MPA Organizational Theory and Management 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Max Weber's model of bureaucracy is characterized by which of the following?
- Informal networks, charismatic authority, and flexible rules
- Hierarchy, written rules, specialization, and impersonality (Correct answer)
- Flat structure, employee autonomy, and mission-driven culture
- Elected leadership, constituency representation, and decentralized power
Correct answer: Hierarchy, written rules, specialization, and impersonality
Weber's ideal-type bureaucracy features a clear hierarchy, formal rules and procedures, specialized division of labor, impartial treatment, and appointment based on technical competence.
Question 2: Which management theory argues that workers are primarily motivated by social relationships and a sense of belonging rather than financial incentives alone?
- Scientific management (Taylorism)
- Human relations theory (Correct answer)
- Bureaucratic theory
- Public choice theory
Correct answer: Human relations theory
Human relations theory, inspired by the Hawthorne Studies, argues that social factors, group dynamics, and worker morale are powerful determinants of productivity.
Question 3: What does 'span of control' refer to in organizational management?
- The geographic territory managed by a field office
- The number of subordinates a manager directly supervises (Correct answer)
- The range of policy areas an agency is responsible for
- The budget authority delegated to a program manager
Correct answer: The number of subordinates a manager directly supervises
Span of control is the number of direct reports a supervisor manages; wider spans require less hierarchy, while narrower spans require more levels of management.
Question 4: Which concept describes the tendency of organizations to adopt similar structures, practices, and cultures over time due to environmental pressures?
- Organizational entropy
- Institutional isomorphism (Correct answer)
- Bounded rationality
- Agency drift
Correct answer: Institutional isomorphism
Institutional isomorphism (DiMaggio and Powell) explains how organizations in the same field tend to become similar through coercive, mimetic, and normative pressures.
Question 5: In Maslow's hierarchy of needs applied to public organizations, what level must be satisfied before employees can be motivated by higher-order needs like esteem and self-actualization?
- Social/belonging needs
- Safety and security needs
- Physiological needs
- Both physiological and safety needs must be met first (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Both physiological and safety needs must be met first
Maslow's hierarchy places physiological needs at the base and safety needs second; both lower-order needs must be reasonably satisfied before higher needs become motivating.
Question 6: What is 'total quality management' (TQM) as applied in public administration?
- A system of standardized employee evaluations
- A management philosophy focused on continuous improvement, customer focus, and employee involvement to enhance quality (Correct answer)
- A financial auditing framework for government agencies
- A procurement strategy for purchasing high-quality goods
Correct answer: A management philosophy focused on continuous improvement, customer focus, and employee involvement to enhance quality
TQM, popularized by Deming, applies continuous improvement, customer orientation, and participatory management principles to increase quality and efficiency in public organizations.
MPA Organizational Theory and Management 1
Max Weber's model of bureaucracy is characterized by which of the following?