orders to subordinates to achieve the organization's goals

an organizational structure in which the chain of command goes directly from person to person throughout the organization

an organizational structure that utilizes the chain of command from a line structure in combination with the assistance of staff managers

an organizational structure that combines vertical and horizontal lines of authority, usually by superimposing product departmentalization on a functionally departmentalized organization

an organizational structure in which administration is the primary function, and most other functions are contracted out to other firms

a group of two or more people working together to achieve a common set of goals

a diagram that represents the positions and relationships within an organization

the number of layers, or levels, of management in a firm

the duty to do a job or perform a task

the number of workers who report directly to one manager

a position created to provide support, advice, and expertise within an organization

a relatively permanent committee charged with performing some recurring task

a committee established to investigate a major problem or pending decision