Discussion Questions s4

Discussion Questions

1. Discuss the key differences between large and small organizations. Which kinds of organizations would be better off acting as large organizations, and which are best trying to act as big-company/small-company hybrids?

2. Why do large organizations tend to be more formalized?

3. If you were managing a department of college professors, how might you structure the department differently than if you were managing a department of bookkeepers? Why?

4. Apply the concept of life cycle to an organization with which you are familiar, such as a university or a local business. What stage is the organization in now? How did the organization handle or pass through its life cycle crises?

5. Describe the three bases of authority identified by Weber. Is it possible for each of these types of authority to function at the same time within an organization?

6. In writing about types of control, William Ouchi said, “The Market is like the trout and the Clan like the salmon, each a beautiful highly specialized species which requires uncommon conditions for its survival. In comparison, the bureaucratic method of control is the catfish—clumsy, ugly, but able to live in the widest range of environments and ultimately, the dominant species.” Discuss what Ouchi meant with that analogy.

7. Government organizations often seem more bureaucratic than for-profit organizations. Could this partly be the result of the type of control used in government organizations? Explain.

8. The incident command system has been used primarily by organizations that regularly deal with crisis situations. Discuss whether this approach seems workable for a large media company that wants to reduce bureaucracy. How about for a manufacturer of cell phones?

9. Refer to the Xerox case at the beginning of Chapter 1 and discuss how Xerox illustrates the major causes of organizational decline. In what stage of decline does Xerox seem to be?

10. Do you think a “no growth” philosophy of management should be taught in business schools? Discuss.