ÖRGÜT KURAMI VE TASARIMI

Although four of the options served as pioneers of Contingency Theory, Henri Fayol was among the first to systematically study the organizations. So, Fayol’s ideas and works may have paved the way for Contingency Theory, yet he, himself, was not among relevant theorists. Thus, the correct answer is D

Resource Dependency Theorists underlined the significance of managing demands of multiple interest groups. Thus, the correct answer is E.

Task environment includes the sectors that have a direct impact on an organisation’s ability to achieve its goals. Thus, the correct answer is A.

Environmental complexity is a measure of the number and degree of dissimilarity among the factors surrounding an organization. Thus, the correct answer is E.

Only one of the arrangements above is not considered within structural arrangements to resolve coordination problems. Making permanent contracts with the clients is neither doable nor a functional strategy to eliminate coordinaton problems. thus, the correct answer is B.

In stable environments, the major concern of producers is efficiency. Thus, the correct answer is C.

Under low uncertainty condition, when the environment is stable, the structure of the organisation should be formal and centralised. Thus, the correct answer is A.

Main problem for the managers is to find ways to control dependency relations in the external relations. Developing long terms contracts with the critical suppliers is a frequent strategy, yet short term contracts are not classified among the relevant strategies. Thus, the correct answer is B.

Organisational form, as offered by Hannan and Freeman, refers to goals, formal structure, technology, normative order, and human resources. Thus, the correct answer is E.

Structural inertia means state of being indifferent to external changes. Thus, the correct answer is C.

First systematic approaches to study organizations were developed by pioneers of management thought such as Frederick Winslow Taylor, Henry Gantt, Frank and Lillian Gilbert, Henri Fayol and James Mooney. All of these scholars were mostly interested in the efficient processing of internal systems. The others listed in (b), (c), (d), and (e) were among the contingency theorists. Choice (a) is the correct answer.

Scholars who were mostly interested in the efficient processing of internal systems did not have motivation to think about external factors surrounding organizations because the main problem at the dawn of 20^th century was to find a way to organize business in the workplace. They imagined a machine like closed structure operating with maximum efficiency. Employees working in the first modern organizations were viewed as replaceable parts of this perfect model. They ignored the human side of organizations, and they preferred to focus on defining an economic man. Choice (e) is the correct answer.

Contingency theorists were more interested in technical aspects of organizational environment, and they ignored societal influences. Resource dependency theory emphasized power relations in environment and importance of managing demands of multiple interest groups. Finally, population ecology theory explained environmental dynamics with the perspective of evolutionary biology. Internal factors were the concern of more traditional approaches to organizations. Choice (d) is the correct answer.

Elton Mayo and his colleagues had started to search the behavioral aspects in organizations after they completed a series of experiments in Hawthorne Electric Company. They developed counseling interview techniques and other managerial tools that may help to reduce the burden on employees in workplace. Choice (b) is the correct answer.

Organizational environment is defined as all elements existing outside the organizational boundaries; and an organizational domain is the chosen environmental field of action. Task environment includes the sectors, which have a direct impact on organization’s ability to achieve its goal. Environmental uncertainty is defined as a function of environmental complexity and speed of change. Environmental complexity is a measure of the number and the degree of dissimilarity of the factors surrounding an organization. Choice (d) is the correct answer.

It is possible to state that principles of classical management are most fit with the organizations operating in a stable environment since achieving maximum efficiency is a prerequisite to survive. These mechanic structures are characterized by high levels of formalization- rules, procedures, guidelines, instructions and written communication-, routine tasks – standardization of production processes-, vertical design focus to increase control, rigid culture which favors accomplishments of predefined tasks and competitive behavior towards rivals. Whereas, it was observed that the electronic manufacturers in the same research preferred completely different organizational design. Learning and creativity become vital when organizations face with turbulent environments. In this case, old-fashioned ways of organizing business may restrict learning, creativity and innovation. Turbulent environment requires natural or organic system design according to Burns and Stalker. Organizational structure should enable learning and creativity. Applying written rules, guidelines and instructions to employees is not a good idea in this respect. Employees should feel themselves free and powerful to become innovative and creative. Horizontal structures, which aim at enabling information share among units and employees, have to be adopted to increase learning capacity of these organizations. Management has to be tolerant towards faults and mistakes of employees to encourage them to learn. It may not be sufficient only to make internal adjustments for innovation and creativity. Organizations need to interact with the other organizations in their environment to transfer knowledge and new ideas. This requires the development of good relations and search for some opportunities to have collaboration with the others. Therefore, competitive strategy is associated with stable environments, whereas horizontal structure with turbulent environments. Choice (c) involves non-matching members.

James Thompson, who made contributions to the field, highlights that organizations are not completely closed structures. He divided organizations into three levels: institutional level, managerial level, and technical level. System approach treats organizations as open systems and assumes that it is impossible for a closed system to survive. Institutional level should be open because its task is to relate the organization to its broader context. However, technical level should be closed and organized rationally. Managerial level should act as a mediator between the other two levels according to Thompson. Technical system refers to the units, departments or parts in organizations where the main operations are carried on such as assembly line in a factory, software development units in an IT company and clinical units in a hospital -consultation rooms, operation theatres, radiology, and laboratories. Technical systems must be isolated from possible external effects to work properly. Therefore, closeness of the technical system is essential for efficiency in an organization. The given example represents the technical level of an organization. Therefore, choice (a) is the correct answer.

Duncan lists the following examples:

Stable-simple: Soft drink bottlers, food, processors, container manufacturers.

Stable-complex: Universities, appliance manufacturers, chemical companies.

Unstable-simple: E-commerce, fashion clothing, music industry. 

Unstable-complex: Computer, airlines, aerospace firms. 

Based on this, Hepsiburada.com, as an e-commerce company, is an example for unstable-simple dimension; Turkish Airlines is an example for the unstable-complex dimension; Anadolu University is an example for the stable-complex dimension; Kızılay Mineral Water, as a soft drink bottler, is an example for the stable-simple dimension; and Apple Company, as a computer company, is an example for the unstable-complex dimension. Therefore, choice (a) is the correct answer.

Social network theory emphasizes that organizations need social support from the important actors in their environment just as an individual or a group of people. Having social ties with the key decision makers and the other organizations can enable flow of resources into an organization. Famous French sociologist Pierre Bordieu and other network researchers define social capital as network relations of an actor that can provide benefits. Organizations, which have broad and influential social networks, can have a significant competitive advantage over others that are having few social connections. If this assumption is valid in business life, organizations should spend their efforts to increase quantity and quality of their social connections. Their intention to form organizational social capital may lead to emergence of complex inter-organizational networks. It can be vitally important for a manager to examine and analyze these networks in the external environment. Organizations can form a network of relations by hiring individuals who can provide the required social connections, collaborating with other organizations or promoting employees who have powerful social networks to the critical positions – strategic level. In the given example, too, this kind of an advatage is described. Therefore, choice (d) is the correct answer.

Coercive Isomorphism: Sometimes the impact of legal environment and state institutions on some sectors may be higher than the other areas. In this case, organizations must develop an internal sys­tem which is consistent with the requirements imposed by state and other regulative agencies. All the health care institutions in Turkey must be consistent with the standards imposed by Ministry of Health. The given example is similar to this situation. Therefore, choice (b) is the correct answer.