WRITTEN EXAMINATION FOR ONLINE PAD 705—PROTOCOLS, SCHEDULE AND SAMPLE ANSWERS

 

The following is the format for your single written examination for ONLINE PAD 705—Spring semester 2002

 

BASIC DETAILS OF EXAM

 

  1. The exam will last for two hours.
  2. There will be five questions—FOUR must be answered.
  3. The questions will differ for each student.
  4. Questions must be typewritten, using Word (or with permission directly into an e-mail) and e-mailed to the professor (patohara@jjay.cuny.edu) within 30 minutes of the exam’s close.
  5. NOTE: The Daft Chapter 10 short answer questions that were erroneously identified as the basis for possible exam questions.  They are not.  We are following the exam format and candidate questions that have been in place since the beginning of the semester.

 

WHEN DOES EACH STUDENT TAKE THE EXAM?

 

            Each student will choose a 7:00 PM—9:00 PM hour during the week of May 6th, any night.  You must let Professor O’Hara know of your time selection via e-mail, which should also include a phone number where you can be reached during the hour before your exam.   This should be done as soon as possible, and no later then April 25th via e-mail.

 

HOW WILL I KNOW WHAT QUESTIONS TO ANSWER?

 

“The Questions for the EXAM” (under assignments) have been renumbered consecutively from 1-23.  When you communicate with Professor O’Hara during the hour before the exam (610-517-7322), Professor O’Hara will read five numbers (ex: 2, 4, 9, 14, 19, 22) to you.  These are the questions on YOUR examination questions, from which you must answer four.  (Question # 1 will not be asked, for reasons that will become evident below.)  From the time you have been read the numbers of the questions you have two and one-half hours to complete your examination and e-mail it to the instructor.  The “sending” time stamp on your email will be proof that you have complied with the time limits.

 

IS THIS AN OPEN BOOK TEST?

 

Yes.  You may even use your “draft” answers that, if you have been following the course requirements by keeping up with the “exam” questions week by week, you already have in hand.  The final product that you submit, however, should be a thorough and reasoned response to each question that you choose to answer.   Rough drafts will not do.  Also, copying out of the text WILL NOT do.  All of these questions require that you apply your own analyses, your personal experiences, and your ability to compare two or more of Daft’s frameworks, concepts and ideas.  This, not a parroting of Daft, is what will get you a good grade.

 

WHAT SHOULD MY ANSWER LOOK LIKE?

 

It should look like an answer that would get you a clear passing grade on the Comprehensive Examination.  Here is a question Question One from your exam question set, followed by a sample answer that would earn a high grade.  The italicized material in the answer is a commentary on the structure of the answer and how each part contributes to the overall effectiveness of the answer

 

Question:  Give an overview of the evolution of organization theory and design.  After you have done so, discuss the extent to which the major elements of each “stage” of organization theory’s evolution play a role in how organizations are structured and managed today. 

 

Answer:  

 

Organization theory has evolved through several stages.  The earliest stage identified by Daft is the “classical” management perspective.  He then identifies the “Administrative Principles” stage.  The focus on administrative principles was followed by the “Human Relations” stage.  Finally, Daft identifies “contingency theory” as the approach that is the most recent.  I will briefly discuss each of these approaches and relate each approach to the structure and behavior of organizations today.

 

The first paragraph is the “let me briefly tell you where I am going” introduction that is an effective standard way to start any answer (or term paper for that matter).

 

The classical perspective concerned itself with fundamental elements of organizational design and the design of work itself.  As organizations grew larger and more complex, the challenge was to make people work together more effectively.   Several writers, including Weber, recognized that hierarchy was a crucial element in the centralized control of complex organizations.  These writers recognized that organizations were both legitimated and made more effective by various “bureaucratic” mechanisms including office holding via qualifications, tenure in office and records based administration.

 

Daft breaks down the “classical” approaches into “scientific management” and “administrative principles.”

 

 “Scientific management” was about the design of the work itself.  Associated with Frederick Taylor, scientific management studied each task in detail, including the physical interface between the worker and the task.   The goal was to design the job, and the workers’ approach to the job, in a way that minimized wasted motion and effort in order to produce an acceptable work product with the least time and effort.

 

The “administrative principles” approach considered the functions that helped run the organization as a whole.  Early 20th century writers recognized that organizations functioned best by following unity of command, unity of direction and other principles associated with Fayol, as well as by conducting the executive functions identified by Gulick, such as planning, budgeting and coordinating.  Weber’s writings on “bureaucracy” addressed both the organizational effectiveness role and the legitimizing role of administrative structure and process.

 

The last four paragraphs take care of the “what was the classical school.”  Notice that I have not yet addressed the issue of what “classical means to how organizations look today.”  That is deliberate.  Your answer is most likely to hit on all the point requested if you make sure that you finish with one point before you start the next.  It avoids sweeping by major parts of the question with sentences like “The classical school of organizational theory is the oldest yet you can see “classical” elements in today’s organization.  Here are several examples . . . .”  I can’t tell you how many comp exams are failed because students race along like this and never get back to describing the classical school or whateverl.  The “today’s organization” connection is made below in a clear, distinct way in a paragraph dedicated to answering that part of the question with respect to “classical” organization theory.

 

The classical structures and principles remain an important part of today’s organizations.  The person at the top of the hierarchy is still the final decision-maker.  Qualifications, for the most part, are what gets one into organizational positions.  Issues of coordination and control remain central to how organizations are run.  Just about any organization today can be analyzed in terms of “classical” features.

 

The Human Relations and behavioral approaches that came after classical organization theory focused more on the human element in organization design and functioning.  Studies such as those done at the Hawthorne plant showed that treating employees positively improved both their morale and productivity.  Studies focusing on work group behavior showed just how powerful groups of workers could be both for and against what the organization was trying to accomplish.  Studies of small group and organizational leadership delved into just what factors induced organizational members to follow the direction of formal and informal leaders.  Numerous studies of worker motivation sought to find the best way to get everyone with the organizational program.  The very term “Human Resources Management” is an outgrowth of the human relations approach.

 

Again, what is it (above) and, separately, how does it relate to today’s organizations (below).

 

Every organization today spends a lot of time and energy in figuring out what motivates employees.  It is a big concern in corporate offices trying to figure out end of year bonuses, unionized worksites trying to determine the “right” uniform salary increase, or government agencies trying to provide workers with a sense of certainty and security with set salary and promotion schedules.  All of these activities have at their heart the question of “what motivates employees.”   And Human Resources Departments in almost any organization have employee assistance programs, counseling and other “human relations” activities that deal with the social/psychological needs of employees.

 

Contingency theory is the most contemporary approach to thinking about organizations.  The structures, processes and motivational schemes of an organization are seen as dependent on the demands from the environment of that organization.  The size of an organization, the number of hierarchical levels it has, the technology it utilizes are all seen as responsive to environmental challenges. 

 

The contingency approach can be seen in many aspects of modern organizations.  Microsoft’s “turn on a dime” embrace of the Internet in 1995 after years of disdain and Microsoft’s 2001 embrace of “security” as software feature # 1 caused rapid, substantial restructuring of the organization to meet goals created on the basis of environmental analysis.  Even government organizations engage in contingency management.  Urban school systems, for instance, are experimenting with all sorts of unique forms of educational structures and incentive systems because politicians, parents, businesses and just about anyone who takes a close look have realized that the product stinks.

 

The last two paragraphs tell you first about contingency theory and then, in a separate paragraph, apply it to today’s organizations.  The answer is basically finished but it is always nice to tell the reader where he or she has been (next and last paragraph).

 

As this answer has explained, the several stages of organizational theory—classical, human relations and contingency—have each left their mark on how organizations are structured and managed today.

 

*****

 

IS THAT REALLY WHAT IS EXPECTED?

 

Yes.  The goal is both to have you master the material in this course, which will get you a good grade and make you more effective in your career, and to prepare you for the comprehensive examinations—which you must pass in order to get through the MPA Program.   Work you do now pays off today, tomorrow and in future years.

 

GOOD LUCK ON YOUR EXAM